Shark Spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za Safety | Conservation | Education | Research Mon, 06 May 2013 08:30:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Sharks Spotters in the News http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-3 http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-3#comments Mon, 06 May 2013 08:30:47 +0000 Shark Spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-3 Shark Spotters in the News this week

]]> http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-3/feed 0 Sisterhood SUP raises over R7,000 for Shark Spotters! http://sharkspotters.org.za/sisterhood-sup-raises-over-r7000-for-shark-spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/sisterhood-sup-raises-over-r7000-for-shark-spotters#comments Mon, 29 Apr 2013 05:39:36 +0000 Shark Spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/?p=2030 http://youtu.be/LqJwJ7CjA3M

 

 

Shark Spotters would like to say a big thank you to Sisterhood SA for their support and congratulate them on a very impressive achievement! Watch the video and check out the press release below to see their extraordinary adventure!

Press release Sisterhood Paddle 21 April 2013

As the sun rose on a perfect but chilly Sunday morning in Big Bay 13 girls and 2 guys prepared themselves for a SERIOUS challenge, a stand up paddle (SUP) from Big Bay to Robben Island and back.

Sisterhood SA (ordinary girls, doing extraordinary things) Stand Up Paddle boarded to Robben Island and back with only 7 weeks training under their belts and made it in one piece! We could not have wished for better conditions, it was a truly perfect day with perfect calm water, seals popping up to wish us well, cute little penguins swimming by and an awesome team helping us along the way.

They have been training with former National Paddle Board Champ, Greg Bertish of www.truebluetravel.co.za and Coreban SA to ensure they were ready to meet the challenge. Training 2 to 3 times a week in the waterfront canals and on the ocean, their goal of doing this Island crossing of almost 20 km’s in the open Atlantic became reality on Sunday.

Greg and Justin from Coreban accompanied the group and were assisted by 3 safety boats. “The weather on Sunday was 11 out of 10, and the ladies demonstrated focus, stamina and skill, with all 13 of them completing the challenge in just under 4 hours.” said Greg.

As always, the Sisterhood does mad, crazy challenges for fun but also to raise awareness and to support our community in a meaningful way. For this challenge we supported 2 organisations Shark Spotters (www.sharkspotters.org.za) and Development Though Sport (www.devthroughsport.co.za) with this challenge.

The group raised almost R20 000 from their paddle. This will mean much needed funds for the Sharkspotter Program, initially started by Greg Bertish in 2004, as well as for the Development Through Sport Organisation run by Juliette Ball, who was also one of the Sisters who completed the crossing.

For further information and donations please contact:
kirstykirst@gmail.com
www.sisterhoodchallenge.com

www.truebluetravel.co.za

www.oceanriders.co.za

www.sharkspotters.org.za

www.devthroughsport.co.za

 

]]> http://sharkspotters.org.za/sisterhood-sup-raises-over-r7000-for-shark-spotters/feed 0 Sharks Spotters in the News http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-2 http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-2#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:32:13 +0000 Shark Spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-2 Shark Spotters in the News this week

]]> http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-2/feed 0 Sharks Spotters in the News http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news#comments Mon, 15 Apr 2013 08:30:59 +0000 Shark Spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news Shark Spotters in the News this week

]]> http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news/feed 0 Sharks Spotters in the News http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-7 http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-7#comments Mon, 01 Apr 2013 08:30:03 +0000 Shark Spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-7 Shark Spotters in the News this week

]]> http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-7/feed 0 Sharks Spotters in the News http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-6 http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-6#comments Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:38:59 +0000 Shark Spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-6 Shark Spotters in the News this week

