WA: Satellites to track sharks along WA coast

AAP General News (Australia)
12-29-2009
WA: Satellites to track sharks along WA coast

By Aleisha Preedy

PERTH, Dec 29 AAP - Real-time technology is about to catch up with the great white
shark out west.

If a tagged great white, also known as the white pointer, swims off Perth's popular
beaches, authorities will be alerted by an email or SMS to their mobile phone.

In a world first, the West Australian government will use satellite receivers along
the WA coast to allow "real-time" tracking of arguably the most feared creature in the
ocean.

About 100 sharks will be tagged in a two-year study to measure the movements and migration
patterns of white pointers along the metropolitan coast.

WA Department of Fisheries senior research scientist Dr Rory McAuley told reporters
on Tuesday, he hoped the data collected would improve understanding of shark movements
and how they relate to attacks.

He said when a tagged shark was within 500m of a receiver, the information would be
sent to a satellite in space.

Within a couple of minutes, an email or SMS would then be sent to the relevant authorities,
including government departments and surf lifesavers.

In the past, the receiver would have to be taken onshore for the tracking information
to be downloaded.

Dr McAuley stopped short of calling the technology lifesaving, but said while it was
primarily a research project, the data would be useful for shark detection and to send
warnings to swimmers.

"I think the public's fear of sharks stems largely from a fear of the unknown," Dr McAuley said.

"Any information we can find out about the real risk of people encountering sharks
at the beach will hopefully alleviate people's concerns to some degree."

Dr McAuley said more than 70 sharks had already been tagged, with the majority from
South Australia, due to the reliability of sharks off the coast.

He said most sharks were tagged with a spear while they were feeding on whale carcasses.

About 20 satellite receivers, due to be in place by February, would be set up from
Ocean Reef in the north, to Garden Island in the south and out to Strickland Bay at Rottnest
Island.

AAP ap/it

KEYWORD: SHARK WA (PIX AVAILABLE)

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