Bycatch interactions, including chondrichthyans, are one of the greatest challenges facing global commercial fisheries, particularly in net-based fisheries. Northern Australia is a stronghold for 45 globally threatened elasmobranch species, yet interactions with commercial fisheries continue to pose conservation challenges. Emerging deterrent technologies show promise for bycatch mitigation, with previous studies demonstrating encouraging results using visual deterrents, such as green LED lights; yet trials to date have been limited in spatial and temporal scope. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a visual deterrent under commercial fishing conditions in the N12 Gulf of Carpentaria Inshore Fishery. A total of 132 shots were deployed across three vessels between August 2025 and April 2026. Half of each net was fitted with green LED lights, with the remaining half serving as a control. Camera-based electronic monitoring was used to identify species and record the section of the net in which each animal was captured. The visual deterrent did not significantly affect catch rates of the target species, Grey Mackerel. However, the impact on elasmobranchs was varied: catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) of targeted Blacktip Sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus and C. tilstoni) was significantly higher in illuminated sections of the net, while CPUE of Spot-tail Sharks (Carcharhinus sorrah) were not significantly different. For bycatch groups, CPUE of Rhizoprionodon spp., aggregated hammerhead sharks and threatened taxa were not significantly influenced by the visual deterrent. Species-level analyses revealed that the CPUE of Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks, a species of conservation concern, was significantly greater in illuminated net sections. These findings suggest that visual deterrent technologies do not universally reduce elasmobranch bycatch and, for some species, were associated with increased interactions with fishing gear. The effectiveness of visual deterrents is likely to depend on species composition, environmental conditions, and fishery context, highlighting the need for targeted, fishery-specific approaches to bycatch reduction.