Sharks Board to listen in on shark movements on KZN coast

THE KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board (KZNSB), along with two other stakeholders, announced that they will be making big waves in maritime research in KZN.

The KZNSB, along with the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) and the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), signed a memorandum of understanding at the sharks board on Friday, 25 July, with the MEC for Economic Development, Michael Mabuyakhulu, overseeing the process.
The memorandum was signed in an effort to better understand the movement and residency patterns of potentially dangerous sharks along the KZN coastline.
At the signing, Mabuyakhulu said it was of particular interest how the movement patterns of sharks are related to environmental parameters such as water temperature.

 
“This information is crucial not only in minimizing the risk of shark attacks at netted and non-netted beaches, but also in enabling the board to make informed decisions on the deployment and location of shark nets to reduce the catch of harmless animals,” Mabuyakhulu added.
To achieve this goal, the board is in the process of developing a project which will involve deploying a network of acoustic listening stations and temperature loggers at strategic locations between Richards Bay and Port Edward and fitting sharks with the acoustic transmitters.

 
The tags emit a unique code signal, which can be detected by the listening stations up to one kilometer away. Data downloaded from stations can then be used to build a picture of when and where sharks are occurring.
“To help insure that this project realises its full potential, and links to other national research initiatives, we are very proud to be signing a memorandum of understanding with the SAIAB and the SAEON.

 
“One of the key focus areas of both these national research foundations is long-term research that contributes to our better understanding of coastal systems. For the past eight years, their joint ventures have included establishing a variety of research platforms, which have included the Algoa Bay Sentinel Site in the Eastern Cape. This site is possibly the most extensively monitored bay in Southern Africa. With their partnership we hope to replicate a similar achievment in KZN,” Mabuyakhulu said.
He went on to say that the signing of the memorandum provides the ideal platform for sharing resources including equipment, funding, data, laboratory space and students.

 
“The memorandum signals a new and exciting chapter of marine research along the KZN coastline, which will contribute to the better management and conservation of this precious natural resource.”