It seems like technology came too late for Martin Brody from the movie Jaws. The government of New South Wales, Australia spent big on advanced technology that can detect sharks to keep beachgoers safe this summer.
Mashable reported that Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair announced Sunday in an event at Sydney's Coogee Beach that they have allocated A$16 million, or US$12 million in shark strategy, which includes deploying sonar, drones, helicopters, and 20 listening stations along the coast.
There is a rising concern in the region about sharks swimming too close to swimmers, fishermen, and surfers. The number of shark attacks in the northern parts of the state has increased in the past few months. A total of 13 unprovoked shark attack cases were recorded in the state in 2015, with one fatality, according to the Australian Shark Attack File. Meanwhile, there were only three incidents of such case in 2014.
"This is a historic moment," Blair said. "We are leading the world in New South Wales when it comes to how we interact with sharks and how we've utilized a range of technologies to reduce that risk for our beachgoers."
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, The five-year program is a significant increase form the $1.5 million spent on yearly shark meshing. This is the first time that multiple shark mitigation technologies are carried out at once. The shark-detecting drones will be used staring December, which is beach holiday season.
Authorities will also increase their efforts on tagging sharks, using 4-equipped Clever Buoys and listening stations to know if there are any sharks coming too close to the shore, according to Digital Trends. The people by the beach will be warned throught eh SharkSmart app.
The 4G technology will be deployed first in Tweed Heads and Foster on the north coast of the state. These stations will include Byron Bay, Ballina, Lennox Head, and Evans Head.
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