Meshing Durban
Meshing Durban

The KZN Sharks Board's research into bather protection,  with minimum impact on the environment, is respected world-wide and there is a continuing exchange of information with overseas countries, notably Australia, Mozambique, Reunion, Seychelles as well as the USA and other countries experiencing shark incidents.

The KZN Sharks Board hosted the Shark International Conference in June 2014. This event was a sequel to the African Rays & Shark Conference hosted during February 2012. Of significance is that the conference served to emphasize that the Sharks Board is a global leader and an international reference point in all shark-related incidents.

Public Engagement
 
The Shark Board"s headquarters at Umhlanga is a popular venue for school tours and holiday-makers. Visitors view the audio-visual presentation and shark dissections, from which important data is collated for research purposes.

Magagasi and or Dabulamanzi, the Durban-based custom built tour boats, take members of the public on a shark nets experience where they can see first hand the maintenance operation of the nets off Durban"s Golden Mile at dawn, and then enjoy opportunistic viewing of marine life including seabirds in the area.

The Sharks Board also conducts outreach programmes by visiting strategic points e.g. shopping malls, educational fairs, exhibitions, conferences, schools and beaches to disseminate shark related information.

In order to draw attention to the province"s maritime resources the Clean-My-Beach Campaign was launched by the KZN Sharks Board in May 2014, at the Wilson"s Wharf which was the first of many of such campaigns at various beaches along the KZN coastline.

Maritime Centre of Excellence
 
Recently, the KZN Sharks Board has unveiled what it describes as the first-of-its-kind in Africa, namely a Maritime Centre of Excellence. The aim of the Maritime Centre is to build on the economic growth potential of the province"s maritime riches, which include the ports of Durban and Richards Bay, the coastal line and marine resources. The centre will provide skills training in diving, for boat skippers and in boat building and repairs.

Last year the community of eMdlebeni, KwaDukuza, Stanger benefitted through the donation of a durable fibreglass boat "Lubanzi". The boat was built by students from mostly previously disadvantaged backgrounds that completed a boat building course at the Maritime Centre of Excellence. The boat will assist in ferrying learners and the public that have to cross the crocodile infested waters of the Tugela River.