Explainer Article - The Unforeseen Hero of The Ocean

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The Wilderness Society (Flickr)

Nets have become the world’s most used method of protecting beachgoers from possible shark attacks. This safety device only benefits people, whereas sharks and other marine animals are left stuck in a tangled mess, which leads to a slow and painful death.

Is there a way of protecting humans while also considering the lives of those under the sea?

The king of the ocean and the king of Hollywood terror: sharks reign at the top of the aquatic food chain, making them vital to the ocean ecosystem [2]. Yet, for humans, they are only seen as villainous creatures. Despite their status on land, sharks largely impact and regulate the distribution, number and diversity of other species, as well as provide essential food sources for other predators [3]. However, the fear of shark attacks has created such a movement that shark nets have become the most commonly used safety measure for people swimming on touristy beaches [4].

The Double Solution

Recent research conducted by Dr. Craig O’Connell has demonstrated a new method of protecting beachgoers through the use of repellent technology, which utilizes magnetism to ward off sharks from certain areas [5]. The Sharksafe barrier is a safe and non-invasive solution designed with two methods of repulsion: permanent magnets implemented to induce magnetic repulsion of sharks and the use of plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes to look like sea bamboo, which in large amounts sharks despise [6].

Why Sharksafe Barrier?

Sharksafe barrier was a needed solution as the use of nets was beginning to create a significant impact on shark mortality. Each net would capture approximately 2500 sharks annually, taking away from the ocean's health [7]. This method was a breakthrough in conservation engineering, as it would demonstrate an essential practice for human safety from sharks as well as shark safety from humans.

Repelling Magnets

It is mainly thanks to the use of magnets, the critical innovation to the study, which makes this barrier so effective. The research conducted by Dr. O'Connell demonstrates how the strong magnetic field from C8 barium-ferrite magnets can overstimulate the ampullary system of sharks [8]. Sharks are a species of marine animal that have a special sensing organ called the ampullae of Lorenzini, an organ that has very sensitive electroreceptors which give sharks the ability to detect a magnetic field [9].

According to Dr. O'Connell, the magnets within the PVC pipes can overstimulate the electroreceptors of sharks with a magnetic field, which thus creates a repellent response [10]. Sharks will then turn around and swim in the other direction.

PVC Pipe Disguise

This research specifically studied the behaviour of C. Carcharias, which is most commonly known as the great white shark. Great whites tend to avoid areas with a large amount of sea algae [11]. Hence, the reason for the large amount of PVC pipes used in the Sharksafe barrier design is that it creates an illusion that acts as a visual stimulus of a sea bamboo forest. This visual effect of artificial algae also allowed the barrier to withstand the ocean current, an added benefit to the barriers' long-term use.

Is it Worth it?

All in all, not one shark swam through the Sharksafe barrier during all the study trials. The need for nets can decline as this innovative invention opens the pathway to new research that emphasizes marine conservation and protects the ocean's health. This new discovery allows for an alternative yet practical and effective approach to keeping tourists happy and sharks healthy.

References

[1] The Wilderness Society. (2007). Zambezi Shark caught in Nets. Flickr. Retrieved from https://flic.kr/p/8Y3NbJ

[2] Griffin, E., Miller, K.L., Freitas, B. and Hirshfield, M. (2008). Predators as Prey: Why Healthy Oceans Need Sharks. Oceana. Retrieved from https://oceana.org/sites/default/files/reports/Predators_as_Prey_FINAL_FINAL1.pdf

[3] Griffin, E., Miller, K.L., Freitas, B. and Hirshfield, M. (2008).

[4] CP, O. C. (2014). Effects of the Sharksafe barrier on white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) behavior and its implications for future conservation technologies. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 460, 37-46.

[5] CP, O. C. (2014). Pg. 38.

[6] CP, O. C. (2014). Pg. 38.

[7] CP, O. C. (2014). Pg. 37.

[8] CP, O. C. (2014). Pg. 38.

[9] G.R, Zug. (2018). Lateral Line System. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/lateral-line-system

[10] CP, O. C. (2014). Pg. 38.

[11] CP, O. C. (2014). Pg. 39.