[imagesource: Facebook / The City of Cape Town]

Sunday’s attack by a shark in Plettenberg Bay, which tragically claimed the life of Kimon “Kiki” Bisogno, is the second fatal shark attack in the area in the past three months and the third since 2011.

This has led to chatter about how to possibly make the area’s beaches safer for swimmers. NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said on Sunday that the Bitou council has approved research on a shark barrier at Plett’s Central Beach, where the most recent attack occurred.

It also established a shark committee which plans to work with private sector personnel to reduce the chances of repeat incidents.

One point of confusion for the general public seems to be centred around the difference between a shark exclusion net and a traditional shark net.

Shark Spotters has an excellent explainer:

…they are actually two completely different ways of preventing shark attacks. Traditional shark nets are a fishing device and a form of lethal control of sharks that can have negative consequences for the environment.

Shark exclusion barriers (nets) are a non-lethal, environmentally responsible form of shark control that have far fewer negative environmental impacts, if any.

For example, the net in Fish Hoek (pictured above in 2016) is a shark exclusion barrier.

These two images are worth a closer look. First up, a traditional shark net:

You can clearly see the differences between the above and a shark exclusion net, illustrated below:

Opting to use a shark exclusion net limits the environmental impact and offers better protection.

By the way, you may have seen this footage doing the rounds:

Filmed on Central Beach today in Plett, close to where yesterday’s fatal attack took place. That water is at best waist deep.

Fucking hell! pic.twitter.com/EPmIatX2mI

— Don Johnstone (@ThatManDon) September 26, 2022

This was filmed in Plett but it’s footage from May, rather than yesterday.

[source:sharkspotters]