Shark nets are the most common way to protect swimmers at busy beaches — but do they really keep us safe?
But in some parts of the country the danger of a shark attack is real.But do they really keep us safe?Shark nets are large mesh nets spanning about 150 metres long and hanging about 6m down into the ocean.Sharks get caught in the nets and if contractors find they are among a list of target species, they kill them.Sharks can swim around the nets, and are often caught only when they swim past the nets a second time when returning back out to sea.
A 1997 research paper by shark scientist Sheldon Dudley found shark net programs on beaches in Queensland, New South Wales and South Africa were "impressive" in reducing the total number of shark attacks.