Shark WARNING for Cape Naturaliste

21 February 2016

Alert level:
A shark WARNING has been issued for the area between Other Side of the Moon Surf Spot and Windmills Surf Spot around Cape Naturaliste after an increased number of reported shark sightings over the weekend.

Situation:

Reports of several large sharks, species unknown have been reported over the weekend.
2 x 3m sharks sighted were sighted on 21/02, and 1 x 3m shark was sighted on 20/02 at Other Side of the Moon Surf Spot, south of Cape Naturaliste.
2 x 3m sharks were sighted on 21/02, at the adjacent Windmills Surfing Spot, south of Cape Naturaliste.
It is possible that the frequency of the recent reported sightings may increase the likelihood of encountering a shark in this area.
The change in activity may be due to environmental conditions. There have been reports of unusually high numbers of schooling tuna in the area.

What to do:

Obey any beach closures in place.
Take extra caution in the Cape Naturaliste area, and reconsider surfing or diving in the area.
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 Surf Life Saving WA Twitter feed.

What authorities are doing:
Department of Fisheries will continue to monitor the situation. To keep people safe, beaches may be closed.

Extra information:
It is not uncommon for sharks to be present off the coast throughout the year.

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.

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