SARASOTA – At the Mote Marine Aquarium here, there is a small cabinet of shark repellent brands.
During World War II, the Navy tried to come up with ideas, and numerous brands were launched. They didn’t survive.
The reality was that so many tens of thousands of men were sailing across the oceans, and they were al at risk of a Nazi or Japanese attack. Any solution, however helpful, or not, was considered.
While they were a good try, the products did not survive. And when World War II was over, the problem mostly disappeared, as hundreds of men weren’t worried about floating for days across abandoned parts of the Pacific Ocean.
Apparently, certain copper compounds do chase away sharks, but there has never been a definitive product that proved itself. The search continues for a solution.
- One invention was the Presto Shark Chaser, which advertised that it protects “even when least expected.”
- 1 HR Shark Chaser by Falcon Alarm Company. It was designed to protect a fishing line for an hour.
- There was also the shark repellent brand Swim Safe, which came in an aerosol bottle.
- A shark bite testing machine, made by NCA Engineering Corp. of San Gabriel, California.