Sticker against sharks?

There is a new shark repellent on the market. After all sorts of chemicals, electric currents, sound and other transmitters, this time it is a sticker. It is not a “Please do not eat me!” sticker but still. Could it be that simple? All the great inventions are simple so it just might be.

Fang Shooey Stickers

Like the Chinese art form of Feng Shui will protect you from negative energy, the shark repellent sticker aptly named Fang Shooey is said to protect you from the jaws of any shark. Over the past decade there has been an increase in the research and development of devices that deter sharks. Some of the shark deterrents available in the market include electronic shields and chemical repellents. But now two Sydney-based men have developed what they believe could be a potentially life-saving addition for surfboard riders. Danny Togo and Craig Wills are the designers of Fang Shooey, a sticker and picture of a Great White shark, which they believe, stuck to the bottom of surfboards will deter sharks from attacking. It may seem like a simple concept but both men are avid surfers and Craig who has a history in Marine Biology says the idea stuck when they were watching a documentary on Great White Sharks. You can check out the Fang Shooey Stickers at www.fangshooey.com.au

Fang Shooey Stickers testing

Fang Shooey is the ultimate visual shark deterrent that was tried and tested in the ever-so dangerous waters 50 k’s off the shores of port lincoln in South Australia. Craig says, “We took Fang Shooey down to South Australia, 40 km off Port Lincoln where there were 10 to 15 white pointers under the boat and we threw six or seven boards out and were amazed at the results”.

Tested on 6 surfboards this deterrent which was watched under water in a cage by Craig and Danny seemed to confuse even the biggest of the beasts and also kept the great whites at a distance. This was met with absolute disbelief by the captain of the charter boat and his deck hand who both constantly reassured both Craig and Danny that all the boards that are thrown into the water will be eaten in 30 seconds flat, because of previous attempts made by others with similar ideas. But they were out there for that long that it was actually upsetting them, so they had to pour about an inch thick of tuna oil and burley and chum blood over the board before it actually got a result and the shark bumped the board.

Which could lead to the summation that if you don’t pour burley over your board you’ve got a good chance of survival using the sticker? “Yeah, that’s right! Well, listen if you’re out there on your own and it’s dusk or dawn or there’s a shark out there – what we’re thinking is that at least you’ve got some kind of protection with Fang Shooey,” says Craig.

How does Fang Shooey sticker work?

As the idea the use is also simple. You just stick it to the bottom of your surfboard or you can get a rice paper version that can be glassed inside your surfboard. Fang Shooey is a super tack sticker, when applied does not hinder the surfboards performance.

“When a shark swims underneath they can easily identify the sticker as another shark”, Craig says, “The right colors have been used including gray for the body and dull pink for the gums”. But it is important to note that in the recent shark attack on Stradbroke Island, the bull shark has been identified as the likely culprit, and it’s known to prefer murky waters and also detects its prey by vibration not sight.

“Yes, that shark is a huge problem all around the world. In Africa they call the bull shark a Zambezi shark. In India they call it a Ghangi shark. In America they’ve got problems with them also – they’ll actually attack in 2 feet of water. They call them the pit-bull of sharks; they’re an absolute nuisance shark.”

“At the end of the day the bull shark looks at what it’s attacking – we know one thing and that’s that the great white doesn’t have any other predators. It’s the top of the food chain as far animals go in the sea. We still think if you’ve got it on your board you still might have a chance,” says Craig.

So now you know. But I am not volunteering to test the Fang Shooey sticker myself.