SYDNEY, 18 September 2025 | Humane World for Animals Australia is calling for urgent action from the Queensland Government and Premier David Crisafulli as a second mother-calf pair of humpback whales is caught in shark nets along the state’s southern coastline in only a few days.
Reports of another mature humpback whale and calf caught in shark nets off the coast of Noosa emerged during the afternoon of 17 September, prompting local authorities to mobilise to free the calf who was at serious risk of drowning.
A rescue effort was conducted under darkness, an extremely dangerous exercise for whales and rescuers.
This closely follows another mother-calf pair of whales which were caught in shark nets at Rainbow Beach only days prior, spotted in Hervey Bay after dragging the nets more than 100km. This pair has now been located and disentangling efforts are understood to be underway.
Reports from the Department of Primary Industries confirmed that the second mother and calf were freed from shark nets following the overnight operation, though may still carry pieces of netting. While the second pair are reportedly freed, Humane World for Animals Australia Marine Biologist Lawrence Chlebeck says the traumatic impact of this event on these whales will be lasting.
“We were relieved to hear this morning that authorities took swift action to free one mother and calf pair of whales from the net overnight however, this event will have a traumatising and lasting impact on these whales. The struggle and precious energy expended will impact their ability to reach their feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean this summer,” said Mr Chlebeck.
“We’ve now seen two instances of mother and calf pairs caught in shark nets on the same day. We’re calling on the Queensland Government to stop pretending that these useless and destructive shark nets benefit public safety. They must finally take action and remove shark nets from the state’s waters before we see further tragedies unfold.”
Queensland’s shark control program currently consists of 27 culling nets on beaches in southeast Queensland, and 383 lethal drumlines in use on beaches from the New South Wales border north to Cairns. Shark nets are not barriers and cannot prevent shark bites. They are approximately 150 metre-long fishing nets installed 500 metres off ocean beaches year-round, designed to entangle and kill sharks and are notorious for trapping harmless marine wildlife.
Footage and still imagery of whale and calf in nets at Noosa (MUST credit Geoff Aquino / @geoffaquino): https://hsiau.filecamp.com/s/o/Whale_Entanglement_Noosa
Contact details:
Sam Edmonds – Director, Humane World for Animals Australia.
0490 934 290