Shark nets helped tourism says NSW mayor

The Ballina mayor says controversial shark nets deployed along northern NSW helped people feel safe in the water and increased tourism in the region.

Shark nets along northern NSW helped people feel safe and increased tourism, says Ballina mayor. (AAP)

As controversial shark nets deployed at northern NSW beaches are hauled up early, the Ballina mayor says they've had a positive impact on tourism.

The nets were deployed at five beaches near Ballina late last year for a six-month trial following a spate of shark attacks in the area.

Despite only catching two white sharks during the trial, Mayor David Wright said they improved swimming and surfing sentiment over the Christmas period.

"I have personally never supported the nets but I support them because of what they have done to tourism and giving people a sense of security and they've worked like that," Mr Wright told AAP.

He said drumlines deployed to the area, which will be kept in the water unlike the nets, also contributed to the change of community attitude towards using the ocean.

The nets were hauled up on Monday after several humpback whales were spotted south of Ballina.

A lot of by-catch has been caught in the nets during their time in the ocean.

Three dolphins, five turtles and six manta rays were been killed over a five-month period.

A single bull shark was killed in the nets, while one of the two white sharks caught also died.

"As for trying to kill sharks, they're not good, they kill a lot of by-catch. However having them there with the signs at each beach, people looked at that and haven't talked about sharks since last Christmas," Mr Wright said.

The decision to remove the shark nets two weeks early was celebrated by the NSW Greens, which urged the government to reconsider deploying them again.

"Shark nets may make ocean goers feel better but the evidence shows they are not effective against target sharks and don't make swimmers or surfers significantly safer," NSW Greens Justin Field said in a statement.

A total of 253 marine creatures were caught in the nets between December 8 and May 7, three of them being target species, according to NSW Department of Primary Industries data.

More than half of the marine animals caught in the nets died.