SHARK nets and aerial searches to protect Bunbury beachgoers may become costly relics of the past if digital technology able to detect the potentially menacing creatures succeeds.
Dubbed the “Clever Buoy”, the floats use sonar devices to search for objects of greater than two metres in length approaching within about 60 metres.
If confirmed as a shark, the device will send an alert via satellite to beach-based lifeguards who would then evacuate swimmers.
Shark Mitigation Services which has tested the technology at the Sydney Aquarium and at the remote Abrolhos Islands off the WA coast, hopes to release commercial versions by the middle of next year.
“It’s like face-recognition software,” said Hamish Jolly, a director of the company.
“We can teach the software to look for the unique characteristics that we see in large sharks swimming.”
If the WA experience is any guide, governments could do with more accurate methods to identify and respond to shark threats.
Bowing to public fears after a series of shark deaths off WA beaches, the WA government began culling sharks in January and is seeking a three-year extension from federal environment minister Greg Hunt.
The cull, though, failed to catch a single great white shark – its main target.
Many of the 172 sharks caught were tiger sharks, which have not been linked to recent human fatalities.
An interest in shark conservation was one reason why telecoms provider Optus teamed with Mr Jolly’s company to provide satellite expertise for the buoys.
“We want to provide the environment that’s safe for beachgoers but also provides the opportunity to protect sharks long-term as well,” Nathan Rosenberg, head of Brand and Communications for Optus, said.
Shaun Collin, head of the University of WA’s Oceans Institute said the presence of a shark does not mean an attack is imminent.
“The way forward is to quickly identify any potential risk, convey that to the public while also deploying a deterrent to ward them off,” Professor Collin said.