Groups campaigns for permanent removal of shark nets
A Central Coast community group is working to permanently remove shark nets from Umina Beach and other Central Coast beaches.
Friends of Kurrawyba has launched a petition to be submitted to the NSW Government.
Spokesperson Ms Isabela Sajdok said: "The nets are 150 metres long by six metres deep and have a mesh size of 60cm.
"They are a sunk net set below the surface in about 10 to 12 metres of water, within 500 metres of the shore."
She said they did not protect swimmers, but did injure and kill endangered and protected species.
"They give nothing but a false sense of security," she said.
"The nets do not stretch from one end of a beach to the other.
"They are not designed to create a total barrier between bathers and sharks.
"Sharks can swim under, over and around these nets," Ms Sajdok said.
She said the net at Umina Beach had been removed for the winter, along with the nets located at 50 other beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong.
"We have already collected over 400 signatures but we need many more in order to get action from politicians.
"Our petition is live on the NSW Legislative Assembly website and we have until July 4 to gather as many signatures as possible so this issue can be debated in the Legislative Council," she said.
SOURCE:
Media release, 1 May 2024
Jackie Pearson, CEN