MANDURAH tops the list of ocean-users claiming the personal shark deterrent subsidy scheme for surf devices.
About 4000 ocean users have claimed the scientifically proven personal shark deterrent subsidy.
The subsidy scheme is a world-first and sales of the shark deterrent devices has grown in the past few months with a digital marketing campaign raising awareness.
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READ NOWWhile divers still lead the take with 3367 devices purchased, the number of surfers taking advantage of the rebate has grown to 633.
The top 10 locations for the purchase of the surf device were Mandurah, Karrinyup, Scarborough, Albany, Floreat, North Beach, Hillarys, Busselton, Dunsborough and Ocean Reef. More than 50 per cent of these devices were purchased by surfers aged between 34 and 54 years of age.
The top three locations for dive device rebates were Bunbury, Mandurah and Safety Bay. Of those who have claimed a rebate, more than 50 per cent were in the South-West, followed by the metropolitan coastal suburbs and the Great Southern region.
There are still about 1000 rebates available, after the State Government increased the number to 5000 in late September.
The program gives ocean users a $200 rebate when they purchase one of two scientifically proven devices. This means the Ocean Guardian FREEDOM+ Surf (Bundle) is reduced to $299 and the Ocean Guardian FREEDOM7 is reduced to $399.
Ocean users are also encouraged to download the State’s first ever official shark notification app – SharkSmart WA. The app provides near real-time information on shark activity, including current alerts and warnings, and also provides details of safety features at each beach.
The new app can be downloaded free, from the App Store or Google Play. For more information, visit Shark Smart.