News & Alerts

Update: 1.15pm, 6 August 2016

Fisheries advise that the Leighton Shark Monitoring Network satellite-linked receiver is back online. However, the Floreat satellite linked receiver is now offline. Busselton receiver also remains offline.

• The Department of Fisheries is investigating the faults.
• Water users should assume that both are off-line until the faults have been resolved.
• The remainder of the system is fully operational.

Previous information at 10.15am, 6 August 2016

Alert level:
A shark ADVICE has been issued for Western Australian water users due to a partial outage in the shark notification system.

Alert level:
A shark WARNING has been issued for water users in the Northern suburbs of Perth Metropolitan area, for beaches, surf and dive spots between Hillarys Boat Harbour and Trigg Point after an increased number of shark sightings in recent weeks.

Update: 5.05pm, 1 August 2016
The whale calf stranded inside Left Handers surf break at Cowaramup on Sunday 31 July has been washed out to sea and searches of the area have failed to locate it or the other whales that were in the vicinity.

• Authorities will continue to look for the whale in the coastal area near Cowaramup.
• It is possible the whale may wash ashore in another location and act as an attractant that could lead to sharks coming close in to shore.

Department of Fisheries advice for this update is for water users to continue to take additional caution near Cowaramup and other beaches in the area between Capes Naturaliste and Leeuwin.

Previous information at 31 July, 2016

Alert level:
A shark ADVICE has been issued, due to a whale being washed ashore inside Left Handers surf break Cowaramup.

Update: 5.20pm, 1 August 2016
The whale carcass washed ashore in Geographe Bay near Dolphin road Busselton on Sunday 31 July has been removed from the beach.

• The carcass was removed by the Department of Parks and Wildlife on the afternoon of Sunday 31 July.
• Some residue from the carcass has remained in the sand and an oil slick is stretching out to sea from the beach. This residue is likely to remain for several days and it possible it will continue to act as an attractant that could lead to sharks coming close in to shore.

Department of Fisheries advice for this update is for water users to continue to take additional caution in Geographe Bay.

Previous information at 31 July, 2016

Alert level:
A shark ADVICE has been issued, due to a whale carcass being washed ashore in Geographe Bay near Dolphin road Busselton

Alert level:
A shark WARNING has been issued for Possession Point near Albany, after an interaction with a shark 200metres offshore was reported early this afternoon.

Alert level:
A shark ADVICE has been issued due to a humpback whale carcass being washed up approximately 200metres south of the Bowes River mouth.

The area is very popular with both surfers and fishermen, and is also only 6km south of the town of Horrocks. 

Alert level:
A shark ADVICE has been issued due to a confirmed shark sighting at a number of beaches Swanbourne, Floreat and City Beach today. A whale, believed to be a Southern Right Whale, was seen travelling close to the beaches being followed by a white shark. A number of shark sightings have also been reported at Mettam’s Pool Beach and North Beach over the last two days.

Update: 10am, 25 July 2016
Fisheries advise Shoalwater Bay beach has been re-opened today, following the removal of the whale carcass late Saturday.

Alert level:
A shark ADVICE has been issued due to a whale carcass being reported at the sandbar between Seal Island and the mainland, approximately 500 metres off shore from Shoalwater Bay in the City of Rockingham.

Alert level:
A shark WARNING has been issued for Toms Surf Break in North Beach, after a series of reports at this location during the past several days. The most recent report was made by a member of the public after midday today (Friday 22 July).

**UPDATED - CARCASS REMOVED. BEACH NOW OPEN**

A shark ADVICE remains in place for the area between Quininup and Wilyabrup, due to a whale carcass washed ashore at Honeycombs Surfing Spot, north of Gracetown earlier this week.

The carcass has now been removed,  and Honeycombs Beach has been reopened. 

Situation:
• The whale carcass was reported by a member of the public to the Department of Parks and Wildlife at approximately noon Monday.
• Although it has now been removed, it is possible some leaching from the decomposing carcass occured during clean up, will act as an attractant that could lead to sharks coming close in to shore along this stretch of coast, so water users are advised to take caution.
• While it’s not uncommon for sharks to be present off the Western Australian coast throughout the year, people should exercise additional caution while the whale carcass remains close to shore.