Byron Bay’s beaches were closed on Wednesday afternoon after a local fisherman had a close encounter with a shark, believed to be a Great White.
Local media reported the incident happened when angler Robbie Graham was attempting to reel in a tuna he had caught near Julian Rocks.
‘This huge shark about 4.5m came launching into the side of the boat and knocked him off his feet into the water,’ his friend Hoss McGrath told APN Media, adding it was almost as long as the boat Mr Graham was fishing from.
A Surf Life Saving media spokesperson was unable to confirm the exact details of the Byron Bay shark attack but told Echonetdaily Byron Bay’s beaches had been closed from around midday on Wednesday for the remainder of the day.
Following a spate of shark attacks on the north coast in the past year, local mayors will attend a meeting with shark experts on March 18 organised by Ballina mayor David Wright to examine non lethal options for deterring sharks.
No further sightings have been reported.
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