As Southern California braces for a “very sharky” summer, the California Beach Shark Safety program at Cal State Long Beach is running out of funding.
Since 2018, this program has tagged great whites and shared their locations with lifeguards to enhance beach safety. However, the program, which operates with an annual budget of about $1 million, may close in September unless new funding is secured.
The number of juvenile great whites along the Southern California coast has been increasing, driven by warming waters. These sharks gather at certain beaches to feed on stingrays and small fish, but attacks remain rare. The program, part of the Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab, plays a crucial role in preventing unnecessary beach closures by providing real-time shark location data to lifeguards.
Christopher Lowe, the director of the shark lab, is actively seeking funding from foundations, private donors, or corporations. The lab has tagged 380 great whites, with 250 currently transmitting data. If the program ends, vital equipment will be removed, leaving lifeguards without critical information.
The program also engages in community outreach, teaching children about sharks and beach safety. The lab’s research has shown a 97% rate of co-occurrence between humans and sharks at aggregation sites, highlighting the importance of continued monitoring.
The shark safety program began with a $3.75 million state grant and an $800,000 private grant, both of which are now depleted. Lowe emphasizes the program’s importance in saving coastal communities from costly beach closures.
With the threat of a “super El Niño” warming the ocean further, attracting more sharks, the need for the program is more pressing than ever. The future of the program now hinges on finding new sources of funding to continue its vital work in shark safety and public education.
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