Shark Spotters (Shark Detection Project)

About the city. The city is known for its harbour, for its natural setting in the Cape Floristic Region, and for landmarks such as Table Mountain and Cape Point.

Goal

The project aim is to create an automated shark spotting system that has to enhance its pioneering sustainable shark safety service. Moreover, to promote safety in the waters surrounding Cape Town.

Implementation period. The company started working in 2004 and still works today.

Fact

The only shark in Cape Town that poses a potential threat to water users is the great white shark. This is the shark that the spotters focus on detecting.

Solutions

Initially, since the creation of the organization, there was a simple spotting. At each spotting location, one spotter is placed at an elevated position (usually a mountain) with polarised sunglasses and binoculars, and scans the ocean continuously, looking for sharks and other marine activity.

In March 2013 they started using a new technique — a one-of-a-kind shark exclusion net in an area of Fish Hoek beach. This net is a unique design of shark exclusion barrier, specifically designed to have minimal environmental impact and be adaptable to changing weather conditions.

A new technology is currently being developed — the automated shark spotting system. Why is this necessary? It is necessary to overcome some of the limitations the programme currently experiences including the need for natural elevation and the potential for human errors. The automated system will not replace the spotters employed, but rather assist them with more reliable and accurate shark detection. The research project is supposed to run for a total of 18 months.

Sightings are entered in real time on Twitter and Facebook.

Team

The Shark Spotters (pioneering shark safety and research organisation based in Cape Town), the Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa at the University of Cape Town, and PatternLab SaRL (a research and development company from Switzerland). The city government finances the company.

Timeline

Since the program began in 2004, the company has recorded over 2020 shark sightings on Shark Spotters beaches.

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