10 December 2019.
We're thrilled to announce that the world's first Ocean Guardian Marine Safety Zone is set to open at iconic tourist attraction, Busselton Jetty, in Western Australia next week!
Powered by Shark Shield Technology and located 1.7 km out to sea, the virtual shark net will create a protected swimming area for swimmers, snorkellers, divers and helmet walkers, to witness the unique marine life under the Busselton Jetty.
Key points:
- The Busselton Jetty will host a world first trial of a virtual 'shark curtain'
- The virtual barrier is made up of 20 FREEDOM7 devices emitting electromagnetic pulses
- The pulses deter sharks and manta rays, but do not harm other marine life
- The Busselton Jetty is the longest timber-plied jetty in the southern hemisphere and attracted more than 500,000 visitors in 2018.
Swimming has always been possible at the end of the attraction, but a survey of 9,000 people over four years found some tourists were too scared of sharks to dive into the water.
"People want to get into the water and they want to see our amazing marine life, but they have this unsubstantiated fear that there is always something out there," Busselton Jetty CEO Lisa Shreeve said.
To help alleviate those fears, 20 Ocean Guardian FREEDOM7 devices will form a 50 metre by 20 metre barrier at the end of the jetty, creating a virtual curtain to keep sharks and manta rays away.
Read more here:
