Shark-surveilling drones will be deployed year round from dawn to dusk to protect beach-goers from attacks as part of an enhanced shark protection program following the attack this month on Sydney mother Leah Stewart.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the state would not cull white sharks, which are a protected species. “It’s not like we can knock a few off and send a message to the rest of them,” he said on Sky News on Sunday.
However, he would not rule out a cull of bull sharks, which the government believes exist in “big numbers”.
“I think it is a different situation for bull sharks,” he said. “We are looking at an audit of the number of [bull] sharks in Sydney Harbour.”
The government will invest an additional $34 million in drones, bringing total investment in shark protection to $120 million over two years, including harnessing artificial intelligence and emerging technology in a major scale-up of drone coverage across beaches in Sydney and along the NSW coast.
Under the expanded program, about 70 beaches will benefit from drone monitoring, including at least one beach in every coastal local government area.
The NSW government will trial two new artificial intelligence systems over summer which have the ability to automatically detect sharks.
The government will also work with Surf Life Saving NSW and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to pursue regulatory approvals to introduce more autonomous drone operations.
The funding for Surf Life Saving NSW will enable them to upgrade their remote pilot and operating facilities, support deployment of new technology, and prepare for a future of daily, automated flights from surf club rooftops and other purpose-built infrastructure.
“We’re trying to use modern technology to monitor and notify the public when there are shark sightings. It’s not going to be foolproof. We can’t promise it won’t lead to further shark attacks in the future, but we think it’ll mitigate the risk,” said Minns.
The announcement comes after Stewart was mauled by a shark at Coogee Beach this month.
The 35-year-old mother and teacher is conscious and no longer in critical condition after spending two weeks in intensive care. She underwent a series of surgical procedures, including amputation of an arm.
Minns said he hoped the measures would encourage Sydneysiders to get back in the water.
“We have seen a reduction in the number of people enjoying our beaches and the Pacific Ocean, so we want to take action.”
Emily Kowal is a Walkley award-winning education reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
