When MPAs Are Killing Zones for Critically Endangered Marine Life

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are supposed to be sanctuaries. Safe havens where marine life can thrive, ecosystems can recover, and biodiversity can flourish. But in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, some MPAs are anything but safe. Instead, they have become death traps for the very species they were meant to protect, thanks to shark nets and baited drumlines operated by the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board (KZNSB).

The Brutal Reality

The KZNSB still deploys outdated and barbaric shark nets and drumlines along 310km of coastline, killing an average of 563 sharks and other marine animals every year according to the Daily Maverick 's article. Of these, only 14% survive and are released. The rest… hundreds of sharks, rays, turtles, dolphins, and more… die unnecessarily in these archaic death traps.

And the worst part? This slaughter is happening inside three MPAs. These are supposed to be areas dedicated to conservation, yet they are actively contributing to the decline of already vulnerable species. What does "Marine Protected Area" even mean when the very species we aim to protect are being systematically killed within them?

This slaughter is happening inside three MPAs.

An Illogical Attack on Endangered Species

Shark nets and drumlines do not discriminate. They catch whatever swims into them, including species that are already vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. As Dr. Enrico Gennari, director of research for Oceans Research, explains, the KZNSB specifically targets large sharks. These are species that are crucial for maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. Many of these sharks are already struggling due to overfishing and habitat loss, yet they are still being actively removed from the ocean under the guise of "bather protection."

But here’s the truth: shark nets don’t make beaches safer. They don’t even act as physical barriers; they are simply fishing devices designed to kill sharks. If a net is meant to keep sharks away from swimmers, why do the majority of sharks caught in them get tangled on the beach-facing side? The logic simply doesn’t hold up.

And The Worst Part?

There Are Several Human and Effective Solutions Available

We are in 2025. There is no excuse for using these inhumane and outdated methods when non-lethal, science-backed alternatives exist. Many places around the world have successfully implemented drone surveillance, shark spotter programmes, eco-barriers, sonar technology, and increased education on ocean safety... methods that protect both people and marine life.

Yet, in South Africa, we are still using the same destructive tactics that were introduced in the 1950s. It’s time for change.

It’s Time for the DFFE to Step Up

The continued use of shark nets and drumlines is not just an environmental disaster, it’s a national embarrassment. We cannot claim to be serious about conservation while simultaneously permitting government-sanctioned culling inside protected areas.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) and policymakers like Dr. Dion George MP must take immediate action. The permitting of these lethal devices by KZNSB must be reconsidered, and South Africa must shift towards modern, non-lethal shark mitigation strategies.

We need to demand accountability. We need to challenge the outdated policies that prioritise public perception over scientific evidence. And most importantly, we need to ensure that our MPAs serve their true purpose: protecting marine life, not killing it.

What You Can Do

?? Raise awareness – Share this article, talk about it, and challenge outdated narratives around shark safety.

?? Contact policymakers – Write to the DFFE and demand an end to these lethal methods.

?? Support conservation organisations – Groups fighting for shark protection need all the help they can get.

Shark nets and drumlines belong in the past. It’s time for South Africa to lead the way in ethical, effective ocean safety.

?? Header image depicts “A white shark carcass washed up on the shore of Zinkwazi Beach after being caught in a KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board drumline. The red buoy (right) suspends the baited hook in the water and is anchored with a rope to a concrete block on the seafloor behind the waves. Strong waves and the shark’s struggles were likely to have caused the ropes to break loose and the white shark to strand ashore.” The Daily Maverick (Photo: Josh Pons)