CSU Long Beach Shark Lab loses funding, may cut programs that protect swimmers
The CSU Long Beach Shark Lab may have to cut programs that monitor sharks off the SoCal coast - and warn lifeguards when they get close to beaches. The Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach, California, is in danger of running out of funds by summer and may have to shut down programs that monitor marine life and protect Southern California beachgoers. The lab expects its state funding to be cut by June and is seeking $7 million from private and nonprofit sources to keep its programs, which include monitoring hundreds of adult and juvenile sharks along the Southern California coast. The high-tech system of receivers, buoys and underwater monitors allows the lab to track and tag sharks in real time, which can alert lifeguards if they get too close to the shoreline where swimmers may be present. The director Chris Lowe warns that if no more funding is provided, all equipment will be removed from the water.
Published : 4 weeks ago by in
LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- The Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach is in danger of running out of funds by the summer and may have to shut down programs that monitor and benefit marine life - and protect Southern California beachgoers.
The lab expects its state funding to be cut off by June and is actively seeking to raise $7 million from private and nonprofit sources to keep its programs going.
Those programs include monitoring hundreds of adult and juvenile sharks that swim along the Southern California coast.
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That also lets them warn lifeguards if the sharks get too close to the shoreline where swimmers may be present.
"It's getting pretty serious," said Shark Lab director Chris Lowe. "We have enough money to carry us through June but after that, if we don't get more funding, we're going to have to pull out all of the equipment out of the water. We won't be able to monitor sharks along California anymore."
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Lowe says the state created a shark beach-safety program in 2018. Since then the shark lab has developed a high-tech system of receivers, buoys and underwater monitors that allow them to track and tag sharks in real time. An instant notification can be sent directly to lifeguards to help keep those in the water safe.
"Everything that we learned from our science gets out to the public, and this is unique," Lowe said. "It's considered one of the best shark mitigation programs in the world."