Shark trackers at Albany beaches

Two Albany beaches have been fitted with satellite-linked monitors to track tagged sharks, as part of the State Government’s Shark Monitoring Network.

Monitors were placed at Ellen Cove off Middleton Beach and Whaler’s Beach about a week ago and are online, ready to make detections.

The monitors are both situated 400m offshore and cover an 800m radius.

Under the Shark Monitoring Network project, 338 sharks have been tagged off the coast of WA.

Albany Surf Life Saving Club and Department of Fisheries are alerted by text message if tagged sharks come within the monitored areas.

The new Albany monitors join 19 others off Perth’s coast, one off both Bunbury and Meelup, with more expected to be installed off the South West coast.

Project manager Mark Kleeman said it was important sightings of sharks were reported accurately.

“The new monitors at these popular beaches will allow beach users to know if a tagged shark is near the beach, with near real-time alerts,” he said.

“Along with the satellite-linked monitors, there are approximately 320 seabed monitors located throughout WA that also monitor tagged sharks and each time that data is physically retrieved, it will help to establish a much broader snapshot for understanding shark behaviour and movement.

“This will help give beach safety or local authorities the opportunity to respond.”

Albany Surf Life Saving Club duty officer Pat McSweeney said the monitors were something new for Albany.

“It’s been in for well over a week now and I haven’t got any messages from the transmitters,” he said.

“They don’t cover everywhere, but they will cover the swimming area at Middleton Beach.”

Albany MP Peter Watson welcomed the monitors but said he would also like aerial patrols.