Palladium neodymium could be used to save millions of sharks and reduce fishing costs, scientists have claimed.

Researchers believe the metal reacts with seawater to produce an electric field that was avoided by sharks and temporarily stopped their feeding patterns.

If this is the case it could be used to develop a strategy to reduce the bycatch of sharks in longline fishing gear and thereby reduce the number of sharks being caught in nets as well as reducing operating costs.

"Individual sandbar sharks would generally not approach the metal ingots closer than about 24 inches, nor attack pieces of cut bait suspended within approximately 12 inches," said Richard Brill, a research scientist at NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center and head of the Cooperative Marine Education and Research (CMER) Program at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

"This study clearly shows the alloy has the potential to repel sharks from pelagic longline fishing gear," he explained.

Until now, electronic devices capable of repelling sharks have not been suitable for use in longline fishing nets.

The new study was undertaken to determine whether small ingots of a inexpensive electropositive alloy were repulsive to the sharks.

"The alloy we used, palladium neodymium, appears to be a good alternative to more expensive metals," he added.

Source:

Can Certain Metals Repel Sharks from Fishing Gear? 22/04/08
http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/press_release/2008/SciSpot/ss0806/ss0806.htmlhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422120313.htm