Deadly Shark Attack In Sydney’s Northern Beaches Stresses Doubt Around The Effectiveness Of Shark Nets

Last Saturday, Mercury Psillakis, a Sydney Surfer was killed in a fatal shark attack at Long Reef Beach. Psillakis had spotted a shark in the ocean while surfing, and had warned others. 

The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development have determined that Psillakis was attacked by a great white shark. 

“NSW Government shark biologists have assessed photographs of the victim’s surfboard and determined a white shark approximately 3.4-3.6 metres in length was likely responsible”. 

-Statement from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. 

Prior to the attack on Saturday, the NSW government had planned to remove shark nets from three beaches due to increased turtle activity in the water. After the events of last weekend however, the government has halted these plans. Chris Minns, the NSW premier, has said, “The truth of the matter is we haven’t settled on the location or technology that would replace nets. We believe the right thing to do is wait for the investigation to come back about how this happened, what happened and the circumstances surrounding it”. 

This is Sydney’s second fatal shark attack in three years, after the death of Simon Nellist, a diving instructor in 2022. The attack took place at a netted beach, and as such, has sparked conversation about the use of shark nets in general. 

What are shark nets and why are they controversial? 

Shark nets are a mesh netting system, around 150 metres long, that are designed to prevent sharks from coming towards the shore. Every year, between September and April, shark nets are installed in 51 beaches across Sydney, with the goal of minimising interactions with sharks. 

Shark nets have sparked controversy, regarding both its effectiveness and environmental implications. Reports show that shark bites and incidents do not vastly differ between netted and non-netted beaches. According to research done by Associate Professor Laurenson at Deakin University, ‘shark mitigation activities such as shark nets and drum lines, have no statistical impact on the number of shark attacks.’ 

There is also concern raised for other marine life. While shark nets do contain acoustic warning devices for other animals, according to the Australian Marine Conservation Society, between 2005-2025, 93% of animals entangled in shark nets were non-targeted species, including 97 dolphins and 234 turtles. 

Experts urge the importance of education around sharks as the most effective safety measure, while netting systems continue to be met with concern. Long Dee Beach will be closed in the aftermath of this fatal attack. 

Al-Nashar, N. (2025, September 7). NSW government suspends trial to remove shark nets at three beaches after fatal attack. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-07/fatal-dee-why-shark-attack-pauses-trial-remove-shark-nets/105745414 

Brischetto, P. (2025, September 9). Are shark attacks on the rise and what can we do to stop them?. 9 News. https://www.9news.com.au/national/shark-attack-dee-why-update-what-happened-do-shark-nets-work-explainer/3f0a70c5-963b-447f-9e98-baf02fb2e5ed 

Hedgman, A. (2025, September 8). Long Reef Shark attack: NSW suspends net removal plan pending review. The New Zealand Herald. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/long-reef-shark-attack-nsw-suspends-shark-net-removal-plan-pending-review/KPOSTU2XUNBZJBEM5GN7KDVKGI/ 

O’Malley, N. (2025, September 10). Shark net removal plans scrapped as Psillakis family thanks community. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/shark-tracking-system-reveals-constant-activity-as-psillakis-family-thanks-community-20250909-p5mtmn.html 

Shark Smart. (2025). Shark Nets. NSW Government. https://www.sharksmart.nsw.gov.au/shark-nets 

Werthmuller, D. (2025, September 9). Fatal shark attack at Sydney beach reignites shark net debate. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-09/fatal-sydney-shark-attack-reignites-shark-net-at-beaches-debate/105749626