About Saving Norman
Meet our underwater friends. Norman the grey nurse shark, Alex the seal, Raymond the stingray and Dolly the dolphin.
Norman the name affectionately given to grey nurse sharks regularly encountered in Bondi by swimmers was coined by local aerial photographer DroneSharkApp. Norman and his friends are critically endangered in NSW and the shark nets deployed pose significant threats to the 40+ other grey nurse sharks that call Bondi home.
Our Campaign Goals
Replace the nets
Replace the current shark nets of Bondi and ask that the state government considers better solutions
Awareness
Install signage and raise more awareness of how to interact safely with marine life
Aggegration Site
Register Bondi as a new official grey nurse shark aggregation site critical for their recovery
Community
Work in partnership with interest groups to make sure that fishing rights are not impacted in the area
"But I thought the nets keep swimmers safe?"
Why is this important
The nets are not barriers.
Non-lethal modern solutions are available and more effective.
Resident grey nurse sharks are listed as Critically Endangered in Australia.
Image: Sea Shepherd Australia
143 Marine Animals Killed in NSW Nets in 2023
"Shark meshing on Sydney beaches began in 1937 to reduce the numbers of sharks and thereby reduce the risk of shark attacks." - Report by Fisheries Scientific Committee
These nets were specifically designed to entangle sharks, but also entangle other marine life. Only ¬10% of animals caught are target sharks. Every year seals, turtles, dolphins, rays and other non-target species are killed.
Shark Nets Don't Provide Protection
"The shark mesh nets do not act as a complete barrier to sharks reaching beaches as they are not permanently set in the water, do not cover the whole length of the beach, and do not extend from the water surface to the seabed. In fact, approximately 40% of shark entanglements occur on the beach side of the nets, because sharks are able to swim over and around the nets." - Report by Fisheries Scientific Committee
The nets cover less than one quarter of the distance of the beach.
Supporting Organisations
Contact
Duncan Heuer - 0468 890 024 - duncan@aussiebubbles.com.au