Warning over 'unusual' great white activity off WA coast
Updated
An unusually high number of great white sharks off the coast of Perth has prompted a warning to water users.
Six great white sharks have been tagged off Perth in the past two weeks by the Department of Fisheries.
Department scientist Dr Brett Molony said unusual activity was being caused by the annual migration of schools of salmon.
"The salmon typically migrate into metropolitan waters every year, but they are doing it in bigger numbers and staying around a lot more, a lot longer," he said.
"A lot of the recreational fishers are reporting big numbers at places like Woodman's Point and throughout the metropolitan area.
"There's good catches of them by the recs, but they're also bringing the predators, including the sharks that feed off them."
He said the great whites were tagged about 10 kilometres offshore on Mewstone and the Straggler Reefs, but as the animals travelled widely, the department considered there was a heightened risk in metropolitan waters.
The tagged sharks were two metres and larger, he said.
"I don't think size is that important, it's just knowing that they're there, and when they're there there may be other sharks as well," Dr Molony said.
He advised beachgoers to be cautious if there were schools of fish in the area, and check signage near surf lifesavers for warnings.
The department said in a statement it did not know how long the shark activity would continue.
The Government's SharkSmart website is updated with sightings and detected sharks.
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