SMART drumline trial expands
The NSW Government is trialling 10 SMART drumlines off beaches in Shellharbour-Kiama, Shoalhaven, Mid North Coast, Forster and Byron Bay.
The locations for the SMART drumlines are based on historical data on shark attacks, aerial surveillance, beach-use data and consultation with relevant local councils.
Minister for Primary Industries, Niall Blair said there would now be 85 SMART drumlines on the water, with another 15 to be regularly used by researchers for targeted tagging trips.
“SMART drumlines are the future of shark detection and mitigation and we are leading the world in this technology - they protect human life while minimising the impact on marine species,” Mr Blair said.
“You can’t argue with the data – SMART drumlines have proven to be five times more effective than mesh nets on the North Coast during our six month trial earlier this year.”
Mesh nets caught just seven target sharks (including three White Sharks) while 25 SMART drumlines caught 37 target sharks (including 31 White Sharks) in the same period.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries will now call for tenders for the daily deployment and retrieval of the drumlines up until mid-2018.