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But in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, hundreds of harmless sharks, as well as turtles, dolphins and rays, still meet an untimely death every year by the 28 km of nets.
It could be said there was a time and place for nets. When they were installed in the 50’s and 60’s, the public knew little about sharks and the fear of attack was high, with shark populations far healthier than they are today.
Since then, while shark fishing has skyrocketed eliminating much of the world’s shark populations, the public has been educated on the environment and biodiversity conservation, the risk of incident, as well as the sharks’ true behaviors towards humans.
Our Campaign Objectives
The Remove the Nets campaign is intended to fuel a groundswell movement to remove the nets.
The removal of the KwaZulu-Natal Shark Nets is a complex issue that cannot be solved overnight, nor is there a silver bullet solution. Net Removal requires a strong education and awareness campaign, as ultimately, it requires a new, more rational perspective and increased tolerance. And, it will require the support of many different groups and communities.
And, removal of the nets should be viewed as a process, rather than an event, and thus, a reasonable phased plan should be rolled out without prolonging the nets’ installation unnecessarily. Such a plan should include: net removal in marine protected areas and low usage beaches, net removal during low impact periods, net removal at closed beaches, short term implementation of bycatch reduction mechanisms, site studies and experimentation with other proven options, and the creation of a “brain trust “ of cross functional experts who can begin envisioning and developing the ultimate removal plan.
But, more than anything else, this issue rests in the hands of the people. This is a movement that must be fueled by the public, and that is where the decision lies.
Phase One (In Progress):
- Bring awareness to the existence of the nets and their negative impacts.
- Educate people about the value of sharks to local economies and global environments while countering the myths that keep people from caring about their plight.
- Reduce irrational fears associated with shark attacks and build understanding –as well as a tolerance for shared waters.
- Challenge the public, particularly those using the netted beaches, to consider a new perspective.
- Build a network of passionate people within local communities and empower them with tools to begin a grassroots campaign.
Phase Two:
- Gauge public opinion in a structured, normalized manner.
- Build & launch unified local campaigns, reaching a broad spectrum of the public through education and awareness.
- Be a catalyst for the creation of a cross-functional team to identify other feasible options geared towards removing the nets and all other devices that result in destroying marine life, including sharks.
- Launch a full media campaign geared around awareness and changing public opinion.
Ultimately, what this campaign achieves rests in your hands.
Please help us and become part of the solution.
Sign the Petition
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