Maroubra, Coogee beach shark nets removal plan, Randwick Council

Shark nets could be removed from popular beaches in Sydney’s east, with a new trial set to go ahead.

UPDATE

Randwick Council has voted to go ahead with a new trial which could spell the beginning of the end for shark nets in southeast Sydney.

A motion was passed unanimously on Tuesday night at Randwick Council’s latest meeting to trial alternative technologies to detect sharks off the coastline.

The trial will use technologies such as SMART drumlines (essentially a hook and bait for large sharks which send an alert when pulled), drones, and “listening stations” which detect tagged sharks.

Council has voted to go ahead with the trial.

The drumlines are typically located beyond the surf break and are checked morning and night with caught sharks tagged and relocated 1km offshore.

Randwick Council’s shark nets will remain in place while the trial is ongoing but could make way for the new technologies in the future if the trial proves successful.

The motion stated the nets would only be taken down following “significant community consultation and engagement with the local community”.

Greens Councillor Lindsay Shurey put forward the idea in February to explore the phasing out of shark meshing at Coogee and Maroubra beaches, which cause harm to a range of sea life caught in the nets.

EARLIER

The next step to potentially remove shark nets at Coogee and Maroubra beaches will be decided on Tuesday night – with Randwick Council voting on whether to trial different technologies to keep sharks away from beachgoers.

Greens Councillor Lindsay Shurey put forward a motion in February to explore the phasing out of shark meshing at Coogee and Maroubra beaches which cause harm to sea life caught in the nets.

The controversial motion came off the back of a study by the NSW Department of Primary Industries that found there were other effective strategies to keep sharks away from swimmers.

A shark off the shore in the eastern suburbs.

Shark nets are currently in place off the coastline to keep swimmers safe.

The council, which carried the motion in February, will meet again on Tuesday night and vote whether to begin a trial making use of other technologies along the Randwick City Council coastline.

Those technologies include SMART drumlines (essentially a hook and bait for large sharks which send an alert when pulled), drones, and “listening stations” which detect tagged sharks.

A dead dolphin found caught in a shark net off Sydney.

Council papers recommend the shark meshing at Maroubra and Coogee beaches remain in place during the trial “until there is data” confirming the effectiveness of the other technologies.

South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club has publicly opposed the idea to remove the nets.

Last September, Maroubra Beach was closed due to two large sharks coming close to shore.

In 2018, a mammoth 4.6m great white shark was caught in a net off Maroubra.