Activists call for shark nets to be removed after third whale caught this week
Activists are calling for the ‘deadly’ nets off Australia’s coast to be removed due to multiple incidents.
A third whale has been trapped in shark nets off Australia’s coast this week, mounting calls from activists to have the “deadly” safety measure removed.
Rescuers from Sea World and Queensland Fisheries rushed to a net off Kirra Beach on the Gold Coast on Friday morning where a baby humpback whale had become entangled in a net.
Queensland Fisheries Patrol’s Marine Animal Release Team received the call at 6.30am and arrived to find the creature thrashing about at 8.15.
By 9am, the whale had been released from the net.
Thereâs no reason this animal cruelty should continue. How many more whales need to be subjected to this? #ItsTime for a new Fisheries Minister in Queensland#NetsOutNowpic.twitter.com/aTlC5i7hpT
— Envoy Productions (@EnvoyFilm) July 8, 2022
The baby humpback was the third within three days, but the fifth whale this year that has had to be rescued from nets, renewing calls to have them removed by whale activists.
On Wednesday another whale was caught in the exact same shark nets, while a the third was trapped at Marcoola Beach on the Sunshine Coast.
Multiple activist groups, including Sea Shepherd, are urging the Queensland government to remove shark nets during whale migration.
Sea Shepherd has said it has been a “horror” start to the migration season for whales in Queensland.
BREAKING: a THIRD whale this week has been entangled in QLDâs shark nets, todayâs again off Kirra Beach on the Gold Coast. NETS. OUT. NOW! #NetsOutNow
— HSI Australia (@hsiaustralia) July 7, 2022
The group said it is time for the government to “act on scientific advice” and remove the nets during winter.
The state government made the decision in 2019 to leave them during migration season.
Australian Marine Conservation Society shark expert Dr Leonardo Guida took to Twitter on Friday calling on the Queensland government to remove the nets.
“What does it take to heed scientific advice and improve beach safety?” he wrote.
Dr Guida said it had been less than 72 hours since the last whale had been caught.
“It’s in the same damn net, at the same damn beach, almost at the same damn time,” he said.
According to the Department of Fisheries, 58 whales have been caught in Queensland’s shark nets since 2011.