Shark sightings rise by 60 per cent in WA

Western Australia lifesavers say there has been a 60 per cent increase in shark sightings this year.

After the summer season came to an end on April 30, WA Livesavers said they spotted sharks on more than 430 occasions.

That included a 185 per cent increase in the number of sharks spotted.

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That meant that across the state's beaches, Lifesavers closed beaches 70 per cent more often than last year.

The largest increase in shark sightings was in February of this year.

Several shark attacks were recorded in WA this year, including a 46-year-old woman who was attacked by a Tiger Shark near Sandland Island, north of Perth.

To locate and flag shark sightings, the government-funded Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter flew almost 1000 hours across 740 patrols.

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"These figures continue to demonstrate how important the Service is to delivering public beach safety across vast expanses of coastline," Surf Life Saving WA's General Manager of Lifesaving, Chris Peck, said.

"While we saw a large increase in shark numbers and sightings, equally important is the increase in clearances by our crew, demonstrating how instrumental the Service is in keeping beachgoers safe."

In late April, the WA state government announced ongoing funding for their Shark Mitigation strategy, including $12 million allocated to the Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter.

Surf Lifesaving WA's emergency communications network, and other emergency response activity were also funded for a further four years