Easter salmon run can attract sharks closer to the beach, SharkSmart WA warns

Great Southern swimmers, surfers and divers are being urged to stay “shark smart” during the Easter school holidays as the salmon season can attract the marine predator closer to shore, according to SharkSmart WA. Anglers are making the most of the autumn salmon season where schools of the migratory fish can be found off Great Southern beaches. Although the season is enjoyed by thousands of keen fishers each year, the salmon run is known to attract sharks closer to shore and SharkSmart WA is encouraging people to switch on their “sea sense” to reduce their risk of an encounter. The schools of salmon often chase bait fish close to shore which can potentially attract larger predators such as sharks closer to the beach, according to SharkSmart WA. Sharks are often attracted to fish aggregations which can cause them to swim closer to the beach during the annual salmon run. Recreational fishers are encouraged to bleed their fish away from the shore and to discard fish waste responsibly and away from other water users. Swimmers and surfers are also encouraged to keep away from big schools of fish. “Before entering the water, always check your SharkSmart WA app, the SharkSmart website or the Surf Life Saving WA Twitter service for shark activity information, including reports from aerial patrols,” Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development shark operations manager Dean Clarke said. The WA Government added another device Rpela v2 surf to its shark deterrent rebate scheme last month. Two other shark deterrent devices, the Ocean Guardian FREEDOM 7TM and Ocean Guardian FREEDOM+ SurfTM bundle, are already part of the scheme. Eligible purchases of any of the three devices receive a rebate of $200. “Surfers and divers are also urged to protect themselves with a personal shark deterrent device and WA residents have access to a $200 rebate to purchase an approved device under a world first subsidy program,” Mr Clarke said. “If you haven’t already received a rebate, there are now three eligible devices that have been scientifically proven to reduce your risk of interaction with a white shark.”