A center in California faces the risk of closure following the withdrawal of state funding for a program designed to provide protection against attacks.
According to Chris Lowe, the head of the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach, the initiative focuses on monitoring great white sharks along the coastline of Southern California.
Initially launched in 2018 with support from California, the California Shark Beach Safety Program aimed to address the increasing presence of white sharks near public beaches, prompting concerns among lifeguards responsible for beach safety.
The program’s primary focus was to understand the reasons behind the sharks’ presence and assess any potential risks they might pose to beachgoers.
Since its inception, the program has successfully tagged over 300 juvenile white sharks, with 235 of them carrying active transmitters for monitoring purposes.
Lowe emphasized the importance of monitoring great white sharks, given that 97% of shark bites in California over the past century have been attributed to these apex predators.
The program’s comprehensive approach includes the deployment of 120 acoustic receivers along the sunny California coastline to track tagged sharks’ movements and behaviors in real-time.
Through data collected from these monitoring efforts, lifeguards receive crucial information about the presence, activities, and duration of shark visits near beaches, enabling them to make informed decisions regarding beach management.
Despite the continuous presence of sharks near populated areas, research findings indicate that sharks predominantly ignore human activity, minimizing the perceived risks to beachgoers.
Lowe highlighted the vital role of the program in supporting lifeguards’ efforts to safeguard Southern California beaches effectively, emphasizing that the monitoring data significantly enhance their ability to manage potential shark encounters without resorting to unnecessary beach closures.
The utilization of cutting-edge technology, including drones and real-time buoys, has revolutionized the way lifeguards respond to shark sightings, allowing for targeted public warnings instead of blanket beach closures.
Notably, the program’s proactive approach has not only contributed to public safety but has also mitigated the economic repercussions associated with frequent beach closures, benefiting local communities.
The surge in great white shark populations along California’s coast, attributed in part to protective measures implemented since 1994, has underscored the importance of ongoing monitoring and research efforts to ensure coexistence between sharks and humans.
However, the future of the Shark Lab’s critical work hangs in the balance as dwindling state funding jeopardizes its operations, prompting the pursuit of alternative sources of support from private donors and foundations, including tech companies based in California.