South Australia Police (SAPOL), in collaboration with partner agencies, is urging visitors to Aldinga Beach to be aware of increased local sightings of a great white shark.
Representatives from SAPOL, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA), Department for Environment and Water (DEW), Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT), and Surf Life Saving South Australia (SLSSA) met this week to discuss additional risk mitigation measures.
Currently, a fixed wing shark patrol is conducting routine flights between 9am and 5.30pm, which will sound a siren when a shark is sighted.
Coinciding with the Easter long weekend, SAPOL's Water Operations Unit and all partner agencies will have increased water patrols across inland and coastal locations and will pay particular attention to the Aldinga Beach area.
"We want the public to enjoy our beautiful beaches, but to do so safely," Senior Sergeant Andrew Suter from SAPOL's Water Operations Unit said.
"While authorities are monitoring the loitering shark in the vicinity of Aldinga Beach, we encourage beachgoers to be vigilant and adhere to all rules and regulations when on the water."
Dr Michael Drew, Research Scientist with the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) said white sharks can unpredictably visit the near-shore coastal waters of South Australia at any time of year.
"The near-shore coastal marine environment is an important habitat for juvenile and sub-adult (<3-4m) white sharks as it provides access to preferred prey species, such as small-bodied sharks and rays, and larger fish species like Australian salmon and snapper," he said.
Beachgoers are reminded to be aware of their surroundings and to avoid swimming near food sources like large schools of fish.
Swimmers should also consider not entering murky waters, deep channels, and areas next to deep water and river mouths.
SLSSA will continue stationing members at Aldinga Beach, and in addition to routine club patrol coverage, will have one jet rescue boat dedicated to patrolling the southern beaches over the Easter long weekend. A secondary jet rescue boat will be available on northern metropolitan beaches.
The southern SLSSA jet rescue boat will aim to provide coverage between 10am and 6pm.
Up-to-date hazard alert information for all South Australian beaches is available to the public via the BeachSafe platform: https://beachsafe.org.au.
BeachSafe is a nationally recognised tool that provides current information for every beach in Australia, including patrol services, hazards, and available facilities and weather conditions, swell, and tide information.
The platform is designed to assist the public in selecting the most suitable and safe location for their beach visit. Should SLSSA receive reports of shark sightings over the weekend, it will promptly update the relevant hazard alerts to the affected beaches via BeachSafe.
Additionally, PIRSA would like to remind the public that using blood, bone, meat, offal or animal skin (other than a fish, worm or insect) for berley is prohibited in SA waters and should be reported to the 24-hour Fishwatch hotline on 1800 065 522.
Fishers are advised that gear restrictions for metropolitan shark fishing apply from Outer Harbor to Lady Bay Shacks, south of Normanville. More information can be found at pir.sa.gov.au/fishing-sharks-rays or the Recreational Fishing App.
More information about reducing the risk of shark interactions is available at pir.sa.gov.au/reducing-shark-risks
For more information on boating rules and regulations, visit: South Australian boating safety handbook (marinesafety.sa.gov.au)
Report any suspicious behaviour to SAPOL by calling 131 444.
