Shark sightings close northern NSW beaches

More beaches along the NSW north coast have been closed following a shark attack on a surfer, as waters are deemed too dangerous for swimmers.

Evans Head local man Craig Ison was knocked off his board and mauled by a great white shark during his regular morning surf on Friday.

The 52-year-old underwent surgery for injuries to his left leg and arm at Lismore Base Hospital before being airlifted to Gold Coast Hospital on Saturday morning.

All three Evans Head beaches were initially closed until Sunday morning, and police and NSW Surf Lifesaving Australia have now extended the closures further north.

Beaches from Lennox Head to Lighthouse Beach at Ballina have been closed.

NSW Surf Lifesaving will reassess the situation on Sunday morning.

Richmond Valley Council Mayor Ernie Bennett said on Saturday Evans Head beaches were closed because of the large amount of baitfish in the water.

"There's too much danger out there," Mr Bennett said.

"There's obviously more sharks around - the whales are moving up (the coast), the sharks are moving with them - there's lots of baitfish about," he told the Nine Network.

Last month 32-year-old bodyboarder Matthew Lee was mauled by a shark at Ballina's Lighthouse Beach, suffering serious injuries to his lower legs.

In February, a large great white shark tore the legs off 41-year-old surfer Tadashi Takahara in a fatal attack at neighbouring Shelly Beach.

Ballina and Richmond Valley councils are in talks with local MPs about the funding of aerial surveillance of beaches in the region, Mr Bennett said.

"It's a worry, and we just need to keep on top of it and at least close the beach when we see there's a danger," he said.