SHARK FISHING NEAR POPULAR BEACHES

Over the past few years, I have witnessed the rise in shark fishing from structures close to popular beaches on the South Coast. What was once an occasional practice has escalated this year to an entirely new and dangerous level, with drones now being used to carry burley and bait offshore from extremely busy, unpatrolled beaches.  At the same time, we have seen a rise in the number of sharks and the number of shark attacks along our coastline.  In fact, recently Australia was announced as the shark attack capital of the world.

This is not just irresponsible; it is reckless and demands urgent attention. We do not need to attract sharks into areas where families, swimmers and surfers are already sharing the water. The risks created by this behaviour are entirely avoidable and wholly unnecessary. Shark fishing near popular swimming beaches serves no essential purpose and only increases the risk of shark attacks. 

Shark fishing from Tathra Wharf was rightly banned in February 1997, recognising the danger of drawing large predatory animals into close proximity with people. That commonsense approach should now be replicated up and down the New South Wales coastline, and I will be advocating for changes to our regulations regarding shark fishing from structures close to popular swimming beaches.

This is about community safety, and with preparation and care, we can all stay safe and continue to enjoy the beautiful beaches the South Coast has to offer.