Scientists warn that proposed shark nets near a €100 million Club Med resort in South Africa could threaten endangered marine species, intensifying tensions between tourism development and marine conservation.
The €100 million development on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast combines beach and safari experiences in the coastal village of Tinley Manor, which borders the buffer zone of the uThukela Banks marine protected area.
The coast is the habitat of several species of sharks, including the bull shark and the great white shark.
Both the KwaZulu-Natal Shark Board and the KwaDukuza Local Municipality advocated for the installation of “safety equipment for bathers” as a precautionary “necessity” for public safety.
Such gear refers to traditional shark nets and drum lines in waters that are home to endangered marine species such as the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin.
Leading South African scientists strongly oppose the use of such measures, arguing that they are obsolete and that better ones exist. In addition, the nets will kill large numbers of other marine animals, many of them endangered.
However, the shelter remains on track to open on July 4 as planned, with controversial safety measures in place.
No shark encounters since 1994
With up to 1,000 additional visitors expected to visit the resort’s beaches per day, resort developer Collins Residential said KwaDukuza Municipality has asked the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) to “assess appropriate safety measures for beachgoers” for this stretch of coastline.
Collins Residential said an initial environmental impact assessment was carried out. But the public participation process held in November was carried out without a full environmental assessment.
“Following further engagement with the relevant environmental authorities, it was determined that a full Environmental Impact Assessment is required in terms of the National Environmental Management Act,” said Collins Residential, responding on behalf of Club Med.
However, the DFFE confirmed to FRANCE 24 that Collins Residential’s initial assessment “did not assess the impacts” of installing the nets and drums.
Dr. Enrico Gennari, founder of the Ocean Research Institute, argues that in the absence of a full environmental impact assessment, “the public participation process has been flawed,” specifically citing “incorrect and outdated information.”
Furthermore, Gennari said, the project is unnecessary.
“None of us believe there is data to support that adding nets and drumlines at Tinley Manor will reduce the risk of an encounter. And do you know why? Because there haven’t been any encounters there since 1994, and no stings either.”
Declining shark populations
Following the public participation process, Gennari and 10 other prominent South African shark and marine mammal scientists felt compelled to publish an open letter opposing the installation of shark nets on Tinley Manor Beach.
The KwaZulu-Natal Shark Board did not respond to FRANCE 24’s request for comment.
In their open letter, the scientists noted that the risk of shark encounters was already low, due to the “declining population of most shark species in the area.”
Following the death of a juvenile white shark in a net last year, the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation wrote that “shark nets capture more than 500 sharks and other species each year.” Gennari noted in a recent article for Oceans Research News that “several independent indicators suggest that South Africa’s white shark population is more likely to be declining than stable.”
Scientists argue that any debate about shark nets must distinguish between target and non-target species, as well as threatened and protected species.
Based on DFFE net and drumline catch data from the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board between 2016 and 2019 – 2021, An average of 58 target species are caught per year, including tiger, white and bull sharks.
This compares to around 381 non-target animals per year, including marine mammals, turtles, non-dangerous sharks, rays and birds.
The most worrying recent victim was an endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphin in mid-February at Alkantstrand in Richards Bay, about 124 kilometers north of Tinley Manor.
The death of the endangered dolphin (there are fewer than 500 left in South Africa) sparked fresh calls to stop the installation of lethal shark nets at Tinley Manor.
The coastline along Tinley Manor was previously one of the highest risk sites for humpback dolphin deaths in shark nets.
The SouSA Consortium – a group of conservationists and organizations working to protect the species – said in a statement that “reinstalling lethal equipment” in the area “is an unacceptable risk to the species, a risk that appears inconsistent with Club Med’s high environmental standards, considering that less than 1% of all animals caught in the nets are released alive.”
According to Gennari, the KwaZulu-Natal Shark Board’s approach to swimmer safety is to “remove potentially dangerous sharks.”
“Their idea is one less shark, one less risk of encounter for a human. So they’re not there to separate people from sharks. They’re there to kill sharks, big sharks, and unfortunately, in doing so, they kill a lot more.”
Alternatives
Scientists say non-lethal methods could also improve swimmer safety. Gennari explained that the most effective approach is usually a combination of several measures.
Proposed alternatives include drone surveillance, modern drumlines that allow sharks to be released alive, and electromagnetic barriers designed to deter sharks.
KwaDukuza Municipality also identified other options, including shark spotters and sonar technology to detect sharks.
However, some of these alternatives cannot yet be implemented.
“KZNSB’s research into alternative technologies for bather safety, including a shark-repellent electric cable concept, is ongoing but cannot yet be implemented,” the municipality wrote in its public participation document.
Club Med at a crossroads
Club Med is now at a crossroads “in terms of its ethical approach,” Gennari said.
Collins Residential, speaking on behalf of Club Med, said: “Sustainability is fundamental to the way Club Med designs and operates its resorts.”
“If it is true that they are taking care of the wildlife population in the area, it cannot be considered that they are intentionally attacking and killing species that are at risk of extinction,” Gennari said.
“They need to decide: Are we (here) just for the money, or is it really true that we are interested in the well-being of our planet?”
Green Globe is a global certification standard for the travel and tourism industry aimed at promoting economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Collins Residential said that by 2025, almost 90% of Club Med resorts worldwide achieved Green Globe certification for their daily operations, including 100% of resorts in Africa. In South Africa, Club Med “aims to obtain Green Globe certification in its first year of opening.”
Gennari emphasized that scientists do not oppose the development of the shelter, but simply demand sustainable solutions.
He encouraged Club Med to collaborate with people “willing to help make the right decision, using scientific data and a long-term approach to sustainable development.”
“However, it is up to them to make that decision.”
