Drones not nets: Bar Beach protest against summer shark nets

Protesters have taken the place of the bodies of turtles, seals, dolphins and grey nurse sharks wrapped in netting at Bar Beach on Saturday morning as the Animal Justice Party (AJP) renewed its push for Premier Chris Minns to keep shark nets out of NSW waters this summer.

The display, held between 9am and 10am, was one of four staged simultaneously along the coast, including at Bondi, Manly and Terrigal, as part of a coordinated campaign urging the government to permanently replace the decades-old nets with drone surveillance.

According to the NSW SharkSmart annual reports cited by the AJP, more than 660 marine animals were caught in shark nets between 2022 and 2025 - trapped, drowned, permanently injured or traumatised.

AJP MP Emma Hurst said successive NSW governments had relied on the shark meshing program, introduced in the 1930s, for far too long.

"For decades, successive NSW Governments have relied on outdated and ineffective shark nets from the 1930s and have failed to invest in modern technologies to keep beachgoers safe," Ms Hurst said.

"The research is clear that lethal shark control methods are ineffective because most sharks are migratory and are constantly being replaced by new sharks moving into the area.

"To genuinely keep beachgoers safe, the NSW Government must further invest in non-lethal alternatives and stop using outdated methods that simply don't work."

AJP Central Coast & Hunter representative Sarah Ryan said the government should keep the nets out.

"Obviously we have had a tough year in terms of fatal incidents, but the reaction was a good one with more drone surveillance ordered along our coast," she said.

"The government is acknowledging that they are the way to go."

Ms Ryan said she expected an adjustment period with more drones in the sky.

"We are going to see more reports of sightings and beach closures which might cause some fear," she said.

"They have always been there but we are seeing them more often and they are being reported and beaches closed."

"It is the most effective way to keep people safe."

Ms Ryan said more education around shark safety would also make a difference.

"Not everyone knows how to spot the increased risks like swimming at dawn and dusk, spotting sea bird and fish activity, the presence of people fishing, or events like rain runoff," she said.

"The more people know the more they are able to keep themselves safe."

AJP Central Coast regional group leader Emily McCallum linked the campaign to the recent arrival of a juvenile seal at Terrigal Beach, which has drawn hundreds of visitors each day.

"The recent surprise arrival of the juvenile seal at Terrigal Beach has captured many hearts, with hundreds of people visiting the beach each day to catch a glimpse," Ms McCallum said.

"But in just five weeks, if the NSW Government reinstates shark nets, this much-loved seal could face a deadly threat.

"As he continues his daily routine of swimming out in search of food, he could easily become entangled in a shark net and drown, just as other seals have in the past.

Premier Chris Minns has an opportunity to prevent more needless wildlife tragedies by keeping the shark nets out of our waters."

Ms McCallum said drones should replace shark nets at every patrolled NSW beach, pointing to Mr Minns' recent commitment to fund drone surveillance at every beach in Sydney, every day of the year.

"It's time for drones to replace these draconian death nets. We can keep people safe while protecting marine animals by fully funding drone surveillance at every patrolled NSW beach," she said.

She said the current drone coverage fell well short of that outside Sydney.

The Animal Justice Party is urging the NSW Government to permanently replace shark nets with modern, non-lethal safety measures such as drone surveillance at all patrolled beaches across NSW.

Under the NSW Shark Meshing (Bather Protection) Program, nets are typically deployed at 51 beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong from September through to the following autumn.