A listening station has been installed in Batemans Bay, capable of recognising more than 200 tagged sharks – and sounding an online alarm.
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The NSW Department of Primary Industries and the CSIRO have together tagged 114 white sharks and 88 bull sharks.
Bega MP Andrew Constance said the Batemans Bay VR4G station was the 19th to be installed in NSW waters and another was due to be installed in Merimbula.
The satellite-linked VR4G receivers record the presence of tagged sharks swimming within 500 metres of the listening station.
Information on the movement of tagged sharks captured on the VR4Gs goes straight to a satellite and is then instantly sent to mobile devices via Twitter.
"The Shark Smart app - available at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au -provides key information about the movement of sharks along our coastline, as well as providing important safety measures in place on the State's beaches," Mr Constance said.
These creatures will register when they swim near the listening station.
"Whilst we can't tag every shark in the population, the new listening stations will enhance bather safety by alerting beach goers and authorities when a tagged shark is in the area,” Mr Constance said.
"They provide beachgoers with information and knowledge to help them assess their risk of a shark encounter before they hit the water."
He said the Batemans Bay installation followed the three stations deployed earlier this month at Kiama, Sussex Inlet and Mollymook - taking the number for the NSW coastline to 20," Mr Constance said.
Mr Constance said 10 stations on the NSW north coast earlier had proved successful.
"Following positive feedback from the community, the NSW Government has invested in a further ten VR4Gs - the first five of which went in up the coast at Crescent Head, Old Bar, Hawks Nest, Redhead and Bondi,” he said.
"This technology is one component of the NSW Government's suite of shark attack mitigation measures under the $16m Shark Management Strategy."
He said the the Shark Management Strategy included $7.7 million for surveillance, detection and deterrents, $1.3 million for education and community awareness and $7 million funding for science and research.
