Queensland trials new whale-deterrent technology in shark nets

Queensland is testing a new technology to prevent whales from getting entangled in shark nets. The trial, which is being conducted off the coast of Noosa Heads, involves attaching high-frequency acoustic alarms, known as 'pingers', to the nets.

About 50,000 humpback whales migrate along Australia's east coast each year, and authorities hope the new pingers will more effectively deter them from interacting with the nets. Shark control program operations coordinator Sam Fary said that about "0.02 per cent" of the whales would interact with the nets, but there was always room for improvement.

"This is a higher frequency, something that we haven't used before … this is world-leading research in this space," Mr Fary said.

The five-week trial is a collaboration between the University of Queensland, the state government, and the alarm supplier, Future Oceans. James Turner from Future Oceans explained that the pingers send a sound into the water that is understood to be heard by whales and dolphins.

"They acoustically illuminate things like fishing nets and drum lines … whales are actually moving away from whatever the gear the pingers are attached to," Mr Turner said.

"The University of Queensland did some trials and decided that one of the frequencies was going to be even better than the frequency that the government's been using for the past 15 years in the pingers."

Researchers from the University of Queensland will be monitoring the site for the duration of the trial. Riona McNamara said they would be set up for 10 hours each day, observing the shark nets and any whales that track close to them.

"We're watching the shark nets and observing any whales that track close to them," she said.

"People are really inquisitive about what we're doing and yeah, perfect position to watch the nets and the whales migrating through."

Humpbacks and High-rises chief executive Olaf Meynecke, whose conservation organisation monitors whale movements, expressed concerns about the effectiveness of the pingers. "These shark nets have clearly proven to be lethal for a lot of non-target species, and their effectiveness [in deterring sharks] is questionable," Dr Meynecke said.

He said there were approximately 60 entanglements along the east coast each year, but the number could be higher due to inaccurate reporting.

"If we take out the shark nets during the whale season, we won't have any entanglements of whales. It's simple as that," he said.

Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett said the trial reflected the state government's commitment to swimmer safety.

"Queensland's shark control program plays an important role in protecting beachgoers, and we are always looking at ways we can improve the program with contemporary technology and science," Mr Perrett said.