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The Shark Control Program (the Program) has in place shark 30 nets and 362 drumlines off 85 beaches throughout Queensland to reduce the possibility of a shark attack for swimmers. During the Humpback whale migration season from May through to November the shark nets remain in the water as Queensland’s beaches are utilised all year round by bathers and board riders. Removing the nets would increase the risk of a shark attack at those locations.
There is an estimated population of over 20000 Humpback whales which migrate annually along Queensland’s coastline. The reduction of whale entanglements in the shark control apparatus is a priority issue for the Program.
The use of acoustic alarms (pingers) to ward off Humpback whales from the shark nets and selected drumlines has been an ongoing commitment by the Program. Pingers supplied from a number of manufacturers have been trialed for about 20 years. A Queensland based company Future Oceans (formerly Fumunda Marine) developed a pinger programmed to transmit a 3 kHz tone specifically designed for Humpback whales.  Since whale pingers were introduced in 2010 there has been a noticeable decline in the number of whale entanglements per population increase.