Help End Queensland’s Shark Cull

SAVE SHARKS with a FAST EASY ACTION: Please copy, paste, and send the pre-drafted email (see middle of this page)

(ISSUE as of June 1st 2025)

The Queensland Government’s recent 88 million dollar expansion of its shark culling program—adding more nets and lethal drumlines—is a devastating blow to marine conservation. This escalation violates federal law (EPBC Act Section 43B), ignores overwhelming science proving culling ineffective, and perpetuates the slaughter of endangered species. As concerned citizens, we must act decisively. Here’s how you can help stop this archaic practice:  

1. Demand Accountability from Decision-Makers  (Please see a predrafted email and contact information below.  Please copy, paste, and send to help make a change to save sharks and marine life.)

- Contact Federal Environment Minister Watt : Urge him to enforce the EPBC Act by rejecting Queensland’s illegal expansion. Key talking points:  

- The 2025 plan explicitly expands and intensifies culling (more nets and drumlines, year-round baiting), voiding its exemption under Section 43B.  

- At many beaches 90% of animals killed in nets/drumlines are non-target species, including humpback whales, minke whales, leatherback turtles, manta rays, endangered scalloped hammerheads and grey nurse sharks.  

- Sample script: “Minister, Queensland’s shark program expansion breaches federal law. It must undergo independent assessment—not be rubber-stamped. Prioritize non-lethal solutions like WA’s successful drone/eco-barrier model.”  

- Flood State MPs with Protests: Target QLD Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett and your local MP. Demand they:  

- Halt new nets/drumlines (planned for Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Wide Bay beaches).  

- Reallocate funds to Surf Life Saving Queensland for drones and emergency response training.  

2. Support Frontline Conservation Groups  

- Donate Strategically: Organizations like Envoy Foundation, Sea Shepherd Australia, Nets Out Now, Humane World for Animals,  and Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) are mounting legal challenges against the cull’s illegality. Even 20 dollars helps fund critical litigation.  

- Join Citizen Science Initiatives:  

- Report entangled animals and drifitng nets and lines

-Report shark sightings via apps like SharkSmart to prove non-lethal tracking works.  

- Volunteer with beach surveys documenting bycatch (e.g., turtles, dolphins killed in nets).  Envoy Foundation operates a volunteer drone surveillance team to monitor shark culling operations and bring accountability 

3. Hit the Tourism & Seafood Industries Where It Hurts  

- Boycott “Flake”: DNA tests show 10% of shark meat sold in Australia is from endangered species. Choose sustainable seafood using AMCS’s GoodFish Guide.  

- Contact Tourism Operators: Urge major players (e.g., Queensland Tourism Board) to condemn culling. Cite WA’s success: tourism increased after adopting eco-barriers and drone surveillance.  

4. Amplify the Truth on Social Media  

- Counter Misinformation: Share graphics debunking myths:  

- Myth: “Nets make beaches safer.”  

Fact: 40% of sharks are caught beach-side of nets—meaning they swam past and were trapped when leaving.  

- Myth: “Drumlines protect swimmers.”  

Fact: Two recent fatalities occurred near nets and drumlines (Bribie Island, Greenmount Beach).  

- #EndTheCullQLD: Feature resignations like shark expert Colin Simpfendorfer’s—proof the government ignores science.  

-Follow and repost from @EnvoyFoundation @NetsOutNow @AustraliaSharkConservation @SeashepardAustralia @TheSharkNetFilm @HumaneWorldAustralia 

5. Adopt & Advocate for Non-Lethal Solutions  

- Use Personal Deterrents: Support subsidies for devices like Shark Shield (WA offers 200 dollars rebates).  

- Push for Beach-Specific Upgrades: Demand eco-barriers (seagrass-friendly enclosures) at calm beaches like Cylinder Bay or Mooloolaba.  

Why Your Voice Matters Now:  

> “The lethal component of the Shark Control Program does not reduce the risk of shark bite. The scientific evidence is overwhelming.” – Administrative Appeals Tribunal, 2019.  

Queensland’s expansion is a political knee-jerk reaction to recent tragedies, exploiting grief to justify ecological vandalism. With federal assessment pending and legal challenges mounting, public pressure can force a WA-style transition: Western Australia abandoned drumlines in 2014 for drones/barriers, proving ethics and safety coexist.  

Please take 5 minutes today:

To Email Minister Watt, 

share this blog with #EndTheCullQLD, 

and donate to Sea Shepherd’s legal fund and Envoy Foundation.

Together, we can turn the tide.  

Sources and Resources:  

- Federal EPBC Act Complaint Form  

- AMCS’s GoodFish Guide  

- Sea Shepherd’s Shark Campaign