Scientists track great white sharks on the Central Coast

New technology allows the public to track the movement of great white sharks as they travel along the Central Coast.

These new tracking devices might give swimmers a little sense of relief, but that’s not what their intention is. Marine biologists have been working for years to learn more about the behavior and swim patterns of great whites.

It’s the last thing you want to see if you’re in the ocean off the Central Coast. Marine biologist, Dr. Randy Kochevar has made shark encounters a focus of his research. Following the migrating patterns of sharks, he found the great whites along the Central Coast spend half their time close to shore and half in deep water.

“Once we started to identify these hot spots where they come and go to we started exploring new technologies that would allow us to monitor their coming and going from these areas,” said dr. Kochevar.

To track the sharks, marine biologists use a device called a wave glider. The glider made in the Silicon Valley is powered by solar panels.

Right now the glider is centered just north of Santa Cruz at Ano Nuevo State Park. By mapping a figure eight pattern the wave glider has detected numerous great whites within the past year.

For the first time ever, the public can see within seconds where a great white might be swimming.

If you’re interested in detecting a shark along the Central Coast you can go to TOPP.org to see a list of the most current sharks in a specific area.

Scientists from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Stanford use a seal decoy to lure the sharks in so they can tag them. So far, more than 200 sharks have been tagged and tracked by the glider and buoys posted at shark hot spots up and down the coast.

“We will be able to manage them in a way that is sustainable so that whether its our kids or grandkids or their grandkids that they will be able to come to the ocean and know that their is this abundant and diverse ecosystem right here,” said Kochevar.

It may not be what you want to see in the ocean, but sharks are an important part of marine life that these scientists want the public to understand.