Four rapid response vessels have been commissioned to respond to shark attacks along the state's coastline.
The fleet, located on the mid-north coast and Sydney, has been commissioned to assist first responders following an incident.
Statistics from the International Shark Attack File show shark attacks increased in 2021 following a three year decline.
The last reported shark attack in the Hunter occurred when a 58-year-old man was attacked by a two-meter shark at Yarrawonga Park, Lake Macquarie in January 2021.
Meanwhile, a teenage surfer was hospitalised after being attacked by a white shark at North Avoca Beach beach on the Central Coast in August this year.
Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steven Pearce said the vessels would add another layer of protection for swimmers over summer.
"This equipment will bolster our extensive drone surveillance program conducted by Surf Life Saving NSW at 50 locations along the coast," Mr Pearce said.
"Combining our eyes in the sky with a rapid response capability will provide beachgoers with even greater peace of mind this summer."
The new rapid response vessels will reinforce existing shark management strategies such as Smart drumlines and shark listening devices.
The NSW Government has invested $86 million over the next four years to deploy new and conventional technology along the coastline.
"Our Shark Mitigation Program includes 305 SMART drumlines deployed daily across the NSW coast to intercept, tag, relocate and release sharks, 37 tagged shark listening stations, shark meshing at 51 beaches and 50 drones to spot sharks in the water," Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders said.
"While the chance of a shark encounter remains low, the NSW Government continues to leave no stone unturned when it comes to protecting beachgoers, proudly earning us the title of overseeing the largest shark mitigation program in the world."
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said with the school summer holidays beginning, beachgoers are reminded to take precautions to keep themselves safe.
"There are simple steps swimmers and surfers can take to be safe, including staying close to shore, avoiding murky waters and keeping up to date with the NSW Government's SharkSmart app, which provides information and notifications about tagged shark movements, observations from the SLS drones, and catches of sharks by our SMART drumlines," Ms Cooke said.
The state's beaches continue to controversially protected with shark nets.
Earlier this year, the government revealed target shark species accounted for just 13.5 per cent of everything trapped in the state's nets last season.
Threatened species accounted for 22 per cent of the 376 animals caught in the nets. They included critically endangered grey nurse sharks, vulnerable green turtles, endangered leatherback turtles, and endangered loggerhead turtles.
Further information about the NSW Shark Mitigation Program, including the locations of nets, SMART drumlines, tagged shark listening stations and drone operations, can be found at www.sharksmart.nsw.gov.au/current-program
