South Africa’s beaches are known for their wild beauty, warm waters, and breathtaking marine life. But just beneath the surface, a decades-old system continues to pose a silent threat to that very biodiversity… shark nets and baited drumlines.
Originally introduced in the 1950s to protect bathers, these methods were designed at a time when very little was understood about the complex role sharks play in our ocean ecosystems. Today, we know better. Science has shown that sharks are not the mindless man-eaters they were once feared to be. They are apex predators, crucial for maintaining healthy marine food webs and supporting ecotourism economies through diving, photography, and adventure tourism.
Between 2018 and 2022 alone, more than 1,000 sharks, many of them threatened or endangered, were caught in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) bather protection programme. Despite efforts to reduce bycatch, the numbers remain deeply concerning. A white shark tagged for research in Mossel Bay was among the fatalities, highlighting how these systems can undermine conservation and scientific progress alike.
Earth Legacy Foundation’s #KZNSBNetsOutNow campaign, in partnership with The Last Shark documentary, is advocating for a shift away from outdated, lethal gear and toward modern, effective, non-lethal solutions that protect both people and marine life.
The alternatives already exist, and many are proudly South African innovations. SharkSafe Barrier, which mimics the appearance of kelp forests and uses magnetic deterrents, was tested in South Africa and deployed in the Bahamas. Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board’s own electronic shark repellent cable, trialled in white shark hotspot Mossel Bay, proved 100% effective at deterring white sharks without harming a single marine animal. There are also low-cost, easy-to-implement solutions like drone surveillance and Shark Spotters programmes, offering real-time monitoring to keep both ocean users and marine life safe.
These solutions reflect the innovation and environmental leadership South Africa is capable of, but they need greater adoption and government backing to become the new norm. We believe it’s time to modernise our approach to ocean safety and align with both conservation science and public sentiment.
We fully acknowledge the role the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) plays in managing complex marine challenges. Our goal is to support them, and the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, in implementing smart, science-based change. We want to move forward together for the benefit of bathers, biodiversity, and our blue economy.
Through our petition to the Minister of Environment, we’re calling for the immediate trial of non-lethal shark safety solutions at five beaches, monitored by an independent expert panel. If proven effective within 18 months, we propose a full rollout across all 32 remaining beaches within the following 36 months.
Over 3,000 citizens, from surfers and scientists to divers and conservationists, have already added their names.
It’s time for South Africa to lead the way in responsible ocean protection. We can protect people and preserve our ocean, and one should never come at the expense of the other.
Read more on our campaign page
