SharkSmart on SBS World News!
Mobiddiction is excited to announce that on Saturday 1st of March, our founder, Mrudul ‘Mike’ Vasavada was interviewed on SBS News for our work with DPIRD team on the SharkSmart program. We were also pleased to hear that the SharkSmart media was published on other SBS community channels including SBS Radio.
The SBS Small Business Secrets feature states “There’s a two-metre bull shark at Tallows beach, Byron Bay, and it is quite close to the beach,” he says, looking at a map on the screen covered in icons, The alerts show the size of the shark, and which inlet or beach it is closest to.” To read the full article click on the link below.
Picture Courtesy: SBS Media
About SharkSmart
What is SharkSmart and how does the app work?
SharkSmart is a platform which displays data collected by the SharkSmart platform from various sources, collecting both shark detection and incident information, as well as other shark safety related information such as locations of shark netting, shark detection equipment, and first aid and trauma kits. For apps users who have granted permission, the platform sends push notifications to their devices notifying them of shark detections and important shark incidents.
What are the data sources that go into the app?
Tagged shark listening stations
There are 37 tagged shark listening stations deployed on NSW beaches. When a tagged target shark (a White, Tiger or Bull shark) swims within 500m of a tagged shark listening station, the station sends a message to the SharkSmart platform, which generates an alert to the public via the SharkSmart App, push notifications and Twitter/X all in real time. SMART Drumlines
SMART Drumlines
There are 305 SMART Drumlines in 19 coastal local government areas (LGA) from Tweed to Bega, which get deployed daily when weather conditions allow. The drumlines have baited hooks, andwhen a shark takes the bait an alert is sent to the boat crew and DPIRD scientists. Once alerted, the team responds immediately (~within 30 minutes) to tag and release the shark (or other marine animal), and they use the SharkSmartPRO app to notify the platform and send an alert to the SharkSmart app.
Surf Life Saving NSW
Surf Life Saving NSW runs the largest fleet of UAVs (Drones) in the southern hemisphere. They fly drone surveillance at 50 beaches during school holidays with at least one drone in every coastal LGA. SLS drone operators are in direct communication with their SLSNSW operations headquarters, who enter dangerous shark detections into the SharkSmartPRO app which generates an alert to the public via the SharkSmart App, push notifications and Twitter/X all in real time
Surfing NSW
Surfing NSW provide trauma kits, drones and training to their ~180 board rider clubs, surf schools and high-performance coaches. A recent development in the partnership following the deployment of drones and pilot training to some clubs has been the capacity to advise DPIRD when they see sharks, and DPIRD will then use the SSPRO app to generate an alert to the public via the SharkSmart App, push notifications and Twitter/X all in real time.
Media links:
- SBS Small Business Secrets
- SBS Community Radio – HINDI
- Apple Podcast – LINK
- Mike Vasavada – LinkedIn
We thank the team at SBS News and all community channels at SBS for their support and the feature.
