The trial of the shark exclusion net at Fish Hoek beach has come to an end, and since we’re still seeing and hearing from people who don’t know anything about the net, or how it works, I thought we’d provide a full guide to the net, using all the blog posts we’ve published since the trial was announced. It’s a combination of a conservation initiative and a human safety initiative, and has achieved both goals beautifully.
- Announcement of the proposed shark exclusion net – contains some nice technical details about the net, as well as a description of its intended function
- The very first trial deployment of the net – part I and part II
- Scuba diving and snorkeling the net with some members of the media
- What the net looks like from underwater – a short video
Finally, you can read about the end of the trial and the possible future of the net here, or here.
Meanwhile, the Fish Hoek business community has had its best year in recent memory, thanks at least in part to the exclusion net, which has given bathers a sense of security about visiting Fish Hoek beach again. As small business owners in the deep south, we’re grateful for the efforts of Shark Spotters and the City of Cape Town to make the local beaches safe, and also to make them feel safe.
Just to be absolutely clear, the organisations involved in the implementation of the shark exclusion net at Fish Hoek are the City of Cape Town and Shark Spotters. It was “monitored” by the thousands of swimmers who enjoyed using it!