A team of Stellenbosch University researchers, led by botany and zoology department head Professor Conrad Matthee, has developed an effective alternative to shark nets.

“Shark nets lead to the deaths of sharks and other marine animals. “The team has developed an ecofriendly shark barrier that is anchored to the seabed and extends to the height of the high-tide water level.”

Development of the barrier was informed by studies of shark behaviour, particularly the sensitivity of Zambezi sharks to strong permanent magnetic fields and the unwillingness of Great White sharks to enter kelp forests.

“The rigid upright pipes resemble kelp when they float in the water. Magnets “The structure also contains magnets to make it more effective in deterring various shark species. The pipes can resist waves of up to seven metres.”

The first test of the new shark barrier system, called Sharksafe, was conducted in Gansbaai, where bait was placed behind the barrier to attract the sharks, but no sharks swam through, explains Matthee.

“If correctly deployed, our barrier forms a ‘cage’, consisting of loose pipes without a net, resulting in no marine animals being caught, while sharks are kept out effectively,” he adds.

Using the correct materials will enable the new shark barriers to remain in the water for 20 years, with little maintenance required.

“We have established that marine life is growing on the cement blocks that anchor the barriers to the seabed, which now form an artificial reef,” he notes.

The research team intends to get permission to fence in the Muizenberg and Fish Hoek swimming beaches at an estimated cost of R10-million each, says Matthee.

The current patent consists of three rows of overlapping pipes, but in the deployment phase the intention is to employ five rows of pipes. The team would like to implement this in collaboration with the developers of the ‘mesh nets’, which are being considered as alternative for shark nets, which is a finer woven net than the traditional shark net.

“We call our barrier Sharksafe because it keeps people safe from sharks, while it simultaneously protects the sharks. “For our team, it is all about shark research and the protection of sharks. That is the driving force behind this research,” concludes Matthee.