The buoy will be used to monitor the movements of acoustically tagged sharks along the NSW coast.

More than 100 white sharks and about 90 bull sharks are tagged in NSW.

As with all shark-tracking buoys, it cannot detect sharks that are not tagged.

Lake Macquarie City Council’s leisure services manager Brad Sutton said council has been working with the Department of Primary Industries to introduce a number of measures to protect swimmers from shark interactions while minimising harm to sharks and other marine animals.

“The installation of the buoy is part the Department of Primary Industries Shark Management Strategy, which identified 20 key locations along the NSW coastline to deploy this technology,” Mr Sutton said.

“The tracking buoys send out real-time alerts to officials and the public through the SharkSmart App and on Twitter.

“The use of the buoy to monitor shark movements at Redhead Beach will add an additional element to our award-winning Managing Shark Sightings Procedure, which includes consistent and definitive actions to be taken when a confirmed sighting takes place, such as temporary closures at patrolled beaches, website alerts and more.”

This system is not intended to increase alarm in the community, but to simply provide awareness and fact-based information about shark sightings within the area, he said.

“We want to give the community accurate information on sightings and allow them to make informed decisions at our Lake Mac Beaches.

“Shark sightings are just one of a number of coastal hazards that our professional lifeguards must plan for and manage. Our highly trained staff are well prepared with jet skis and major trauma kits to ensure the safety of beachgoers.”

The movements of sharks tagged with an acoustic tag are registered when the shark swims within a 500m radius of the buoy.

Department of Primary Industries’ listening stations detect the comings and goings of tagged sharks along the NSW coast.