Updated 10am: A surfer who was bitten on the thigh by a shark at Broken Head this morning has been discharged from Byron Central Hospital with minor wounds.
A Northern NSW LHD spokesperson told Echonetdaily the 36-year-old male, who received treatment for minor lacerations to his left leg, has since been discharged.
He has advised that he doesn’t want to speak to the media.
All beaches across Byron Bay have been closed and the Department of Primary Industries has announced an investigation into the attack, which occurred around 7.30am.
Police and emergency services are at the scene.
The attack is believed to have occurred at a beach break between Suffolk Park and Broken Head.
Echonetdaily understand the man received first aid at the scene and was taken to Byron Central Hospital.
Broken Head surfer and former Greens MLC Ian Cohen, who lives nearby, told Echonetdaily the man was taken to hospital by his friends.
Mr Cohen said he arrived at the scene shortly after the attack and ‘police were clearing the beach with sirens.’
The man’s condition is understood to be stable and a Facebook photo has been posted by his friends.
It was another in a long series of shark attacks in the north coast recently which have authorities struggling to address the problem.
A Surf Life Saving NSW spokesperson said it is believed the shark emerged from under the man while he was waiting for a wave.
The man’s surfboard took the brunt of the impact with the man also suffering minor lacerations to his leg during the incident.
The species of the shark involved is unknown and the incident has been referred to the NSW Department of Primary Industries for further investigation.
The spokesperson said lifeguards from Byron Bay will conduct a sweep of the beach periodically throughout this morning and the public is urged to avoid the area throughout today.
A decision on when to reopen the beaches will be made tomorrow morning.
A protest on at Ballina beach on Sunday, attended by hundreds, voiced their opposition to plans for shark nets following a spate of attacks on the shire’s beaches.
[more to come]
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