Sara Andreotti’s work with the SharkSafe Barrier combines science and innovation with environmental responsibility, offering a non-invasive, alternative to traditional shark-cull policies. Sharks play a key role in maintaining the ecosystem’s health. With millions of sharks killed a year, they have declined by 70% in the past 50 years. The SharkSafe Barrier is the only scientifically tested shark-specific product that can protect surfers from sharks without harming marine life. It requires minimal maintenance and the anchorage system, in time, forms an artificial reef, which enhances local marine biomass. The technology is manufactured in the Western Cape. The barrier mimics the visual appearance of a kelp forest combined with strong magnets, both known to be shark deterrents, to keep sharks away from beach-goers. Sara wrote up the Kelp Barrier Project and was part of the team who developed the first prototype, diving and collecting data on shark behaviour up until 2016. In the past few years, her main job has been to push this technology from the academic research of peer-reviewed articles to implementation. It has been installed in the Bahamas and has protected a beach for 15 months. The company was the recipient of the NSTF-Lewis Foundation Green Economy Award at the National Science and Technology Forum and was one of the finalists in the Smart-Eco-Responsible Tourism category of the France Tech4Island Award. SharkSafe Barrier received support from SharkProject (Austria) and the Humane Society International of Australia and is also part of the 1000 Ocean Start-ups Coalition.
Educational Qualifications and Institutions
- PhD in zoology, Stellenbosch University
Greatest achievements
- https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001OSlk9AAD/sharksafe-barrier, was a Finalist in the Australian Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020 (https://www.ocean-impact.org/blog/pitchfest-2020-finalists and also featured in the Biomimic Expo (Paris, 2020) https://biomimexpo.com/ .
- Sara Andreotti has been invited as a speaker in the Ocean Innovator Platform, organised in Monaco by the Prince Albert II Foundation in March 2023. It was a panel dedicated to regenerative coastal tourism and SharkSafe Barrier was well received.
- The New Caledonia municipality of Noumea short-listed the SharkSafe Barrier technology for local tenders and is among the three finalists for a competition in Recife (Brazil) to identify technologies to solve the shark-human conflict (Inovação Aberta – Resultados (google.com).
- Since 2020, the company received a combined amount of $200 000 from angel investors and an additional $250 000 support from Conservation International Ventures, as a repayable loan. Conservation International Ventures Supports Shark Conservation and Coexistence with SharkSafe Barriers Investment.
What advice would you give to future generations?
Push for change, knowing that change doesn’t happen overnight. I can see in my lifetime how much has changed and how much more awareness there is on ecological issues. Sharks don’t have their own voice and it is our responsibility to look after them and our oceans.