Barriers to deter sharks at Lennox Head and Ballina beaches are due to be installed next week.
Ballina mayor David Wright said the installation of the eco-barriers would take between three and four weeks, depending on weather and water movements.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries said it had worked with over 20 groups and organisations including Ballina Shire Council, Surf Lifesaving and local businesses to determine the best locations to trial the shark barriers.
The barrier trial will be at Lighthouse Beach, Ballina and adjacent to the Lennox Head-Alstonville SLS Club at Lennox Head.
Eco Shark Barrier has been awarded the contract to trial its shark barrier at Lighthouse Beach, Ballina and Global Marine Enclosures has been awarded the contract to trial its shark barrier at Lennox Head.
Both trials are for up to three years, during which time the barriers will be monitored, reviewed and maintained.
The installation of the barriers follows a spate of shark encounters along the north coast, and is part of the government’s $16 million Shark Management Strategy.
There were 18 shark attacks between Byron Bay and Evans Head between 2000 and 2015, four of them were at Ballina’s Lighthouse Beach and two were at Lennox Head.
Cr Wright said the barriers were just part of the solution to keeping people safe on local beaches.
‘They’ve already been using smart drumlines and tagging with some success, along with acoustic buoys to track the movement of tagged sharks.
‘The helicopter patrols are still operating during holidays and at weekends and there is a drone trial starting soon using new technology which gives the drone up to five hours in the air,’ he said.
Cr Wright said the government had grants available for any new technology that might arise, and was particularly interested in an electronic barrier that is being trialled in South Africa.
The installation of barriers at Ballina and Lennox Head will begin on 19 July.
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