Shark drum lines are set to be deployed as far south as Ulladulla, but not far enough to reach Canberra's summer playground of Batemans Bay.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The shark management alert in real time (SMART) drum lines have been in place on the NSW north coast since December 2015.
They are designed as a non-lethal shark mitigation measure, whereby technology deployed off beaches alerts the Department of Primary Industries to the presence of a shark caught in the system, with potentially dangerous sharks relocated further offshore.
Early monitoring of the program suggests drum lines are more effective at catching target sharks, and are safer for all marine life compared with shark nets.
An expansion of the safety measure will extend to Narrawallee and Ulladulla for a six month trial period from November 1, according to the NSW government's tender details.
But at this stage, beaches south of Ulladulla would be left out of the trial.
Surf Life Saving far south coast director Andrew Edmunds said beaches from Batemans Bay to Eden would continue to be serviced by existing shark mitigation measures.
However, Mr Edmunds said he would support any measure that further increased the safety of beachgoers.
"Anything that helps improve the safety of patrons at the beach is something Surf Life Saving will welcome and encourage," he said.
Mr Edmunds said the seven beaches patrolled by volunteer lifesavers from Batemans Bay to Eden experienced shark sightings daily over summer.
"At Moruya Heads there was a large shark living there for three weeks. Everyday when the helicopter did its aerial patrol it spotted the shark and the waters got cleared."
"It's the ocean, it's nothing to be surprised about," he said.
Mr Edmunds said the existing strategies the NSW government had rolled out "allows people to make their own informed decision whether they choose to swim there or not".
He said with the increase in information sharing through social media there had been a "huge number of sightings", but not a huge number of encounters.
"Rip currents are far more dangerous. There are plenty of things that are far more likely to cost you your life than a shark incident."
NSW Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair said the smart drumlines were the "future of shark detection and mitigation".
"This is the first time this [smart drumline] technology has been used in Australia and we're seeing fantastic results, that's why we're rolling it out to other parts of the state," Mr Blair said.
