Western Australia's Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis has issued a catch-and-kill order for a great white shark responsible for fatally attacking a 63-year-old swimmer at Sorrento Beach near Perth. This unusual step follows a decision against a widespread shark cull, with Jarvis stating that such action would be inappropriate. The minister emphasized the use of drones and tagging as methods to enhance beach safety measures in response to the incident, which marks the third fatal shark attack this year in Western Australia.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Western Australia's Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis has ruled out a widespread shark cull after a swimmer was fatally attacked by a great white at a Perth beach.
However, Ms Jarvis has given permission for the great white to be captured and killed.
asserted
white → rule → permission
The minister has flagged increasing the use of drones and tagging to protect beachgoers.
asserted
minister → flag → beachgoers
Western Australia's fisheries minister has taken the unusual step of issuing a catch-and-kill order for a great white that fatally attacked a swimmer at a beach in Perth's northern suburbs on Friday.
asserted
that → take → Friday
Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis, however, has stopped short of ordering a widespread shark cull in the wake of the attack, saying it would not be appropriate.
The search continued this morning for the great white, which killed the 63-year-old man close to the Sorrento Beach shoreline yesterday morning in front of shocked onlookers.
asserted
which → stop → onlookers
Beaches across Perth's northern suburbs remain closed today as emergency services continue their search for the man's body.
asserted
services → remain → body
The victim's grief-stricken family visited the beach earlier today, as locals paid their respects with a floral tribute at the site.
asserted
locals → stricken → site
Ms Jarvis said she took the "extraordinary step" of giving authorisation for the shark to be captured and killed after it was positively identified as the animal involved in the attack.
asserted
it → say → attack
"In making that decision, I considered the exceptional circumstances of the attack, the hazard posed by the shark, and the potential recovery of coronial evidence," she said.
asserted
she → make → evidence
She said capture gear, which is essentially a type of drum line that is normally used to tag sharks, was deployed yesterday in an effort to catch the untagged great white.
asserted
that → say → white
The gear could not be set up today, however, due to unfavourable weather conditions and choppy waters.
uncertain
gear → set → conditions
Ms Jarvis believed it was the first time in 10 years that a catch-and-kill order had been issued in WA, but said a widespread cull of white sharks was "not appropriate in these circumstances".
asserted
cull → believe → circumstances
"White sharks are protected internationally," Ms Jarvis said.
asserted
Jarvis → protect → ?
"This is not the return to the idea that we would cull all apex predators in the ocean.
asserted
we → cull → ocean
"I don't want to give people a false sense of security.
asserted
I → want → security
I cannot mitigate all risks."
asserted
I → mitigate → risks
The man's death was the third fatal shark attack in Western Australia this year and has reignited debate about how to keep beachgoers safe.
asserted
death → reignite → beachgoers
More drones, tagging on the table
Western Australia's shark mitigation strategies have been focused on tagging and tracking, an app for notifications, warning sirens, shark enclosures and personal deterrents.
asserted
strategies → focus → notifications
Ms Jarvis said the government would review this strategy to see what more could be done to protect beach goers.
uncertain
what → say → goers
"This is incredibly distressing and I will certainly be talking to my colleagues across emergency services and police to better understand what more we can do for shark mitigation," she said.
asserted
she → talk → mitigation
Ms Jarvis said she had spoken with the police minister, and deploying more drones to spot sharks along WA's vast coastline was "absolutely under consideration".
asserted
deploying → say → consideration
The state government already funds the use of drones for Surf Life Saving WA clubs who want to use them for events, including those involving children.
asserted
who → fund → children
She said the government would also review its tagging program to see if it could be increased.
uncertain
it → say → program
More than 300 sharks have been tagged in Western Australia, including 227 white sharks.
asserted
sharks → tag → sharks
When asked about the shark enclosure that was removed from Sorrento Beach in 2020, Ms Jarvis said she would be happy to revisit the issue with the City of Joondalup.
asserted
she → ask → Joondalup
"There are funds available for local governments who wish to put up beach enclosures and so I'm happy to talk to any local government that wishes to go down that path," she said.
asserted
she → be → path
Beaches remain closed
All beaches in the City of Joondalup, from Marmion to Iluka, will remain shut while authorities assess the situation.
asserted
authorities → remain → situation
Friday's fatality comes days after 56-year-old firefighter Mel Ismail was injured in a shark attack at a Geraldton beach, about 400 kilometres north.
asserted
Ismail → come → beach
Earlier this year Steven Mattaboni died after a shark attack off Rottnest Island and spearfisher Daniel Turpin was killed near Albany a few weeks later.
asserted
Turpin → die → Albany
The last time three people died in shark attacks in WA in a single year was 2020, when two people were killed off Esperance, and another person was fatally attacked off Cable Beach in Broome.
asserted
person → die → Broome
The Aporia
