NSW beaches to get drone surveillance in wake of Coogee shark attack
70 beaches in NSW will be monitored by drones every day from December to April, adding another $34 million to the state government’s shark conservation programme.
The funding will increase the state’s shark mitigation efforts to $120 million over the next two years.
The move follows Sydney mother Leah Stewart being attacked in Coogee on June 13 and a series of attacks over the summer that claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy.
On Thursday, Ms Stewart’s family announced that she had been woken from a coma earlier than expected and that she was talking to her daughter but still lost the use of her remaining arm.
The Coogee attack sparked statewide debate about shark management in NSW; Premier Chris Minns announced on Sunday that drone coverage of around 70 beaches up and down the state – at least one beach in every coastal council area – will be expanded.
At 38 beaches in Sydney and the North Shore, drones will fly during daylight hours throughout the year, and at popular regional beaches drones will fly all day from December 1 to April 30, as well as every weekend outside that five-month window.
The government will look to develop drone technology that does not require a Surf Life Saving NSW human operator for each device.
“We’d love to get autonomous, AI-enabled drones that don’t require humans to watch sharks from dawn to dusk,” Mr Minns told Sky News.
“We’re not there yet, and this is a measure we can put in place in the meantime.”
Authorities will prioritize beaches with large numbers of swimmers and paddlers in Sydney and the North Shore from July 1.
Two listening devices will be placed in Sydney Harbor that will ping when a tagged shark is in the area.
Extended drone coverage, as well as drones flying up and down the beach during school holidays. Beaches without lifeguards will also be closed from the air.
While surf lifesavers fly drones, the government will also look to private firms to develop shark detection and automated flight capabilities.
NSW Agriculture and Territory Minister Tara Moriarty said no measure could completely eliminate the threat of shark attacks but the funding support was “about doing everything we can to reduce that risk”.
“This investment will deliver the most comprehensive aerial shark surveillance program we have ever had,” he said.
Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said 2000 sharks had been spotted from 100,000 surveillance flights this year.
“Even with the greatest technology and the expanded presence of drones, we cannot prevent all shark interactions, but this funding will enable the development of a safety program that will provide the greatest opportunity to prevent them from occurring.”
The funding boost comes two weeks after Ms Stewart, 35, was attacked while swimming near the shore and among flags at popular Coogee beach.
On Thursday, Ms. Stewart’s family announced that the mother regained consciousness sooner than expected. His brother said online that he “remembered the entire incident in detail” and wanted to publicly thank the staff at St Vincent’s Hospital.
“He has severe tendon and nerve damage to his remaining arm that will require further repairs and intensive rehabilitation,” his brother said in a fundraising post that has raised more than $520,000.
Twelve-year-old Nico Antic died in hospital in January, a week after he was attacked at Hermitage Foreshore Walk near Shark Beach at Vaucluse in Sydney’s east.
“Nico was a happy, friendly and sporty young boy with an extremely kind and generous spirit. He was always full of life and that’s how we will remember him,” his family said in a statement at the time.
“We would like to sincerely thank the first responders and teams at Randwick Sydney Children’s Hospital for everything they did to care for Nico.”
Nico was the first of four people attacked in NSW within 48 hours.
On Saturday, Bondi Beach was closed for the fourth day in a row due to another shark sighting. Several Sydney beaches have been closed in recent days following shark sightings.
