SMART drumline trials helped reduce the risk of shark incidents across NSW beaches.
SMART (Shark Management Alert in Real Time) drumline devices caught sharks at beaches across Sydney, Newcastle and the south and north coast.
On the North Coast, 23 sharks were caught, including a 3.5-metre tiger shark at Lennox Head. Sixteen sharks were caught on the South Coast, and 14 on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Once a shark is caught, it is tagged and released back to sea approximately one-kilometre offshore. Experts then track the shark’s movements to alert authorities when it is nearby.
Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said the SMART drumlines help researchers learn more about shark movements and the effectiveness of this technology.
“The beauty of this technology is that it not only prevents shark encounters but also allows scientists to monitor the tagged sharks and learn more about their behaviour,” Mr Marshall said.
The Department of Primary Industries will now analyse the results of the trials before deciding on the next steps.
The SMART drumline trials are part of the NSW Government’s Shark Management Strategy.
Smart drumline trials
Sydney
| Location | Shark species |
|---|---|
Dee Why/Manly | 1 tiger shark (250cm) 9 dusky whalers (130cm, 160cm, 140cm, 170cm, 110cm, 140cm, 250cm, 150cm, 150cm) |
Palm Beach - Newport | 1 dusky whaler (160cm) 1 unidentified whaler (160cm) 1 smooth hammerhead (240cm) 1 tiger shark (350cm) |
South Coast
| Location | Shark species |
|---|---|
Tathra | 6 white sharks (182cm, 175cm, 170cm, 159cm, 158cm, 150cm) 3 tiger sharks (168cm, 150cm, 131cm) 2 bronze whalers (210cm, 276cm) |
Merimbula | 2 tiger sharks (320cm, 180cm) 1 grey nurse (258cm) 2 bronze whalers (240cm, 268cm) |
Newcastle
| Location | Shark species |
|---|---|
Newcastle | 1 dusky whaler (100cm) 1 common blacktip (230cm) 1 mako shark (270cm) 1 smooth hammerhead (190cm) |
North Coast
| Location | Shark species |
|---|---|
Lennox Head | 6 tiger sharks (240cm, 280cm, 260cm, 270cm, 240cm, 220cm) 1 bull shark (210cm) 1 white shark (310cm) |
Boulders Beach | 1 tiger shark (250cm) |
South Ballina Beach | 2 tiger sharks (260cm, 230cm) |
Sharpes Beach Ballina | 1 white shark (240cm) |
Lighthouse Beach Ballina | 1 bull shark (170cm) |
Evans Head | 7 tiger sharks (270cm, 350cm, 230cm, 190cm, 200cm, 200cm, 200cm) 1 shortfin mako shark (230cm) |
Ballina/Lennox | 1 dusky whaler (340cm) 1 common blacktip (240cm) |