]]> http://sharkspotters.org.za/sharks-spotters-in-the-news-6/feed 0 City commences its exclusion net trial at Fish Hoek beach – PRESS RELEASE http://sharkspotters.org.za/city-commences-its-exclusion-net-trial-at-fish-hoek-beach-press-release http://sharkspotters.org.za/city-commences-its-exclusion-net-trial-at-fish-hoek-beach-press-release#comments Sat, 23 Mar 2013 08:36:52 +0000 Shark Spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/?p=2018 CITY COMMENCES IT’S EXCLUSION NET TRIAL AT FISH HOEK BEACH – 22 MARCH 2013
The City of Cape Town commenced its exclusion net trial at Fish Hoek beach today, 22 March 2013, in accordance with the permit conditions set out by the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Department of Environmental Affairs. The decision was made to commence the trial today as weather conditions proved to be ideal for the first attempt.
Research and monitoring by both the Shark Spotting Programme, as well as the Save Our Seas (SOS) White Shark Research Programme over the last seven years has identified Fish Hoek beach as a primary habitat for White Sharks, particularly during the summer months.
Their presence and use of this bay is a natural phenomenon which is set to continue into the future. The high presence of White Sharks within the inshore area in this bay has had a negative impact on the recreational and social use of Fish Hoek beach, as well as social perceptions of the beach. High shark presence at the beach has also had increasingly negative impacts on the local economy and small businesses in the area. This prompted the City to consider the potential for deployment of an exclusion net, which will be undertaken as a trial project.
The aim of the trial is to determine the efficacy of the net as a safety measure, to conduct research to understand how the net will react under a variety of weather and sea conditions, and to determine whether the net poses an unacceptable risk to marine life.
If successful, the use of an exclusion net at Fish Hoek beach could become a permanent safety measure. The deployment of an exclusion net at Fish Hoek beach will, however, at no time replace the existing Shark Spotting Programme.
The Shark Spotters, already operating from Fish Hoek beach and with extensive knowledge of the specific environment and sea conditions, are exceptionally well-placed as an organisation to both commission the production of the net and installation of the net infrastructure, as well as oversee and manage the operation of the net.
The Shark Spotters are responsible for the management and research of shark-related issues on the City’s coastline. The implementation of the trial exclusion net and the accompanying research is thus a natural extension of this work. Additionally, they are uniquely placed to determine whether changes need to be made to the setup on a daily basis, and are able to respond rapidly and implement any changes necessary. Accordingly, the City and the Shark Spotters have signed an extension to their existing Memorandum of Agreement which allocates responsibility for the implementation and management of the exclusion net to the Shark Spotters. The Shark Spotters will work closely with City officials and will ensure that the City is consulted throughout the process.
This project is globally unique and the City wishes to stress that it is a trial, and there are still many lessons to be learned in the implementation of this project. The public should therefore expect that a number of different configurations and operating procedures will need to be tested in the coming weeks and months, and that procedures, including operating conditions and hours, may change without notice as more is learned about how the net behaves under various weather and sea conditions.
The Shark Spotters will make every effort to keep the public informed about these kinds of changes through their website and social media platforms. Members of the public can follow the Shark Spotters on Twitter (@SharkSpotters) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/SharkSpotters), or read their blog at http://sharkspotters.org.za/.
In order to address the questions and concerns that have been raised by members of the public and media, the following list of frequently asked questions has been compiled.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Where will the net be placed?
A. The net will be placed in the corner near Jagger’s walk, enclosing the space (approximately) between the City of Cape Town Law Enforcement offices and Jagger’s walk, including the area in front of the Galley Restaurant. It will extend approximately 300 metres out to sea.
Q. Will the net be permanently in place?
A. No. The net will be deployed and removed on a daily basis. It was determined that leaving the net unsupervised at night would pose an unacceptable risk for entanglement of marine life, such as whales or dolphins. This arrangement will mean that the net is supervised at all times, thus allowing the net to be removed should whales, dolphins, or other animals be deemed to be at risk.
Q. How long will the trial last?
A. The City has received permission from the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Department of Environmental Affairs to trial the net under a research permit. This permit is valid until the end of January 2014, after which the programme will be evaluated and a longer term approach developed.
Q. What type of netting will be used, and why was the mesh size chosen?
A. The net is made of thick HDPE twine, with a small mesh, 45mm X 45mm in size. The mesh is hung “on the flag” i.e. in a square configuration. This mesh size and configuration significantly reduces the risk of entangling large marine animals, as well as small fish.
Q. Is the exclusion net like the shark nets in KwaZulu-Natal? Why can’t the KwaZulu-Natal shark nets be used here?
