Deep Blue LLC owners Willy Planinshek. left, and Kevin McCarthy, right, proposing an acoustic system to repel seals from local beaches in an effort to limit shark attacks.
BARNSTABLE – A local company is proposing the use of soundwaves in Cape Cod waters to keep seal populations away from shore in an effort to prevent shark attacks.
Deep Blue LLC presented its idea to the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners Wednesday.
The concept would be to create underwater audio systems that would emit soundwaves unpleasant to seals.
Deep Blue co-founder Willy Planinshek said the problem on the Outer Cape is an overpopulation of seals which creates an overpopulation of great white sharks.
“The seals are increasing for the last few years at a 20 percent increase per year,” Planinshek said.
Planinshek said the goal is to direct the seals population patterns away from the beaches.
“If I can change their instinct direction from that temporarily, smoothly, gently, with no harm to the animal whatsoever by a directed soundwave that is tailored to their inner ear chamber to cause an irritation… it’s going to affect their mobility as a predator to survive,” Planinshek said.
“Our concept is that seal is going to put its blinker on and either take a right or a left into deeper and friendlier waters.”
Deep Blue believes if the seals move offshore, it will result in the sharks following.
“That is their food source. That is their dinner table,” Planinshek said.
Planinshek believes the issue of shark/human interactions will be solved by technology, and not after the fact resource deployment measures.
There were two shark attacks off Outer Cape Beaches late last summer. A New York man was attacked off a Truro beach in August and is recovering. A Revere man was killed in an attack off Wellfleet in September.
Many measures being taken on Outer Cape beaches this summer is increased lifeguard and first responder presence, and improved communication to more quickly respond to emergencies.
A second phase of the underwater sound system would be to emit orca, or killer whale, vocalization.
“Great whites are deathly afraid of orcas,” Planinshek said. “Orcas are the only great white predators, and seals don’t care for them either. If there is an orca in town great whites and seals will pack their bags.”
County Commissioner Ron Beaty said he has a good feeling about the potential effectiveness of the proposed technology.
“It think it is worthwhile exploring,” Beaty said. He did acknowledge that it would more than likely need to be implemented in conjunction with other mitigation efforts, including drones and Clever Buoys.
Planinshek and Kevin McCarthy, a co-owner of Deep Blue, said the project is in the research and development phase, and that they would keep the public informed about the creation of the soundwave system.
McCarthy said Deep Blue is fortunate that the grey seal population remains in the area year-round and that testing developed technology could be done during the offseason.
“We would hope, if we get this on a fast track, that we could have a working prototype to be tested in the water by next (summer) season,” McCarthy said.
Deep Blue does not believe it will be hampered by the current provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
County Commissioner chairman Ron Bergstrom said he would support anything that would give the public more confidence in the beaches if it was determined to be effective.
“You seem to be determined to forge ahead. We aren’t going to put any obstacles in your way,” Bergstrom said.
Beaty suggested having the Deep Blue owners come back before the board with an update in the fall.
Sharon Young, the marine issues field director for the Humane Society of the United States and Bourne resident, said the proposal just reinvents a broken wheel.
Young said acoustic harassment devices have been used in multiple countries around the world and in the United States.
“Acoustic harassment devices have been used in aquaculture in Maine and on the West Coast that have an output of about 180-185 decibels,” Young said. “It exceeds the pain threshold of the animals. It is a temporary deterrent.”
She said the animals have learned to swim with their head out of the water to avoid the sounds.
“It has also been known to displace harbor porpoises from the area by up to five miles,” Young said.
She said if the technology is effective she would be for its implementation.
“But I’ve just seen this be an empty promise,” Young said.
Brian Sharp, the director of marine mammal rescue and research for the International Fund for Animal Welfare and Yarmouth resident, said it is a fallacy that sharks are only in local waters because of the presence of seals.
“Yes, sharks eat seals. Sharks eat dolphins. Sharks east dolphins. Sharks eat fish,” Sharp said.
He does not believe that sharks will suddenly disappear by pushing seals out of an area.
Sharp agreed with Young and cited research that described acoustic deterrent devices as ineffective.
He said there is also a concern about what the soundwaves do to marine life that are not mammals.
“There is very little data on what acoustic deterrents do to fish populations,” Sharp said.
He added that he is applauding the fact that non-lethal measures to solve the issue are being discussed.
“As a resident of Yarmouth, I want to make sure that town funds, county funds and state funds are being spent wisely, and that we are actually getting the impact that we want from these devices and doing it in a responsible way,” Sharp said.
By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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