A renowned Southern California shark research lab may have to shut down monitoring programs that help keep swimmers safe as it faces a $7 million budget shortfall, according to a report.
The Shark Lab at California State University's Long Beach campus is actively trying to raise the seven-figure sum from private sources and nonprofits, amid fears that state funding will take a significant hit in the coming months, local outlet KABC-TV reported Thursday.
Among the programs that could be at risk is monitoring that tracks hundreds of adult and juvenile sharks as they swim along the California coast, Shark Lab director Chris Lowe told the outlet.
"It's getting pretty serious," said Lowe. "We have enough money to carry us through June but after that, if we don't get more funding, we're going to have to pull out all of the equipment out of the water. We won't be able to monitor sharks along California anymore."
The gear — a system of receivers, buoys and underwater monitors — not only helps the Shark Lab keep tabs on the creatures, but also warns lifeguards if they stray too close to shore when swimmers are in the water.
"Everything that we learned from our science gets out to the public, and this is unique," Lowe told KABC-TV. "It's considered one of the best shark mitigation programs in the world."
The lab also has partners counting on its work, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Lowe told another local outlet, KTLA.
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File, there were 69 unprovoked shark bites documented worldwide in 2023, up from the average of 63 recorded between 2018 and 2022. Two of those bites came in California, with one proving fatal.
Florida led the way, with 16 unprovoked bites.
Australia saw the most fatal unprovoked bites, with four of the 10 recorded worldwide.
