Magnet a day keeps shark away

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08-20-2008, 04:02 AM
greenturtle

Magnet a day keeps shark away

Interesting article found on the web. Anyone can verify it's effectiveness? Wouldn't want to be carrying a big magnet thinking it can ward off sharks but end up getting stuck to a ship wreck! :p

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RESEARCHERS in north Queensland have discovered that magnets can act as an effective tool to ward off sharks, but not necessarily for humans.

In what is claimed to be a world-first, scientists from the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries and James Cook University have shown magnets can repel sharks.

It is hoped the magnets will keep sharks out of fishing nets set for barramundi.

Trials have been conducted in controlled conditions in Cairns. The research team will soon conduct field trials to determine the practical use of magnets in the gillnet fishery.

The researchers do not believe the magnetic repulsion will prevent shark attacks on people
08-21-2008, 02:40 AM
shinek

Mythbusters TV show tested this one and, I believe, found some validity. Not sure it has any practical use for diving, I guess you could make your weights out of magnets, but I suspect your navigation may be suspect as the compass would go a little haywire. ;) What about magnetizing steel tanks?

Anyway, if they can find a practical way to keep sharks out of nets, that would be a good thing.
08-21-2008, 04:59 PM
acelockco

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinek

What about magnetizing steel tanks?

Sure, and after the dive, the captain can pry all of the divers that are attached to the bottom of his boat, that is if they don't get stuck to the wreck.

By the way, how many divers do you know that were attacked by sharks?

Moreover, how many divers want to keep sharks away? We pay big money to go on dives, just to see sharks! How many NON Divers are attacked by sharks every year? I think we should stop wasting our time preventing a rare event, and spend that time working on something really needed, like ways to prevent shark fining!
08-21-2008, 08:33 PM
shinek

No argument here. Now if we could just get everyone to stop ordering the soup, problem would disappear very quickly.

Thinking about magnetic tanks, just had a mental image of two divers, underwater, back to back, steel tanks stuck together! Made me smile! ;)
08-21-2008, 09:38 PM
lars2923

They do

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinek

No argument here. Now if we could just get everyone to stop ordering the soup, problem would disappear very quickly.

Thinking about magnetic tanks, just had a mental image of two divers, underwater, back to back, steel tanks stuck together! Made me smile! ;)

Opposites Attract.
08-21-2008, 11:40 PM
acelockco

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinek

No argument here. Now if we could just get everyone to stop ordering the soup, problem would disappear very quickly.

Thinking about magnetic tanks, just had a mental image of two divers, underwater, back to back, steel tanks stuck together! Made me smile! ;)

LOL, I guess that is how they make pony bottles. J/K
08-21-2008, 11:59 PM
lars2923

Nice

Quote:

Originally Posted by acelockco

LOL, I guess that is how they make pony bottles. J/K

Good one... :-)
08-22-2008, 08:20 AM
greenturtle

Quote:

Originally Posted by acelockco

Sure, and after the dive, the captain can pry all of the divers that are attached to the bottom of his boat, that is if they don't get stuck to the wreck.

By the way, how many divers do you know that were attacked by sharks?
!

LOL. There's always a slim chance of shark attack, so having some form of protection would be good. shark pod (is it effective against Great Whites) is expensive but if a cheaper magnet can do the job, why not?

We love to see sharks but only from a distance, so having some protection should a shark comes too close would give a piece of mind if we know we have some form of protection.
08-22-2008, 05:34 PM
acelockco

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenturtle

We love to see sharks but only from a distance....

Oh, well there is the issue. I want to get really close and even touch/interact with them. Did you ever see how they push the snout of a Great White, and it suddenly just stops in it's tracks? Pretty cool stuff.

By the way, anyone got a spare arm?
08-23-2008, 06:15 AM
greenturtle

Quote:

Originally Posted by acelockco

By the way, anyone got a spare arm?

Use the metal rod (extended) LOL
12-12-2008, 07:39 AM
polyclad

Just watched a program on Discovery Channel's shark week which completely debunked this idea. Had no deterrent effect whatsoever on various sharks that they experimented with. However a device attached to the scuba tank which emitted an electrical current into the surrounding water did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenturtle

Interesting article found on the web. Anyone can verify it's effectiveness? Wouldn't want to be carrying a big magnet thinking it can ward off sharks but end up getting stuck to a ship wreck! :p

-------------------------------

RESEARCHERS in north Queensland have discovered that magnets can act as an effective tool to ward off sharks, but not necessarily for humans.

In what is claimed to be a world-first, scientists from the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries and James Cook University have shown magnets can repel sharks.

It is hoped the magnets will keep sharks out of fishing nets set for barramundi.

Trials have been conducted in controlled conditions in Cairns. The research team will soon conduct field trials to determine the practical use of magnets in the gillnet fishery.

The researchers do not believe the magnetic repulsion will prevent shark attacks on people