A court in New Caledonia’s capital Noumea has ordered authorities to stop culling sharks, a practice brought in after a series of attacks last year, one of which killed an Australian tourist.
The administrative court said that the systematic culls were “disproportionate in regard to the aim of protecting human life,” in a judgment made public on 28 December.
According to local media reports, the court expressed concern over the absence of a scientific evaluation on the impact of the culling programmes, as well as the lack of data on populations of targeted shark species. A spokesperson for Noumea’s municipal authority told the Guardian it would file an appeal against the decision.
The decision was made in response to a complaint filed by the environmental group Ensemble pour la Planète (EPLP), which is set to receive 360 000 Caledonian Francs (US$3,301) in compensation from local authorities.
Martine Cornaille, president of EPLP, said the decisions “denounce … the lightness of public authorities when it comes to the environmental consequences of their policy.”
“We do not hide our extreme satisfaction regarding these decisions,” Cornaille said.
Still, the group remain concerned that culling could resume as the court decision did not prohibit future campaigns, with adjustments.
“We are worried because the judges left open the door to these culls in other conditions,” Cornaille said.
Shark attacks have increased in New Caledonia in recent years and the French Pacific territory ranks 13th in the world for the number of attacks, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Local environmental groups estimate 83 tiger sharks and 44 bull sharks were killed during 2023, according to reports.
EPLP said a high number of endangered sharks were killed in bycatch incidents, where protected species were unintentionally caught during culling campaigns.
Analysis of figures provided by municipal authorities and local media reports indicate that of 329 sharks caught, 202 were bycatch. Most of these include endangered shark species such as the lemon shark and hammerhead shark. Although officials say the majority were released alive, some scientists remain sceptical about their chances of survival.
In 2023, the government banned swimming at most of Noumea’s beaches for months after the shark attacks. It also installed a metal net at one of the city’s busiest beaches, Baie des Citrons, to act as an underwater fence and prevent sharks from swimming too close to the shore. The net has been criticised by some scientists, environmental groups and residents for threatening biodiversity. Still, municipal authorities have described the first shark net as a success, and said they plan to install two more nets this year.
