News & Alerts

Situation:

• The whale carcass was sighted by a member of the public and reported to Fisheries at approximately 15:00 hrs.
• 1 x 4.5 metre white shark and 1 x 3.0 metre tiger shark have been sighted with the whale carcass
• It is possible the carcass will act as an attractant that could lead to other sharks coming close to the reef and in to shore along this stretch of coast.
• While it’s not uncommon for sharks to be present off the Western Australian coast throughout the year, people should exercise additional caution until the incident is resolved.

What to do:

• Take additional caution in the James Service reef area and adjacent beaches.
• Adhere to beach closures advised by Local Government Rangers or Surf Life Saving WA.
• Keep informed of the latest detection and sighting information by checking the SharkSmart website or Surf Life Saving WA’s Twitter feed.
• If you see a shark, report it to Water Police on 9442 8600. All shark sighting information reported to Water Police is provided to response agencies and to the public on the SharkSmart website and the Surf Life Saving WA Twitter feed.

What authorities are doing:
Fisheries officers, along with staff from other agencies, will monitor the situation

Extra information:
Keep informed of the latest detection and sighting information by checking the Shark Activity Map on the SharkSmart website – www.sharksmart.com.au/shark-activity or the Surf Life Saving WA Twitter – twitter.com/SLSWA.

Check www.sharksmart.com.au/news for current alerts and warnings.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development comprises the former departments of Agriculture and Food, Fisheries and Regional Development, together with the staff of the Regional Development Commissions.