State Government extends popular shark deterrent rebate program to new WA-made device

A new WA-made device has been added to the State Government’s shark deterrent rebate scheme with the two devices currently covered by the subsidy already in high demand according to an Albany dive shop owner. On Wednesday, the WA Government announced its world-first share deterrent rebate scheme introduced in 2017, would be extended to include the $499 Rpela v2 surf device made in WA by local company Rpela. The Rpela device works by generating an electromagnetic field around surfers to deter sharks. It was added to the program after tests by engineering company Cardno Australia showed it reduced the probability of a shark bite from 75 per cent to 25 per cent, under baited testing conditions. Fisheries Minister Don Punch said it was exciting to see a new product manufactured in WA added to the list of approved devices. “I strongly encourage divers and surfers to take advantage of the rebates and purchase a potentially life-saving device, with even greater choices now available with the addition of the Rpela v2 surf device product to the scheme,” he said. Two other shark deterrent devices, the Ocean Guardian FREEDOM 7TM and Ocean Guardian FREEDOM+ SurfTM bundle, are already part of the scheme. Eligible purchases of any of the three devices receive a rebate of $200. Southcoast Diving Supplies owner Garry Wellstead said the shark deterrent devices and rebate were “very popular” among local divers. “I think we have, at last count, 17 on back order. We’re waiting for the shipment to come,” he said. “We’ve sold a heap of those since 2017 when the shark shields were given that rebate, I want to say we’ve sold close to 200 of the FREEDOM 7s and the Surf units combined.” More than 7000 rebates have been claimed since the program started, according to the State Government. It comes after the WA Government added a further $5 million to meet demand for subsidised shark deterrent devices in 2021. “Anecdotal evidence tells me that they are effective, because we’ve had people who have been in the water when they’ve been approached or come by a shark, and it doesn’t particularly matter what nature or what sized beast; they have been approached and then the animal has turned away,” Mr Wellstead said.