Minister issues 'extraordinary' catch-and-kill order for shark after fatal attack

Sorrento Beach remained closed on Saturday after a fatal shark attack there on Friday morning.  (ABC News: Courtney Withers) A floral tribute was laid at Sorrento Beach on Saturday morning. (ABC News: Courtney Withers) 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.  "In making that decision, I considered the exceptional circumstances of the attack, the hazard posed , and the potential recovery of coronial evidence," she said. 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. The gear could not be set up today, however, due to unfavourable weather conditions and choppy waters. Shark cull 'not appropriate' 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". "White sharks are protected internationally," Ms Jarvis said. "This is not the return to the idea that we would cull all apex predators in the ocean. "I don't want to give people a false sense of security. I cannot mitigate all risks." WA Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis has addressed the media following yesterday's shark attack. (ABC News: Jake Sturmer) 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. 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. Ms Jarvis said the government would review this strategy to more could be done to protect beach 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. 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". 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.  She said the government would also review its tagging program to see if it could be increased.  More than 300 sharks have been tagged in Western Australia, including  227 white sharks.