With the recent entangling of a baby whale in shark nets off Noosa Main Beach, the meeting organised for October 3 at the J by the Surfrider team and Cr Amelia Lorentson was especially relevant. This brought together numerous organisations, as listed below, to discuss what is needed to reduce harm during the whale migrations, with other stakeholders unavailable on the night.

With Sandy chairing this ‘town hall’ open discussion, it was an excellent example of how community can work together to seek a reduction in the trauma to marine wildlife, residents and visitors caused by nets, whilst seeking similar levels of safety. Key takeouts included the formation of a Noosa Shark Nets Working Group.

Coolum & North Shore Coastcare | Noosa Council | Wildlife Noosa | Humpbacks & Highrise | Sea Shepherd | Sunshine Coast Surfrider | Sandy Bolton MP’s Office | Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation | Whale Watchers & Nature Lovers FB group | University of the Sunshine Coast | Sunreef Mooloolaba | Noosa Today | Noosa World Surfing Reserve | Whalesongs Noosa | SLSQ | Tourism Noosa

Summary and Response:

Firstly, thank you to the organisers Cr Amelia Lorentson & Caz Lansdown and all in attendance. The 2-hour discussion was vibrant, productive and knowledgeable, highlighting many misconceptions around ‘safety’, including the reality of the nets and the volume of sharks going around them. In addition, what transitional options are available including removal during the whale migration season as done elsewhere.

Sandy in her opening remarks, discussed the need for a united message, how case building is important and must be data/fact based, and requires greater support from the Noosa community. With previous Noosa MP survey results indicating only a 60% support for alternative shark control methods, community education is a priority in readiness for a dedicated survey in March 2024 to establish a clear Noosa ‘position’. This will require the support of key stakeholders including Noosa Council and Tourism Noosa. As reiterated in our August 2023 Noosa 360 update,  local government support is instrumental in state government determining where trials and transitions occur, with examples locally being the delay in the current drone trial at Noosa Main Beach which was originally rejected by Noosa Council in 2020.

The key actions from the evening were as follows:

  • To create an united education campaign with all stakeholders to provide the facts around shark nets and alternative measures to our community.
  • The formation of a working group to develop the above from research and current data.
  • Investigation into several technological/transitional and interim solutions being utilised elsewhere.
  • Information as specified by attendees to be sent through to our office at noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au until the working group and their email address is confirmed.
  • A summary of key takeouts from attendees collated by Caz and Amelia to be sent through to the working group once established.

For anyone who would like to contribute to the Noosa Shark Nets Working Group, as soon as a dedicated email address is set up, we will post to Noosa 360, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Further Information

Sandy’s past ‘Questions on Notice’ in Parliament regarding shark nets and control are available here for 2021 and here for 2022. For our previous Noosa 360 updates on Shark Nets, please visit www.sandybolton.com/?s=Shark

To contact the QLD Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, email agriculture@ministerial.qld.gov.au and copy our office in via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au and forward us any response you receive.

To contact the Noosa Council Mayor and Councilors, please find their information at www.noosa.qld.gov.au/downloads/file/927/contact-list-councillors