‘We can’t keep ignoring this situation’: Esperance locals heartbroken by latest shark attack
“We know that Fisheries have the capability to tag because they go out, and they tag five or six great whites in one day … we want them to move their capture tagging program from all our remote islands, to more responding to events like this because great whites revisit areas of interest.”
Payne said it was concerning the shark involved in the attack hadn’t been tagged.
“We feel like more can be done; we’re talking about human lives here,” he said.
“Completely ignoring the situation, and just saying we’re going to close the beach and drive up and down in our boats each time this happens [is not enough] as far as I’m concerned, as far as the Ocean Safety community and Esperance is concerned.
“These sharks are not getting better, they’re getting worse, the interactions are increasing considerably.”
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WA Police, Marine Rescue WA and State Emergency Service personnel are searching the area for the missing surfer.
Fisheries is also helping to coordinate the response and the beach remains closed.
Joscelin Boissieux witnessed Monday’s attack, telling 9 News Perth there were screams as people warned others in the water about the shark.
“We heard the scream, and everyone got out of the water … there was only a surfboard left, floating around about 30 metres from the shore,” he said.
“The water next to it was dark, with a shark’s fin circling around.”
The partner of the surfer was on the beach when the attack unfolded.
“She was shocked,” Boissieux said. “My thoughts are with the family.”
In a statement, DPIRD confirmed it conducts shark tagging activities off the Esperance coast each summer to coincide with seal pupping season.
“Between November 2024 and February 2025, DPIRD conducted five tagging trips. A total of nine white sharks were tagged, including six white sharks off the coast of Esperance,” it read.
“DPIRD has tagged 206 white sharks in WA waters since 2009.”
Tagged shark detector beacons have also been installed at three beaches in the region including Twilight Beach, West Beach and Kelp Beds Beach.
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