Shark monitoring and public safety along Australian coasts could now be improved with the introduction of a new mobile app that will allow authorities and coastal communities to efficiently report shark sightings.

The app, Dorsal Solution, is now available for iOS users. It is expected to boost public awareness and interaction in order to release updates on possible danger in the waters.

Users can post their sightings immediately on the “cheap, cost effective digital solution,” with the information shared with other users through its social media pages and website. To date, Dorsal is only available as an iPhone app, but the developers are aiming for its launch for Android users in November.

Each post will include the exact location of the sighting, time, date, the shark type, encounter type and weather conditions. People can also post photos of the sighting to warn the public.

Fruitful Tech, the company that created the app, is also planning to add an SMS alert system for people without smartphones or wearable technologies.

The company hopes to work with all State Fisheries departments and Surf Lifesaving Clubs to use the app as a tool for shark security and awareness.

“We built this as a love project after seeing the effect on the WA and Northern NSW coastal communities and seeing a really fractured response from the authorities,” founder Allan Bennetto said. The recent incident of the Tasmanian diver who was killed in front of his daughter motivated Bennetto to work on the application.

He said the tragic incident could have been prevented if there was an adequate warning system in place, pointing out that some people had seen the shark the day before but no warning was issued.

“This is definitely only a small piece of what is a larger and very important project, but would like to think that if enough of the community get behind it and use it to alert others, then it may actually save a life one day, which would be the ultimate success,” he told International Business Times Australia.

One app user, Chris Toward, from New South Wales, said that with the growing number of people with smartphones entering the water each day, the development of Dorsal would allow “everyone to look out for each other” and promote safety.

“Since downloading, I have noticed myself having a cheeky look at the latest reports before getting in the water," he said.

Another user, Owen Hickey, from Western Australia, described the application as "nice and simple.” It is reportedly working as promised to inform the public.

Bennetto said that the next step for Dorsal Solution was to integrate the app with new technologies, such as the shark tagging programme and CleverBouys, a sonar system that uses GPS to detect sharks, for a more complete solution for the public.

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