A juvenile humpback whale was found dead off Coledale, entangled in shark nets. Photo: Khynan Gardner ORRCA.
A baby humpback whale died entangled in shark nets off Coledale, a NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson has confirmed.
The spokesperson said shark meshing contractors found the deceased whale in the Coledale shark net during a routine inspection on Tuesday (28 October).
President of the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) Ashley Ryan said the cause of the whale’s death was not yet confirmed.
“We’re hoping to get more information after the whale has been removed, some samples taken and a necropsy done,” she said.
“ORRCA members responded [to the incident] alongside NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to obtain information, imagery and footage.
“This humpback whale was entangled in a shark net around its tail fluke and pectoral fin.
“A coordinated plan was in place for NPWS and Marine Rescue to retrieve the whale carcass from the water with support from ORRCA drone operators on land, however, due to challenging conditions, the retrieval could not be completed safely.
“The whale carcass has now washed ashore. Local council have now adapted their response plan and the situation is being actively monitored.
“Members of the public are urged to stay clear of the whale and avoid entering the water in the surrounding area.”
Wollongong City Council is the lead agency managing the whale carcass, but was unable to provide any information at the time of publication about how it will be handled.
It’s not the first time in recent years a whale has died in Illawarra waters.
In 2023 a deceased baby whale was towed from North Wollongong Beach as crews worked to release another whale tangled in nets just kilometres away.
Last season more than two dozen non-target animals were killed by shark nets across Illawarra and Royal National Park beaches.
These included dolphins, two green turtles and a leatherback turtle.
Ashley said as the whale population continued to rise there were likely to be more shark net entanglement deaths.
She urged the authorities to make use of more modern shark management technology.
“ORRCA is committed to supporting innovations in shark management, sustainable fishing and marine stewardship, ensuring our marine mammals can share our oceans alongside people and thrive in their natural home,” she said.
“We will continue to provide our data each season to the relevant authorities to help inform policy and management strategies in our marine environment.”
NSW’s Shark Meshing Program sees nets installed on beaches from Newcastle to Wollongong, every September through April.
Department of Primary Industry policy is that the nets be inspected for entanglement of non-target species every second day.
The NSW Shark Management Program is the largest program of its kind in the world, which includes nets at 51 beaches across eight local government areas (LGAs) between Newcastle and Wollongong from 1 September to 30 April each year.
Wollongong City Council has opposed the use of shark nets since 2021, when the council wrote to the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to request a review of the practice.
