News & Alerts

Update on 13 July at 3.35pm

• The whale carcass has moved from North Mole and the current location is unknown.
• There is likely to be residue from the carcass in the area that will continue to act as an attractant for sharks
• There has been a sighting of one white shark off Port beach and one tagged white shark was detected at the Leighton shark monitoring network receiver today.
• Water users should continue to exercise additional caution in the area

Update on 11 July at 2:33pm

• Due to current weather conditions, and the location of the carcass, the carcass is unable to be removed from it's current location at this time.
• Authorities will continue to monitor and reassess the situation over the next few days.
• The shark advice for the Fremantle area remains in place.
• In addition to the shark advice, members of the public are asked to stay clear of the decomposing carcass due to health and safety risks.

Alert issued 11 July:

Alert level:
A shark ADVICE has been issued due to a whale carcass being reported on the northern side of the North Mole, near Port of Fremantle.

Update 11 July, 2:40pm:

Water users in the Bowes River area are advised that based on the remote location, the whale carcass will not be removed. The shark advice for the area remains in place. Members of the public are asked to keep away from the carcass, due to health and safety risks.

Alert issued 10 July:

Alert level:
A shark ADVICE has been issued due to a humpback whale carcass being washed ashore north of Geraldton, approximately 8.7 km south of the Bowes River mouth, near Horrocks.

Alert level:
A shark ADVICE has been issued due to a whale carcass being reported 400m offshore at Back Beach, Geraldton.

Update 12:30pm on 9 July:

The updated location of the whale carcass today is that it remains offshore and is currently 5.4km north-west of Mindarie. A school of sharks has been reported feeding on the carcass.

The warning area of Ocean Reef to Alkimos is still in place.

Alert issued 8 July:

Alert level:
A shark ADVICE has been issued due to a whale carcass being reported at Staggies Reef, 1km offshore from Mindarie.

** Update 8 July at 07:30am 

Outage resolved, and all systems now fully operational. 

Alert issued 7 July:

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

• WA’s shark monitoring network has expanded to 27 satellite-linked receivers
• The receivers have now been installed at Kelp Beds and West beaches
• Detections and sightings are posted to SharkSmart and SLSWA’s Twitter feed

Western Australia’s shark monitoring network has been bolstered with the installation and activation of two new satellite-linked receivers in Esperance now complete.

• WA's shark monitoring network extended to Esperance
• Satellite-linked shark detectors to be installed at Kelp Beds and West beaches
• Weather permitting, the receivers will be installed this month

Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly today announced Kelp Bed and West beaches in Esperance have been selected as the locations for two new satellite-linked tagged shark detectors.

Update 12 June:
The City of Bunbury removed closure signs and re-opened Point Casuarina beach from 9am today.

Update 11 June at 4.50pm:
The City of Bunbury has a closure in place for the beach where the incident occurred. It will remain closed until the City of Bunbury re-assesses the situation tomorrow morning.

Fisheries officers from Bunbury will have a vessel on the water, from approximately 7am tomorrow, to conduct sea patrols and monitor the area.

Alert level:
A shark WARNING has been issued for Point Casuarina in Bunbury after an interaction with a shark was reported at 8.49am.

• Community asked to provide feedback for deployment of satellite-linked receivers
• Seven locations have been identified as possible areas for deployment
• Online consultation period open until June 14, 2017

Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly is inviting the Esperance community to go online and have their say about where two satellite-linked shark detection receivers should be deployed in the area.

• Election commitment delivered
• Subsidy of $200 for 1,000 devices starts today

Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly is urging Western Australians to benefit from a world-first rebate scheme for personal shark deterrents which begins today.