SYDNEY, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A 3.5 meter tiger shark was among a number of deadly predators, snagged and released off Sydney's beaches during a 90-day trial of new SMART (Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time) technology.
SMART uses non-lethal baited hooks which alert scientists when sharks are caught, allowing them to tag, relocate and track the animals using GPS.
"We have had some great results from SMART drumlines along our New South Wales coastline this summer," Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said on Sunday.
"In Sydney alone we managed to intercept 14 sharks over a 90 day period, while on the South Coast 16 species were caught including 6 white and 5 tiger sharks."
The largest of those identified near Sydney was a 3.5 meter tiger shark snagged off Newport beach in the city's north.
All of the animals were tagged for scientific and safety monitoring and released approximately 1 kilometer offshore.
"The beauty of this technology is that it not only prevents shark encounters but also allows scientists to monitor the tagged sharks and learn more about their behavior," Marshall said.
"Our shark tagging program is now estimated to be the largest in the world."
Those involved with the project will analyze their results before deciding how to deploy the technology in the future. .
