THREE-MONTH TRIAL OF ALTERNATE SHARK MITIGATION MEASURES DURING SOUTHERN WHALE MIGRATION · Attachment 2 - 2026-01-22 Attachment to the Notice of Motion - Cr Lorentson - Meeting Minutes Oceans for All 26.09.2025

Oceans for All (Noosa Shark Net Working Group) September 2025
Meeting Minutes – Trial of Replacing Shark Nets During Whale Migration Season




Welcome:

Sandy Bolton MP: Initiates the meeting, thanking all who attended on behalf of Caz
Lansdown and Oceans for All who were away and joined later by Teams. Acknowledged
that it had been two years since the original meeting of the Shark Net Working Group
and the task of all representatives to obtain a position from their groups on trialling the
removal of shark nets during whale migration season, with this meeting a follow-up to
the email from Oceans for All in August requesting they declare a position. Reiterated
the meeting was not a debate as there had been ample time and information provided
since the initial meeting, it is a recording on stakeholder positions as per the email sent
out to ascertain a unified position to take to state government regarding the trial.

Overview of Shark Net Summary Provided:

Sandy Bolton MP: Noted from the information compiled that Queensland is the only
state maintaining year-round shark nets, with no conclusive evidence of their
e ectiveness. The KPMG report recommended removing nets during whale migration
season and that alternatives to shark nets, such as drones, have been trialled and are
considered e ective as now permanent.

Council’s Position and Advocacy:

Mayor Frank Wilkie: Outlined the rationale behind Noosa Councils proposal to state
government for a trial, including the independent KPMG Report into the Shark Control
Program, highlighting the ine ectiveness of shark nets and their high bycatch rate.
Noted that in July council passed a mayoral minute endorsing recommendation 3.2 of
the KPMG report for a trial of removing shark nets during the whale migration season
and support for a trial in Noosa. The council has written to Minister for Primary
Industries, Hon Tony Perrett MP, and received a respectful yet firm response from the
state government who reiterated their position on the Shark Control Program. Asked if
there were any questions.

Sea Shepherd Sunshine Coast (Jonathan Clark): Asked about assessment criteria for
the trial removal of nets.

Mayor Frank Wilkie: Suggested the trial may assess the e ectiveness of alternative
measures like drones and aerial surveillance and to gather data to inform permanent
changes. The mayor noted he is not an expert and that the assessment criteria for the
trial would be decided by specialists.




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