SharkSafe Barrier™ collaborates with the CRDC SA

SharkSafe Barrier™ installations have a very long life span, but when it comes a time to replace our pipes, the material is either reused or repurposed!

In a bid to enhance our commitment to sustainability, SharkSafe™ Barrier are proud to announce a collaboration with the Centre for Regenerative Design and Collaboration South Africa (CRDC SA), with assistance from our manufacturers, KND Fabrications in alignment with our commitment to environmental responsibility.

This collaboration, made possible by OceanHub Africa, marks a significant step towards sustainable environmental initiatives. As the pipes used for the experimental Reunion Test of 2020 could not be reused in other installations, and we don’t need them to end up in a land field, they will be repurposed by CRDC SA to create an innovative eco-aggregate made from mixed plastic waste, known as RESIN8™.

The CRDC SA specializes in developing solutions that promote regenerative design principles. Through this collaboration, the HDPE pipes from SharkSafe BarrierTM will be converted into RESIN8™, a lightweight eco-aggregate that meets the needs of the construction industry while also extending the life cycle of plastic waste. RESIN8™ is one of the first materials derived from plastic waste that can improve the performance of structural concrete products and that has earned acceptance from the construction industry. With unique thermal properties, it is an effective building insulation product, reducing building energy use and improving climate resiliency. Further to this, concrete products made with a percentage of RESIN8™ maintains its appearance, strength, and fire resistance while the weight is reduced. In addition, tests have shown there is very little risk of leaching, abrasion, and micro-plastic release. As a recycled product RESIN8™ is fully circular, it can be-reused with a low energy production footprint. RESIN8™ is celebrated for its adaptability and eco-friendliness, making it the perfect candidate for various industries seeking to reduce their plastic waste.

This collaboration exemplifies the potential for harmonizing environmental conservation initiatives, embracing sustainability and circular business practices. Through initiatives like this, organizations can make a lasting impact, through repurposing materials, reducing waste, and contributing to a more regenerative future.

For more information about SharkSafe Barrier™, visit https://www.sharksafesolution.com

For more information about Centre for Regenerative Design and Collaboration (CRDC), visit https://crdc.global

Where have all the white sharks gone?

Dr Sara Andreotti has been working with white sharks for 16 years and has become accustomed to questions from people interested in finding out more about the subject. The most common questions she has received have always been “aren’t you afraid?”; “do you think that the megalodon is still alive?”; “what do you think about shark cage diving?” and “what is the biggest shark you have ever seen?”.

 In the last couple of years or so, one question reached the top of the list: “where did the white sharks go?”.

Sara started her life in South Africa in De Kelders near Gaansbaai. Where she had ringside seats to the richness of the local marine life, which supported one of the most charismatic marine predators everyone recognises at first sight: the great white shark. White sharks were so common in Gansbaai at that time that this place was also called the white shark capital of the world! It was the only coastal town in South Africa supporting not one or two, but eight shark cage diving companies. Gansbaai had it all.

Sharks were not bay residents, but they came to visit so often that Dr Andreotti through her research could record an average of 15 different individuals on any given day. There was never a guarantee of seeing sharks but, Dr Andreotti and her team knew they would see them. In fact in 2010 they had white sharks every day they were out, and people always returned to shore with the biggest smiles.

When white sharks were around, no other species of sharks showed up and in the years Dr Andreotti was working in Gansbaai, she cannot recall seeing a single bronze whaler shark. They sporadically saw orcas in the distance and once there was a large pod passing by while the team were busy with data collection. The sharks didn’t leave, and didn’t change their behaviour.

This research involved counting the white sharks visiting the area, by identifying them one-by-one using the uniqueness of their dorsal fins. This study revealed that shark numbers were already less than were originally thought and they kept on declining steadily every year and then a worrying change in the local ecology of the bay revealed itself.

By 2018 the number of white sharks was so low that the next biggest species of sharks replaced their habitat. In False Bay they started recording sevengill cow sharks next to seal island all year round, instead of just during the summer season. And in Gaansbaai, bronze whaler sharks started swimming around the cage diving vessels.

Dr Andreotti honestly still doesn’t have a definite answer to the question “Where did the sharks go?”. But she does know that we humans can take a great deal of the blame. There are a number of things we can do to give these graceful beauties a better chance at survival. Reducing overfishing, removing shark nets and reducing bycatch are just few of the human-related solutions we should work on. Oh, and stopping the ongoing shark cull around the world would be a good start.