A veteran commercial fisherman has urged the New South Wales government to reintroduce a regulated shark fishery and permit the use of wire traces by commercial fishers in an effort to reduce the growing number of shark attacks along the NSW coast. Ian Puckeridge, a commercial diver with more than four decades of experience and a professional fisherman for over 20 years, criticized current shark mitigation strategies as ineffective.

Puckeridge, who serves as the spearfishing representative on the Recreational Fishing NSW Advisory Council, addressed his concerns in a letter sent to Waverley councillor Katherine Westwood and Vaucluse MP and state Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane. The letter calls for a managed approach to controlling large predatory sharks, arguing that existing measures have not delivered sufficient results.

The NSW government currently invests approximately AU$42 million annually in technologies such as drones and SMART drumlines to monitor and deter sharks from popular beaches. However, Puckeridge claims these initiatives have produced minimal impact, describing the drone program as limited by environmental factors such as poor water visibility and adverse weather, and dismissing SMART drumlines as "an expensive scientific experiment" with little success in controlling shark populations.

His appeal comes amid increased public concern following a recent shark attack at Coogee Beach, which left 35-year-old mother Leah Stewart critically injured. The incident has reignited debate on the effectiveness of non-lethal shark management methods in NSW.

By contrast, Queensland maintains a Shark Control Program employing lethal measures, including shark nets and drumlines, aimed at reducing shark encounters at busy swimming areas. Advocates for similar strategies in NSW argue that more aggressive management may be necessary to ensure public safety.

The ongoing discussion reflects broader challenges in balancing conservation efforts with protecting beachgoers from potential shark threats. As shark numbers are believed to have grown substantially in recent decades, authorities and stakeholders continue to evaluate the most effective and sustainable approaches to mitigating risks along Australia’s coastlines.