Australia's Shark Management: Drones, SMART Drumlines & New Tech

In 2025, Australia experienced the highest number of fatal shark attacks globally. In response, authorities are implementing new technologies to safeguard both humans and sharks. Over the past decade, more than 1,600 great white sharks, 700 tiger sharks, and 250 bull sharks have been caught and tagged.

New Technologies for Shark Management

Drones are now being utilized to monitor approximately 70 beaches from the air. This allows for the evacuation of people from the water when a shark is spotted, promoting coexistence between wildlife and humans. However, the question remains whether shark conservation compromises human safety. Some argue that people are "paying with their lives" for these programs, highlighting the fear of shark attacks and the immediate desire to eliminate sharks after an incident.

New South Wales Shark Management Program

Paul Butcher, with over two decades of experience studying shark behavior, leads the official Shark Management Program in New South Wales. This program, initiated in August 2015 after several fatal shark bites in Ballina and Evans Head, aims to protect both humans and marine animals. It is currently the largest bather-protection program worldwide, collaborating with scientists across Australia to develop innovative techniques.

SMART Drumlines

The program employs SMART (Shark-Management-Alert-In-Real-Time) drumlines. Unlike traditional drumlines, which often result in the death of caught sharks, SMART drumlines are designed to minimize mortality and stress on the animals. When a shark takes the bait, a signal is sent via satellite to researchers. The shark is then tagged and immediately released.

SMART drumlines are deployed daily during daylight hours, typically 500 meters offshore in about 10 meters of water. This placement is far enough to avoid attracting sharks to surfing areas but close enough to intercept sharks that might be in the vicinity. The program primarily targets great white, tiger, and bull sharks, as these species are responsible for the majority of shark bites in Australia. The goal is to tag up to 3,000 of these sharks as they move along the coastline.

Drone Operations and Shark Spotting

Gabriel Roxburgh, a drone operator and shark spotter in Ballina, is part of a network of nearly 400 trained drone operators in New South Wales. This constitutes the world's largest airborne shark-tracking program, monitoring around 70 beaches. Drones provide a unique perspective, alleviating public anxiety by confirming the absence of immediate shark threats.

During periods of high alert, such as when large schools of fish attract sharks, drone operators are crucial. A "Code 16" signifies a shark sighting, leading to beach closures and continued drone monitoring. This technology offers a non-lethal alternative to culling, allowing humans to enjoy the water while respecting marine life.

The Ongoing Debate: Conservation vs. Safety

Despite these efforts, shark attacks continue to occur. In 2025 alone, five people died from shark attacks in Australia. Recent incidents, including the death of a Swiss tourist, highlight the persistent danger.

Dan Webber, who witnessed two shark attacks, including a fatal one in 2015, advocates for tougher shark-control measures, such as extending shark nets. He faces online backlash but believes that every new attack brings him closer to his goal of implementing more protective measures.

Shark Nets: A Controversial Solution

In Queensland, shark nets have been used for decades. However, these nets are controversial. They are 186 meters long and 6 meters deep, designed to trap passing animals. Critics argue that they are indiscriminate killers, entangling and drowning not only sharks but also dolphins, whales, turtles, rays, and dugongs. Activists like those at "Save the Sharks" document the suffering caused by these nets, advocating for non-lethal alternatives. They emphasize that while sharks are dangerous, nets are not the solution and that more effective, humane methods exist.

The debate often boils down to a stark choice: "turtles, dolphins, and whales dying in nets or humans bleeding out on the beach." While acknowledging the regrettable loss of marine life, some argue that human lives take precedence.

The Future of Shark Management

The New South Wales Shark Management Program costs approximately $28 million annually. The government has invested heavily in education, science, and programs aimed at minimizing shark bites. Over the past decade, the tagging program has tracked sharks traveling vast distances, with some white sharks covering 40,000 kilometers over three years.

The "Shark Smart" app provides real-time alerts from tagged-shark listening stations, with over 3 billion detections and 300,000 users. This data helps provide early warnings to beachgoers.

Scientists like Paul Butcher are continuously working to improve these technologies. The goal is to minimize stress and mortality for caught animals, with nearly 99% surviving the capture process. Research includes collecting samples to study shark diet, stress levels, genetics, and bacteria associated with shark bites, eliminating the need to kill sharks for such studies.

Emerging technologies like e-DNA, which can detect dangerous sharks from water samples, offer a promising future where animals may not need to be caught at all. While 100% protection is impossible, the aim is to find a "perfect suite of tools" to minimize risk.

Drone operators also contribute valuable data, identifying various marine life and target shark species. This information is then analyzed by scientists to better understand shark behavior and interactions with the environment.

Ultimately, the program seeks to foster coexistence between humans and the natural marine environment. While fear of sharks is understandable, especially after attacks, the ongoing research and technological advancements aim to provide safer beaches for everyone.