Drones to circle Australian beaches to monitor sharks

Sydney

DRONES will circle popular swimming spots in eastern Australia and "listening stations" track tagged sharks as part of a new strategy announced on Sunday to keep beachgoers safe after a spate of bloody attacks. The country has one of the world's highest incidences of shark attacks with 13 in New South Wales this year leaving one dead and seven injured, threatening the beach tourism industry.

In response the nation's most populous state, which has ruled out culling sharks, unveiled a five-year plan to address the issue, including next-generation sonar systems and boosted aerial surveillance.