Sharks are not the bloodthirsty sea creatures Jaws made them out to be! In fact, it’s usually an accident when they bite some dim-witted human being splashing around in the water. So we should minimise unintentional harm towards them, too.
That’s where these new shark-repellant SMART hooks come in. Scientists have developed this new type of rig, called the “Selective Magnetic and Repellent-Treated” Hook, which is coated with a special metal that produces a measure of voltage in seawater. The hook’s magnetic features interfere with the highly sensitive electrical senses in a shark’s nose, causing them to stay away while other species of fish (like tuna, who do not have this electrical sense) still take the bait on the hook’s end.
Under a grant from the National Science Foundation, student researchers at the Florida Keys Community College tested these SMART hooks extensively on bonnethead sharks, where results showed a 94 per cent reduction in accidental shark catches with the large-sized hook. [LiveScience via TreeHugger]
Mike
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 12:22 PMSooo, when can I get some of this stuff made into diving weights?
Jon
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 1:50 PMyeah for sure! Or some sort of variant that can be used by surfers, such as a paint to coat the underside of their surf boards or to incorporate into the leg leash.
Shark repellent board shorts would also walk off the store shelves ;)
Awnshegh
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 4:47 PMAdd Wakeboards, Kneeboards and Waterskis to that. We used to be regulars on the Central Coast Lakes (Lake Maquarie, NSW) until the number of close calls (some with wonderful photo evidence) got too much and decided it was better travelling an extra hour to get on a river than risk our lives.
Travis
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 2:57 PM94%! That huge! Geez 30% or 40% I would be happy with but 94% show where I can this incorporated into my fishing equipment and diving gear.
Simon
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 3:57 PMSharks aren’t the only fish that use electrical impulses, I wonder what the reduction in other fish caught was?
And how many sharks got a hook through tier mouth that otherwise would not have if the research wasn’t done?
glennc
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 5:21 PMbest news i have heard today. now what are we doing about sonar?
Cam
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 6:22 AMThe problem I have with sharks when fishing isn’t hooking them, it’s them chomping on a big mackerel I’m hauling in. Will these hooks deter a shark if they are hooked in the mouth of a fish they are chasing?