NSW’s shark net program is catching a lot of non-sharks. 

Over 90 per cent of the animals caught during the summer were not intended targets of the nets, new analysis shows. 

Documents obtained under state information access laws allegedly reveal significant internal disagreement within the government about the continuation of this controversial program.

During the eight-month period, 208 non-target creatures, including turtles, dolphins, and smaller sharks, were trapped, with over half succumbing to death, according to reports. 

This includes critically endangered species such as five grey nurse sharks and several endangered turtles among the 134 casualties.

Of the 15 target sharks captured, which included three tiger sharks and 12 great white sharks, a third were also killed. 

The nets did not capture any target shark species at metropolitan beaches across Sydney, leading to questions about the effectiveness and selectivity of the meshing technology used.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) advised the agriculture minister, Tara Moriarty, that the incidental capture of non-target species was an unavoidable outcome of the current net design. 

This information came from briefing documents prepared before the latest net installation.

Despite these advisories, Minister Moriarty decided to proceed with the shark nets, ahead of comprehensive reviews from local councils. 

In August last year, after initial consultations where councils could opt out of the program, the decision was reversed, and nets were set up as scheduled on September 1.

Environment Minister Penny Sharpe is allegedly working in the background for the gradual removal of shark nets, aligning with local councils to adjust to more modern and possibly less harmful shark management strategies. 

Environmentalists suggest this advocacy would be more effective if done in public.