Too Close Too Home

Text by Esther Jacbobs | Images by Kristin Routledge & Esteher Jacobs

THE DEADLY TOLL OF SHARK NETS AND DRUMLINES IN SOUTH AFRICA

For us divers, few moments compare to sharing the water with a shark. Their sleek beauty, power, and importance to the ocean’s balance are undeniable. And yet, South Africa continues to sanction their slaughter in the very waters many of us dive in and depend on.

It’s called ‘bather protection’, but the methods used are outdated and deeply destructive. KwaZulu-Natal’s shark nets and drumlines, installed along popular beaches since the 1950s, are designed not to repel sharks, but to entrap them and often kill them. Installed by the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board (KZNSB), these devices have long been the subject of public scrutiny, but fresh data and recent events have ignited renewed urgency in the call to remove them. Shockingly, much of this lethal gear operates within Marine Protected Areas… zones that are, in theory, meant to offer a safe haven for marine life.

A TAGGED WHITE SHARK’S DEATH AND A TIPPING POINT

In May 2025, a juvenile white shark, a protected species under South African law, was killed on a baited drumline in KZN’s Margate. Another notch in KZNSB’s belt and another grim statistic. Even more upsetting was that this shark was tagged as part of a collaborative research project and was being actively tracked to better understand movement and behaviour patterns. Its death highlighted the indiscriminate nature of drumlines and struck a nerve across the scientific and diving communities.

Just weeks later, the KZNSB released catch data from 2018–2022. The results are hard to digest. Over those five years, an annual average of 393 sharks were caught, of which only 19% were released alive. Mortality rates were catastrophic for many species: great white sharks (71.4%), ragged-tooth sharks (50.2%), tiger sharks (59.8%), and spinner sharks (89.4%), among others. These numbers are indicators of an unsustainable system that is decimating species vital to the ocean’s ecological health.

Even more disturbing is the impact on nontarget species. On average, each year, 28 turtles, 23 dolphins, 1 whale, and dozens of rays were caught. Mortality for dolphins was 93%. For rays, 43%. These are the creatures divers travel across the world to see, and they’re being needlessly killed at some of our most famous beaches.

A GLOBAL EMBARRASSMENT

The SCUBA diving industry, especially in South Africa, is closely tied to the health of marine ecosystems. White sharks, tiger sharks, and other charismatic predators fuel eco-tourism, dive expeditions, and conservation programmes. To kill them in the name of ‘safety’ is not counterintuitive, it’s counterproductive.

More than that, it’s a breach of our international obligations. South Africa is a party to multiple agreements aimed at marine protection, including the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and CITES, both of which call for strict protections for species like white sharks and scalloped hammerheads. At a recent United Nations conference on the ocean (UNOC3), South Africa reaffirmed its commitment to ocean conservation. Yet our continued use of lethal shark control paints a different picture.

THE MYTH OF SAFETY

Perhaps the most dangerous element of this system is the false sense of security it creates. Shark nets don’t enclose a beach. They’re designed to catch sharks, not prevent them from approaching. Most beaches with nets still experience shark presence. Drumlines, too, attract sharks rather than deter them.

Critically, there are proven non-lethal alternatives that do work, and some of them were developed right here in South Africa. In 2016, I personally witnessed the electronic shark repellent cable trialled by the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board in Mossel Bay. The device created a powerful magnetic field that sharks avoided entirely. It was 100% effective in deterring white sharks during testing, with no recorded incidents of sharks crossing the deterrent line. Yet, despite its success, it was never implemented.

Other solutions, such as SMART (SharkManagement-Alert-in-Real-Time) drumlines, which alert teams to a hooked animal so it can be tagged and released alive, have been trialled successfully in Australia. The SharkSafe Barrier, developed in South Africa, combines biomimicry of dense kelp forests with magnetic deterrents to create an eco-friendly, non-lethal alternative to shark nets. Successfully trialled locally and deployed in the Bahamas, it has proven highly effective in deterring sharks without harming marine life or disrupting the ecosystem.

The problem isn’t a lack of alternatives. It’s the lack of political will to transition from outdated and destructive methods to modern, science-backed solutions that truly protect both people and marine life.

WHAT DIVERS CAN DO

Divers are on the frontlines of ocean awareness. We see the decline and the damage first-hand, so we must be on the frontlines of advocacy, too.

At Earth Legacy Foundation, our campaign to end shark nets and drumlines has just joined forces with The Last Shark documentary, and calls for the urgent removal of lethal shark nets and drumlines in South Africa. We’re pushing for non-lethal alternatives, greater transparency in reporting, and enforcement of international agreements South Africa has already signed.

We’re also building awareness within the diving community. Whether you're a recreational diver, dive operator, or conservationist, your voice matters. By signing the petition, sharing the campaign, or engaging your local dive centre, you help show that this issue has real economic and environmental consequences.

IT'S TIME

There is no longer room for half-measures. Killing sharks and endangered marine life at beaches marketed as world-class dive sites is a contradiction we can no longer afford. With climate change, overfishing, and pollution already placing pressure on our oceans, eliminating senseless, preventable deaths must be a priority.

Let’s lead with science and empathy, and ensure the only place we see sharks, turtles, and dolphins is alive and underwater.

If you’d like to get involved, support the campaign at www.earthlegacyfoundation.org, or sign the petition at change.org/KZNSBNetsOutNow.