Aquarius Shark Barrier

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  • 2019

  • Product
    Commercial and Industrial

Designed In:

Australia

Years of research and development has lead Global Marine Enclosures to reaching a milestone in shark barrier technology. Latest results have shown overwhelming improvements in performance and reliability. Its seamless integration with the environment, robust architecture and modularity makes it the most advanced shark barrier technology in the world.


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  • CHALLENGE
  • SOLUTION
  • IMPACT
  • MORE
  • Responding to WA State Governments requests for Shark Mitigation Strategies in 2011, Form Designs after contemplating other possible methodologies, finally chose to pioneer Shark Barrier Technology. The prime focus was to develop an outcome that would preserve human and marine life while limiting its effect on the environment. Separating large predators from ocean users meant that the structure needed to be robust and ridged and form a complete divide between the open sea and swimming area, from sea bed to surface, in contrast to “shark nets” which are flimsy, loose hanging structures that indiscriminately trap and kill marine wildlife.

  • After years of research and development, trials and tests, failures and successes, Global Marine Enclosures have reached a milestone in Shark Barrier Technology. Latest results have shown overwhelming improvements in performance and reliability. The “Use Function” of the Aquarius GEN 2 is seamless in its intended environment. The architecture of the barrier is robust and modular while the latest materials utilised are extremely durable, making the Aquarius GEN2 Barrier the most advanced Shark Barrier in Australia and possibly the world, not to mention it’s environmentally friendly and sustainability record. The Aquarius GEN2 and its Albany predecessor have an impeccable record.

  • Other shark mitigation proposals have come and gone. Aquarius Barrier Technology has succeeded through sheer determination with constant evolution in materials and design structure. Successful trials in Albany and Quinns W.A. has resulted in Councils and Government taking notice of the overwhelming positive community responses and record numbers of SLSC memberships, resulting in tenders being called for, for Barriers at Middleton Beach Albany and Cottesloe Perth. The Aquarius Barrier will not solve the entire shark problem but has significantly improved confidence with recreational beach goers, school and SLSC activities which ultimately brings the community and tourism back to our beaches.

  • Designing for the ocean, is a huge undertaking requiring contributions from a number of professions, including marine engineers, material specialists, marine scientists, shark experts, councils and governments etc. to contribute to its realization. The structure/architecture of the Aquarius Barrier was developed in collaboration with experts, choosing key structural elements with critical dimensions and load requirements carefully calculated. The aperture dimension was understandably key to every aspect of the design i.e. the architecture of the barrier, marine and human interaction and safety, wave and tidal interaction, Hydrodynamics, Marine Engineering (Bathymetry / Geomorphology) and strength in engineering. Studies conducted by the Department of Marine Engineering at the University of Tasmania and the W.A. Department of Parks and Wildlife helped establish the aperture dimension of 360 X 360mm with an 11% area of vertical cover being the most appropriate for the Hydrodynamics, and Human and Marine interaction. Collaboration with Marine Engineers (M.P. Rogers), determined load parameters for the barrier establishing a combined 8 ton vertical breaking strain and 169 ton horizontal breaking strain respectively to deal with a 1 in 25 year weather event. Every component in the Aquarius Barrier was created in respect of the broad scope of design requirements.