By Will Corbett

ABC Great Southern

Fish

Sat 16 May 2026 at 9:11am

An expert wants to limit the size of sharks that can be caught in WA.

In short:

A video of a decapitated shark has prompted calls for better protection.

Sharks were attracted to an Albany fishing spot after a whale carcass washed up.

What's next?

A shark researcher wants restrictions on large pelagic fishing.

Experts and fishers are calling for greater regulations after a shark was beheaded.

Warning: This article contains images of animal mutilation.

A video shows fishers catching and decapitating a 4-metre tiger shark.

Several sharks were seen in the area after a whale carcass was spotted.

The fishers did not break the law, but their actions have been criticised.

Albany recreational fisher Anthony Wise said the act was irresponsible.

"When you have a whale carcass and big fish, I don't think you should fish for them," he said.

The ABC contacted the fishermen, but they declined to comment.

A DPIRD spokesperson said the men had not breached any laws.

UWA researcher Mark Meekan referred to the act as "trophy hunting".

"Why are you catching them?" Dr Meekan said.

"These are apex predators, not very abundant, and important in the ecosystem."

Mark Meekan has criticised the actions of the local fishers.

DPIRD issued a warning to swimmers after reports of the whale carcass.

A department spokesperson said tiger sharks are not subject to size limits.

No more than three large pelagic finfish can be caught in 24 hours.

Some fishing methods are banned in highly populated areas.

Tiger sharks are an important part of the ecosystem, Dr Meekan says.

Call for size limits

Dr Meekan said tiger sharks play an important role in the ecosystem.

"Dugongs and turtles modify their behaviour to avoid tiger sharks," he said.

"This has flow-through effects, as seagrass can grow and sequester carbon."

A 3.5m tiger shark was caught in a drum line in Sydney in 2019.

Dr Meekan said size limits for tiger shark fishing should be introduced.

"The biggest sharks are the most reproductive and have the most young," he said.

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Sat 16 May 2026 at 9:11am

Sat 16 May 2026 at 10:54am

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