DPIRD staff fit a white shark with a fin tag off Hassell Beach near Albany. Photo: DPIRD
DPIRD tagged eight white sharks near Cheyne’s Beach last week, bringing the number tagged along the WA coastline to 16 this year.
The program aims to improve public safety by monitoring shark activity as part of the State’s Shark Hazard Mitigation Strategy.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s staff caught the juvenile sharks after a whale carcass was reported on Hassell Beach.
Favourable weather conditions provided the opportunity for DPIRD researchers to undertake targeted tagging around the whale carcass over two days.
Eight white sharks were tagged which will now provide near real-time notifications of tagged shark detections through the Shark Monitoring Network.
DPIRD Shark Response Unit manager Michael Burke said as whale carcasses broke down, they released natural biological oil-based residue which dispersed over a large area, attracting sharks and providing the opportunity for targeted tagging operations.
“With the weather warming up, it is timely to remind people if they see a whale carcass to report it immediately to Water Police and not go into the water in the surrounding area due to the increased likelihood of sharks being present,” he said.
“The SharkSmart WA app is also a great tool for the community to keep informed about the presence of whale carcasses and shark activity, as well as the locations of Surf Life Saving WA patrolled beaches and local weather conditions.
“Shark Monitoring Network receivers are located throughout the Perth metropolitan area (including the Swan Canning Estuary), Geographe Bay, Yallingup, Gracetown, Albany and Esperance providing near real-time alerts of tagged shark activity via the app.”
DPIRD will commence its annual Cockburn Sound tagging operations in the near future, which correlates with pink snapper spawning.
In November, the program will include the South Coast, with tagging operations planned for Albany, Bremer Bay and Esperance with a focus around seal colonies. DPIRD’s bull shark tagging program will also recommence in the Swan Canning Estuary in November.
Beach and river users are encouraged to download the SharkSmart WA app to stay informed.
It is also very important for anyone who sees a shark to report it to Water Police immediately on 9442 8600.
