ALTERNATIVES NEEDED BEFORE NETS RIPPED OUT

FOR all the spit and froth exchanged in the decades-long war of whether to have shark nets and drumlines removed from Gold Coast beaches, two factors remain paramount — the safety of people and the city’s reputation as a tourism mecca.

The sad death of 46-year-old surfer Nick Slater at Coolangatta last year was the first shark fatality on a Coast beach since the early 1960s.

It rocked the city and reignited debate into how to stop it happening again.

Marine activists said the long drought was pure luck as the nets did not cover the entire Coast, “were 186m long, 6m deep in 12m of water and 50m from the shore — and sharks can easily swim under them”.

In turn, city leaders pointed to the horrible run in northern NSW where numerous attacks have claimed lives and ravaged the business sector.

The Gold Coast’s standing on the global stage would haemorrhage if the city suffered the same fate.

Northern NSW has considered or trialled eco-barriers, drones that drop electronic bombs, a trendy shark app, a catch-and-release shark program and thousands of dollars have been wasted on piecemeal aerial patrols. To date, nothing has worked. Both sides of the political shark net divide say too much is at risk if either party comprises.

However, until a proven and sustainable alternative is found the state government would be folly to rip out a barrier that saved lives, by chance or otherwise.

Any protection is better than none.