A. No, this net is different from the KwaZulu-Natal nets. The shark nets in KwaZulu-Natal are essentially large-meshed gill nets that entangle and catch sharks, reducing the local shark population and thus reducing the risk of shark attack in the vicinity of protected beaches. The City of Cape Town has committed to ensuring that marine life – including sharks – in our coastal waters are protected; nets similar to those used in KwaZulu-Natal would not be acceptable in light of that commitment.
Q. How safe will swimming be when the net is deployed?
A. It is important to note that the aim of this net is create a safer swimming area. The City of Cape Town cannot guarantee the safety of anyone using the netted area; use of the area will be at the swimmer’s own risk. However, the City is of the opinion that the safety of swimming at Fish Hoek beach will be improved, and that the presence of the net will considerably reduce the risk to swimmers.
Q. Will people be able to surf/kayak/body board/operate watercraft within the netted area?
A. The netted area will be primarily for the use of swimmers. No motorised or non-motorised watercraft will be allowed within the netted area. Inflatables will be permitted. Body boards will be allowed within the netted area; however at peak times users may be asked to leave if they are posing a risk to other water users in the netted area.
Q. What hours/days will the net operate?
A. It is intended that the net will ultimately operate according to the same hours as the Shark Spotters, i.e. 07:00 to 18:00 in summer, and 08:00 to 17:00 in winter months. This is to ensure that the net is supervised at all times. This will remain subject to change during the start of the trial period while different configurations and procedures are being tested. Additionally, deployment of the net will always be subject to weather conditions which may necessitate that the net is deployed later than expected or removed earlier than expected each day. It is not possible to determine ahead of time which days the net will operate on and for how long it will operate each day – this decision will be made daily based on weather and sea conditions. However, the net will be available to be deployed every day, and the deployment crew will be on standby daily to ensure this.
Q. Will swimmers be required to leave the area if a shark is spotted?
A. Initially, the normal provisions of the Shark Spotting Programme will remain in place. If a shark is spotted in the area, the siren will sound and all users within the netted area will be required to leave the water. This is to ensure the safety of the public. This decision will be reviewed at a later stage, after research on the response of sharks to the net has been completed and analysed.
Q. Will whales/dolphins/seals/sharks/fish get trapped or entangled in the net?
A. The City is taking every step to reduce the risk to marine life. In addition to the small mesh size, and the decision to remove the net at night, the netted area will be under constant supervision by the Shark Spotters. This will allow the Shark Spotters to take action should marine mammals approach too closely to the net, including removing the net, or gently herding the animals with a boat. It is not believed that sharks are at risk of entanglement, due to the small mesh size. It is possible that there may be some entanglement of small fish, but this is not likely.
Q. What will the impact of the net be on the trek fishers?
A. The trek fishers have been extensively consulted as part of this project. The City believes that the net is not likely to have a significant impact on the ability of the trek fishers to operate in the area. Additionally, the Shark Spotters have contracted the trek fishers to assist with deploying and removing the net on a daily basis, due to their familiarity with the area and their ability in handling nets. The net may be removed at times to facilitate fishing, but will be returned once this is completed.
Q. Who will manage the net?
A. The Shark Spotters will manage the net for the City. The City has extended its existing Memorandum of Agreement with the Shark Spotters in order to allocate the additional responsibility.
Q. Were specialists consulted in the design of the net?
A. Yes. A number of experts were consulted, including the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Department of Environmental Affairs, as well as trek fishers, City engineers, and coastal engineers in the private sector.
Q. Has this approach been used anywhere else in the world?
A. No. Exclusion nets have been used successfully in Hong Kong and more recently in the Seychelles, however these are fixed nets that are not removed daily. This is a globally unique project that is being monitored by a number of governments around the world – if it proves to be successful, it is possible that it may be replicated in other countries.
Q. How will this trial be evaluated?
A. The net will be the subject of an ongoing scientific investigation, which will look at a number of aspects, including: Ecosystem impacts and the potential for marine animal entanglements; the logistical viability of daily deployment and retrieval; impacts on the trek net fishers; behaviour of the net under a variety of weather conditions; and public response to the net and use of the area. The decision to continue the operation of the net on a more permanent basis after the trial period has ended will be based on an assessment of these variables, in conjunction with the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Department of Environmental Affairs.
]]> http://sharkspotters.org.za/city-commences-its-exclusion-net-trial-at-fish-hoek-beach-press-release/feed 0 Jack Black launches Great White Beer in support of Shark Spotters! http://sharkspotters.org.za/jack-black-launches-great-white-beer-in-support-of-shark-spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/jack-black-launches-great-white-beer-in-support-of-shark-spotters#comments Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:37:01 +0000 Shark Spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/?p=1987 Jack Black launches Great White Beer in support of Shark Spotters!

