Humans First; Sharks Need Culling, By James Reed
The recent spate of shark attacks in Australia — especially the tragic cluster in Sydney in January 2026 — has everyone rattled, and for good reason. A 12-year-old boy, Nico Antic, attacked by a suspected bull shark while jumping off rocks at Nielsen Park near Vaucluse on January 18, fought for days before passing away on January 24. That same 48-hour nightmare saw an 11-year-old's surfboard chomped at Dee Why, a 27-year-old surfer (Andre de Ruyter) losing his leg at Manly's North Steyne, and another surfer bitten at Point Plomer. Beaches closed left and right, paddle-outs in mourning at Bondi, and the tears are real.
The Substack piece nails the frustration: years of "green" policies phasing out shark nets, swapping them for "smart" drumlines that tag-and-release (or relocate) bull, tiger, and great whites instead of culling them. Critics argue this has let populations rebound unchecked since protective laws kicked in decades ago — no large-scale commercial shark fishing, bans on targeting great whites, and a shift to drones and monitoring that costs millions but doesn't stop the bites. The result? More sharks closer to shore, murky water from heavy rains drawing them in, and humans paying the price. Human life first — full stop.
The Leftist environmental mantra — "sharks are endangered apex predators, leave them alone, humans are the invaders" — sounds noble until a kid's legs are shredded in Sydney Harbour. We've seen the data: Australia averages ~20 attacks a year, but clusters like this (four in 48 hours, one fatal, one amputation) spike fear and calls for action. Protective measures since the '90s have helped some species recover, sure, but when that recovery means more encounters in crowded swimming spots, the balance tips. Prioritising human safety over untouched nature isn't "anti-environment" — it's common sense.
Time to cull the sacred cows (or sharks). Bring back targeted culling for dangerous species near populated beaches — drumlines that actually kill threats, not just poke them with tags and send them back for round two. Reinstate proper nets where they work, and yes, reopen limited commercial fisheries to thin numbers humanely and sustainably (shark fin soup aside — turn 'em into pet food or whatever, just reduce the pressure). Environmentalists scream "ecosystem collapse," but the ocean's big; a controlled harvest of problem bulls and tigers won't wipe out the species, especially when bycatch from indiscriminate methods is already a bigger killer for non-target marine life.
The debate rages: experts call culling calls "misinformed," pointing to weather, murky water, and rare events. But when a 12-year-old dies and surfers are terrified to paddle out, "rare" feels like cold comfort. Premier Minns ruled out mass culling, but public pressure is building — fishermen are even talking open season on bulls. Human life first means overriding the feel-good dogma when reality bites back — literally.
Australia's beaches are for people, not just predators. Time to protect the swimmers, not the sharks. If that means tough, unpopular measures, so be it. The alternative is more memorials, more closed beaches, and more families broken. Enough!
https://lettersfromaustralia.substack.com/p/shark-attack-calls-to-bring-back
