A young humpback whale has been found dead tangled in shark nets south of Sydney, prompting renewed calls to remove the "barbaric walls of death".

ORRCA, a non-profit rescue organisation, received reports that the mammal was floating upside down off Wombarra Beach, in northern Wollongong, about 8.30am yesterday.

It was found with a shark net tangled around its tail and side fin.

The cause of death remains unclear until the whale undergoes a necropsy, but choppy weather conditions have hampered efforts to retrieve the body.

The dead whale is feared to attract sharks to the area, with the public advised to stay clear of it and avoid entering the water. 

The City of Wollongong Council has temporarily shut the patrolled Scarborough and Coledale beaches to swimmers and surfers as a pre

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