ABOUT

OUR PRODUCT

SharkSafe Barrier™ successfully biomimics the visual effects of a thick kelp forest, and combines this with a series of permanent magnetic stimuli, to form a barrier that dissuades sharks from passing through.

The SharkSafe Barrier™ is the first effective and eco-friendly solution to protect humans from sharks without harming the marine life.

BENEFITS

WHY SHARKSAFE BARRIER™?

Being shark-specific, the SSB provides an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to conventional anti-shark devices such as shark nets and drumlines.

TECHNICALDESCRIPTION

Research has indicated that large sharks avoid entering thick kelp forests. Furthermore, it has been proven that a strong magnetic field can deter shark species.

The SharkSafe Barrier™ is thus composed of an array of multiple vertical tubes (SSB Units) that biomimics a thick forest of kelp. The proprietary magnetic technology, that creates a repellent unique to sharks, is embedded in the outer row of Units to create an effective magnetic screen.

The SSB Units are manufactured from recycled HDPE, they are vertically buoyant, anchored to the seafloor, and extend up to 0.25 meters above the surface at high tide.

COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION

Bahamas Beach Protection

The eco-friendly SharkSafe BarrierTM technology has now been installed at an island in the Bahamas. The installation of a 30 metre-long SharkSafe Barrier in August 2023 will further strengthen marine conservation efforts in the Bahamas. In 2011 the Bahamas proclaimed the first shark sanctuary in the Atlantic Ocean, and, in 2018, a Marine Action Partnership (MAP) for Sustainable Fisheries. Shark tourism currently contributes approximately US$100 million per year to the local economy.

The SharkSafe BarrierTM consists of high-density polyethylene pipes manufactured locally by KND Fabrications in Maitland, Cape Town. During installation in the ocean, the buoyant pipes are anchored on a grid-like structure one metre apart from one another, with large ceramic magnets staggered in the ocean-facing row. The grid is then weighted by limpet-shaped 200-kilogram cement blocks and secured by substrate specific anchors.

This is a win-win situation, especially for areas that rely on ocean recreation as a main source of revenue, such as beach towns in South Africa, Brazil, New Caledonia, the Bahamas and Réunion.

More information LINK: https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10273

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SCIENTIFIC TESTS

PREVIOUS WORKS

Earlier prototypes of the SharkSafe Barrier™ were installed in The Bahamas and in South Africa from 2012 to 2016. The purpose was to prove the efficacy of the technology to deter bull sharks and white sharks from entering a set area.

The first commercial installation of the latest product design was successfully exported to Reunion Island in January 2019, for the Shark Security Centre (CSR). The installation in St Paul, Reunion, consisted of a 10mx10m square (on the inside) built with 200 SSB Units.

The SSB Units required minimal maintenance for 24 months and withstood two years of winter storms at Reunion (See in video from 1:30). The installation was removed in April 2021, at the end of the project.

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HISTORY

THE ORIGINS OFSHARKSAFE BARRIER™

The concept of the SharkSafe Barrier™ was conceived in 2011 when Mike Rutzen met marine biologist Dr. Craig O’ Connell.

Mike, during his free diving sessions with white sharks, had noticed that sharks did not swim through the local kelp forests, even when pursuing cape fur seals. This inspired the idea for a visual barrier biomimicking a forest of kelp, to have the potential to become the first eco-friendly alternative to the conventional shark nets. Craig, who was exploring the use of electrosensory stimuli, such as permanent magnets, to repel sharks from commercial fishing gear and beach nets as part of his PhD project, came to South Africa to test his magnets on the white sharks. The two joined forces and combined their knowledge.

The SharkSafe Barrier™ technology was developed and tested on bull sharks and white sharks from 2012 to 2016. The SharkSafe Barrier™ proved to be 100% effective in deterring sharks under controlled testing, and after years of rigorous trials, the results were published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

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