Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Friday 31 May 2019

Sound barrier to chase seals, prevent shark attacks debated

By PHILIP MARCELO seals still need to be pro-
Associated Press tected? We have a law
BOSTON (AP) — A plan to that’s been on the books
develop an acoustic sys- for 50 years,” said resident
tem to chase away seals John Kartsounis, refer-
in order to prevent shark ring to the federal Marine
attacks is the latest front Mammal Protection Act
in the debate about how on 1972. “Seals are not en-
Cape Cod should respond dangered, and neither are
in the wake of last year’s great whites.”
shark attacks. Cape officials could seek
Deep Blue LLC presented a narrow exemption to the
the idea for an “invisible federal law, as some states
fence” to the Barnstable have done, suggested
County Commissioners on Commission member Ron-
Wednesday, drawing sup- ald Beaty. In 2008, Wash-
port from some officials and ington, Oregon, and Idaho
residents but concern from received federal authority
local animal rights groups. to remove or kill sea lions
Company owner Willy Pla- preying on salmon and oth-
ninshek envisions a sys- er protected fish species.
tem of underwater audio Cape Cod officials have
devices set up at the re- invested in emergency call
gion’s most popular swim- In this Sept. 16, 2015, file photo, beachgoers keep an eye on the seals swimming at Coast Guard boxes, specially equipped
ming beaches. The devic- Beach in North Eastham, Mass. beach medical kits and
es would be mounted on Associated Press additional lifeguard train-
buoys some distance from last summer. Local animal whales, Young and Sharp said the system wouldn’t ing and other safety mea-
the shore and emit a sound rights activists said they said. harm other marine life or sures ahead of the summer
unpleasant to seals but in- support non-lethal solutions “When public money is be- humans. He stressed that beach season.
audible to humans. to the region’s concerns ing spent, you should not his company isn’t seeking They’re also paying for
Planinshek believes that if but cautioned that such be throwing good money public funding to develop an independent study on
seals are discouraged from acoustic deterrent systems after bad ideas,” Young its idea. more costly and contro-
the areas, the great white have failed elsewhere. said. “This is just reinventing Some local residents also versial steps, such as invest-
sharks that feast on them Seals have been found to a broken wheel.” said the activists for prioritiz- ing in shark barriers, aerial
will also stay away. make simple adjustments Planinshek disputed the no- ing seal and shark welfare drones or seal culls.
“We’re creating an invisible to cope with the noise tion that the sharks would over the safety of humans. That report, however, won’t
fence like what use to keep emitted by the underwater remain even if seals left and “The question here is: do be ready until the fall.q
your dog on your proper- devices, such as swimming
case, we’re keeping other ter, said Sharon Young, a Report: NASA’s major projects busting
ty,” he said. “Except in this with their head above wa-

marine issues field director budgets, schedules
dogs out of the yard.” Cape Cod resident and
Commission members ap-
plauded the idea as a for the Humane Society of
“proactive rather than re- the United States. By MARCIA DUNN
active” solution, echoing a The sound systems have AP Aerospace Writer
common criticism of shark also been found to nega- CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.
safety proposals so far ad- tively impact other species (AP) — NASA’s major proj-
opted by local officials. of marine life, said Brian ects are busting budgets
They asked the company Sharp, director of marine and schedules like never
to return in the fall to give mammal rescue and re- before, according to a
an update on their prog- search for the Cape Cod- congressional watchdog
ress developing the system. based International Fund agency.
“Anything that would give for Animal Welfare. The U.S. Government Ac-
the public more confi- And it’s no guarantee countability Office report-
dence in our beaches the great white sharks will ed Thursday that NASA’s
is important to us,” said move on even if the seals major projects are more
Commission Chair Ronald leave, since the Cape’s than 27 percent over base-
Bergstrom. Two men were waters also teem with other line costs and the average This 2015 artist’s rendering provided by Northrop Grumman via
attacked — one fatally marine life the sharks fa- launch delay is 13 months. NASA shows the James Webb Space Telescope.
— by sharks off the Cape vor, such as large fish and That’s the largest schedule Associated Press
delay since the GAO be- Its original target launch er Solar Probe launched
gan assessing NASA’s ma- date was 2007, with initial last summer and looping
jor projects 10 years ago. cost estimates as low as $1 ever closer around the sun
The still-in-development billion. came in millions under bud-
James Webb Space Tele- NASA’s yet-to-fly mega get and was also on time.
scope is the major offend- rocket, the Space Launch The GAO defines a major
er. The projected launch System, also faces big cost project as having at least
date for this advanced suc- overruns because of pro- $250 million in lifetime costs.
cessor to the Hubble Space duction challenges and, Altogether, NASA plans to
Telescope is now 2021, with likely, even more launch invest $63 billion on the 24
an estimated $9.6 billion delays. major projects listed in the
price tag, the GAO noted. On the bright side, the Park- GAO’s latest report.q