Oct. 27, 2014, 9:19 p.m.

A total of 20 sharks were caught in nets off Illawarra beaches between September 2013 and April 2014.

A totalof 20 sharks were caught in nets off Illawarra beaches between September 2013 and April 2014, including three great whites and eight hammerheads.

This is up from the 15 sharks that were netted in 2012-13.

Data from the Department Of Primary Industries' monthly catch summaries during the 2013-14 meshing season show 30 marine creatures, including sharks, stingrays and tuna, were found trapped in nets off Illawarra beaches.

Of that number, 12 were classed as "target species" for the net program, a list of sharks including dusky whalers, blacktips, makos, bronze whalers, great whites and tiger sharks.

The other 18 were southern eagle rays, smooth hammerheads, a stingray and a longtail tuna.

White sharks were found off Thirroul, Coledale and Austinmer beaches, while four hammerheads were found off South Wollongong beach.

Most creatures were found dead in netting, but one white shark and a stingray were released alive in September 2013.

A 1.9-metre great white was found at Austinmer in January, while a whopping 3.4-metre dusky whaler was discovered in Coledale nets in February.

Read more:

Shark net catches at Illawarra beaches on the rise