Shark nets were first deployed in Durban during 1952 to reduce the risk of shark attack by catching and removing potentially dangerous sharks.  The objective of the nets is to catch those species of sharks, which are regarded as potentially dangerous.  Of these, three species are believed to have been responsible for most attacks, the bull(Zambezi) shark ( Carcharhinus leucas), the great white shark ( Carcharodon carcharias) and the tiger shark ( Galeocerdo cuvier).

The program was extended to many of the popular bathing beaches along the coast of KwaZulu-Natal ( KZN) during the 1960s as a result of continued attacks in non-netted regions.  These attacks caused the collapse of the KZN tourism industry and the inception of the Natal Anti-Shark Measures Board in 1064 ( renamed the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board in 2008).  By 1992 a total of 44 beaches were protected with 44.6 km of nets between Richards Bay ( 28°48’S, 32°06’E) and Mzamba ( 31°05’S, 30°11’E).

KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board (KZNSB) Operations Division is responsible for servicing and maintaining installed shark safety gear at 37 beaches along the coastline of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).