Jack Black Beer and Shoestring Productions have teamed up in time for this year’s Wavescape Film Festival to launch their latest craft beer. The collaboration was born from a love of surfing, a passion for the ocean and all that its waters encompass.

CEO of Jack Black Beer, Ross McCulloch comments, “The launch of our new Great White Weiss beer couldn’t have come at a better time and we’re thrilled to announce a partnership with the South African Sharkspotters Organisation. Partial proceeds from the sales of our new premium beer will go towards Sharkspotters – protecting our surfers and promoting safe and clean oceans for all.”

“As a surfer, the fear of shark attacks is a reality and the role shark spotters play is invaluable. They deserve all the support they can get,” added Ross.

Wavescape Film Festival provides the ideal opportunity for this micro-brewery to debut their first online advert, conceptualised and produced by Shoestring Productions.

Rob McCulloch, Shoestring Productions, also had this to say, “Recently, we feel that Great Whites have been taking themselves a bit too seriously. This beer isn’t for sissies and it’s certainly not for guys without a sense of humour.”

In conjunction with the launch of Jack Black’s Great White Weiss Beer, the micro-brewery is offering consumers the ultimate prize – free beer for an entire year. Simply visit our Facebook Page and follow the competition links, or enter in participating outlets.

Shark Spotters was started by a passionate ocean loving community, and depends on community support to continue doing our important work, which is why partnerships with local business like Jack Black Beer and Wavescape are so important. Shark Spotters wishes to express their sincere thanks to Jack Black and Wavescapes continued support!

Visit www.jackblackbeer.com to view the Great White Project.

Or alternatively, to view on vimeo, click here: https://vimeo.com/54945647

And to view the advert, click here: https://vimeo.com/55000142

To find out more about the competition, see our Facebook Page for more details: www.facebook.com/jackblackbeer.

Contest closes 1 Feb 2013. Terms and conditions apply.

]]> http://sharkspotters.org.za/jack-black-launches-great-white-beer-in-support-of-shark-spotters/feed 1 Spotters now operating at eighth beach, Monwabisi, with three white sharks spotted in the first day! http://sharkspotters.org.za/spotters-now-operating-at-eighth-beach-monwabisi-with-three-white-sharks-spotted-in-the-first-day http://sharkspotters.org.za/spotters-now-operating-at-eighth-beach-monwabisi-with-three-white-sharks-spotted-in-the-first-day#comments Sat, 15 Dec 2012 13:45:43 +0000 Shark Spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/?p=1965 Shark Spotters started operating at our eighth location today, Monwabisi Beach, on the northern shore of False Bay. (15 December 2012). The sharks gave us a warm welcome, with two white sharks spotted at 12.45pm and one at 2.05pm. Due to the sharks being spotted when they were far offshore (400 – 600m) and the water users only in shallow water (<50m) the beach was not cleared. The spotters tracked the movement of the sharks until they were out of sight.

Monwabisi beach is located on the northern shore of False Bay, and is particularly popular with residents from the surrounding areas of the Cape Flats including Khayalietsha and Mitchells Plain. During the festive season tens of thousands of local residents make use of the area for recreation with its braai spots, paddling pools, tidal pools and beach area.

In November Shark Spotters received an urgent request to help at Monwabisi beach following a period where high shark activity had kept the beach closed and people out of the water due to safety concerns. Following the request the Shark Spotters management team made a site visit to assess the suitability of the location for a formalised spotting program and met with beach management to discuss their needs and logistical issues.

It was agreed that spotting would be feasible from the cliff above the swimming area at the beach, which has an elevation of 21m. While this is below the normal minimum elevation required for effective spotting at other beaches (approx. 40 meters), the relatively small swimming area that needs to be monitored, and the position of the “groynes” confining the swimmers within a certain area, makes spotting from this location possible.

With regards previous knowledge of shark activity in the area, research has identified that the northern shores of False Bay from Macassar to Muizenberg have the highest inshore white shark activity in False Bay. While no tracking receivers have been deployed directly at Monwabisi beach, four receivers (two each) were deployed at Macassar Beach and Strandfontein that monitored 56 tagged white sharks. These receivers recorded the presence of tagged white sharks 33% of the time at Macassar and 76% of the time at Strandfontein (unpublished data). Shark sightings peaked over the spring and summer months (September to April) and more sharks were detected on the receivers deployed in deeper water. Monwabisi is positioned between these two areas and it’s therefore likely that the patterns observed at Macassar and Strandfontein would be similar for Monwabisi.

