Home

Perth shark alarms: City to get first shark warning system

Michael TraillThe West Australian
CommentsComments
A shark getting tagged of Cottesloe.
Camera IconA shark getting tagged of Cottesloe. Credit: 7NEWS/supplied

Perth’s defence against the ocean’s top predator is likely to be bolstered this summer, with the installation of the city’s first shark alarms.

The State Government is offering to donate two Spectur shark warning systems for Cottesloe and North Cottesloe.

Similar alarms are already in operation across beaches in regional WA and can be activated by local rangers or surf lifesavers if a tagged shark triggers sensors, deployed on buoys about 800 metres off the coast.

The two warning sirens have been refurbished after previously being used in WA’s divisive south-west smart-drum line trial.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

Cottesloe’s two surf lifesaving clubs have given initial support for the systems’ installation.

The Town of Cottesloe will vote on the gift next week.

“During discussions with Fisheries regarding the installation of Beach Emergency Number Signs, other shark warning options were explored that resulted in the donation of two refurbished Spectur units to the Town of Cottesloe,” Shaun Kan, the Town’s director of engineering services, said.

“The Spectur Units provided are stand alone visual and audio shark warning systems for beachgoers, who may not have access to shark warnings via the SharkSmart App.”

If installed, the systems will become the first to be established on any metropolitan beach in Perth.

The proposed warning systems come after a massive 5.3m metre great white shark was snared on a drum line before being tagged off Cottesloe’s coast in December.

Only two others have been tagged to rival its size.

One was a female measuring 5.4m, tagged in Albany in 2014, which the locals call “Bronwyn”. The other was tagged near Esperance in November, which also measured 5.4m.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails