East backs our shark buoys
The NSW Government has embraced technology developed by a Perth company that uses sonar to detect sharks off beaches and warn lifeguards.
NSW Premier Mike Baird put the so-called Clever Buoys front and centre of his Liberal Party's March re-election bid yesterday by pledging $100,000 towards testing the devices at popular Sydney beaches.
The devices are the innovation of West Perth-based Shark Attack Mitigation Systems, which is developing them with technology heavyweights Optus and Google.
The WA Government has contributed research funding to the company's collaboration with the University of WA to develop wetsuits unpalatable to sharks, but it has not financially backed Clever Buoys, investing instead in different sonar projects.
The pledge was the first announcement of the NSW election campaign for Mr Baird, who appeared eager to avoid picking a fight with conservationists.
"One thing we will not be doing in NSW is culling sharks," he said.
Clever buoys are tethered to the seabed and work by emitting soundwaves up to a radius of 60m to detect the shape and propulsion of a shark.
If a shark is detected, a satellite transmitter relays the signal to the Optus phone network, which alerts lifesavers via SMS.
Successful tests have been carried out off WA's Abrolhos Islands and at Sydney Aquarium.
A WA Government spokesman said yesterday it had contributed $2 million to eight research projects into shark detection and deterrents.
They included $273,000 to Curtin University and $450,000 to UWA for sonar imaging and acoustic detection of sharks.
"The Government will await the outcome of all these research projects and other improvements in technology in its constant consideration of shark hazard mitigation strategies," the spokesman said.
A spokeswoman for Shark Attack Mitigation Systems said: "We welcome Premier Baird's pledge to trial sonar technology to detect sharks at NSW beaches and will work with all parties to develop this.
"The Clever Buoy prototype is still in testing phase and has been tested in a few contained water environments."