Spotters will operate at Monwabisi on a seasonal basis, from October until April, working weekends, public holidays and school holidays. The operating hours will be 10am to 6pm until the 21 December and 8am to 6pm thereafter. The spotters will work in conjunction with the Surf Lifesaving Club on the beach as well.

At present we are still seeking additional funding to cover the operating costs of spotting at Monwabisi (approx R150,000 per year) as it is not accounted for in our current operating budget. We would like to express our gratitude to BulkSMS who has already come on board and given a substantial donation towards operating at Monwabisi. If you are interested in donating to the program, please see our banking details below or SMS the word SHARK to 38021 (R10/sms).

All of us here at Shark Spotters are very excited to be operating at Monwabisi and for the further expansion of the program. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the communities we work within for their support and to all those who have contributed to the program in the past.

]]> http://sharkspotters.org.za/spotters-now-operating-at-eighth-beach-monwabisi-with-three-white-sharks-spotted-in-the-first-day/feed 1 Shark Spotters Training http://sharkspotters.org.za/shark-spotters-training http://sharkspotters.org.za/shark-spotters-training#comments Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:42:28 +0000 Shark Spotters http://sharkspotters.org.za/?p=1833 Winter months generally have low shark activity on the inshore areas and are therefore quieter from a shark spotting perspective. We therefore take this opportunity to get in some much needed training with the spotters, which we all thoroughly enjoy!

One of the biggest factors affecting the outcome of a shark bite is the speed at which effective first aid can be administered to the patient. We have seen first hand how this can save a shark attack victim’s life and therefore always ensure the spotters are up to date on the latest life saving techniques. In August the spotters completed their Level 2 first aid certificates, an upgrade from the Level 1 they previously held, in training given to them by local company E.M.T. The training was incredibly valuable and they are now able to deal with all sorts of medical emergencies they may encounter on the beaches, ranging from blue bottle stings to heart attacks, as well as shark bite incidents of course!

Spotters Ghaliep and Liesel practicing leg splints with first aid instructor Mel, from EMT.

Spotters Ghaliep and Liesel practicing leg splints with first aid instructor Mel, from EMT.

The spotters also were given a great opportunity to go with Shark Explorers out to Seal Island to see the sharks from a different perspective than they are normally used to! The chance to see white sharks up close and personal is really valuable for the spotters and is a great way to foster the passion the spotters already have for the ocean and its wildlife. At the island they are able to witness the sharks hunting on seals and learn valuable insights into their behaviour which can greatly assist them with spotting from the mountain. It is also a great team building opportunity as there is nothing quite like being out at sea with a group of like-minded and passionate people! Thank you Shark Explorers for the wonderful opportunity!

Spotters Ashley, Tino and Donovan enjoying their day at sea!

Spotters Ashley, Tino and Donovan enjoying their day at sea!

The last phase of their training schedule has just been completed and comprised of a 1 day workshop with Research Manager Alison Kock and Project Manager Sarah Titley. This workshop covered a range of topics including work protocols, updates on research findings, and shark diversity and behaviour in our waters. It was a really valuable opportunity to sit down with the spotters and debrief on all that happened in the previous summer season, what we have learnt, and prepare ourselves for the coming summer. It was a chance for the spotters to discuss the challenges they face in the field and how to effectively deal with them, and for us to inform  them of new developments that will assist them on a daily basis to manage the sometimes difficult job that they do. We are now all well prepared for the seasonal movement of sharks back to the inshore area and as each year continues we learn more and have a better understanding of the dynamic coastline that we work in.

Research Manager, Alison Kock, explains some aspects of shark behaviour to a group of Shark Spotters

Research Manager, Alison Kock, explains some aspects of shark behaviour to a group of Shark Spotters

The City of Cape Town recently published a press release reminding water users of the seasonal movement of white sharks back to the inshore area (http://sharkspotters.org.za/city-warns-beach-users-of-inshore-movement-of-sharks-over-the-summer-season). The Shark Spotters and research team on the water have also recorded a number of sightings along the inshore now, so we do advise people to read the press release and be aware that the sharks are now moving into the inshore area.

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