Case study of
#00071 Seabed-to-surface exclusion barriers and enclosed swimming areas
Coogee Beach, Western Australia
#00069
OngoingNeighborhood
Implementer
City of Cockburn / Eco Shark Barrier
Timeline
Since Jan 1, 2014
Location
Coogee Beach, Western Australia-32.1156, 115.7616
Description
After a four-month trial at Coogee Beach (December 2013–April 2014), the City of Cockburn installed an Eco Shark Barrier made of rigid plastic mesh panels that exclude sharks while letting small marine life pass, avoiding the entanglement bycatch of gillnets. The barrier operates in a sheltered metropolitan bay and is widely cited as proof that non-lethal physical exclusion can work in an Australian setting.
Funding
City of Cockburn (local government)
Lessons learned
- Rigid-panel eco-barriers exclude sharks while letting smaller marine life through, avoiding gillnet bycatch — a key advantage over traditional drum lines or gillnets.
- Sheltered bay conditions are a prerequisite: exposed swell is the binding constraint on where this type of barrier can be deployed.
Documented Jun 26, 2026