SHOCKS FOR SHARKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20300, 6 July 1929, Page 14

SHOCKS FOR SHARKS.

USE OF ELECTRICITY. DEMONSTRATION. OF DEVICE. Aldermen at Randwick, Sydney, last week, witnessed a demonstration at Croriulla of the new dovice which, it is claimed, will protect surf beaches from sharks. Tho inventor, Mr E. 0. Moller, of Sweden, had laid two wnes, 12ft. apart, in 6ft. of water, in the pool at the fish hatchery. In it were three 6ft. wobbogong sharks and two Fort Jackson sharks, and a number of small ling, mackerel and sweep. When a current of .six volts, 200 amperes, was turned on, the sharks rulu.sod to approach within 3ft. of the electrodes. Tho smaller fish swam through the area unaffected. When the sharks weie hunted between the electrodes and the cuirent was turned on they were stunned in stantly and were unable to movo. Iho inventor explained that if he allowed the current to romain on for, 30 seconds it would kill the sharks, but as they were valued alive at £6 each he did not wan. to do that. A member of the syndicate controlling tho invention said tliat if installed the device would cost at Bondi, which was a large beach, approximately 7s 6rl an hour to run. and at Coogee less than 5s an hour. The probable cost of installation at Bot'di mii'ht be £20,000 Tho aldermen present tested the water between the electrodes when the eurrent was turned on and found that they received only a tingling sensation. This, it was claimed, was all that a surf bather carried into the electriHod water would feel. The aldermen stated that they would liko to seo tho device tested on a surf beach.