Authorities still 'herding' sharks after WA attack

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Efforts are continuing to move at least three female white pointer sharks away from a popular swimming beach on Western Australia's south coast.

It is believed one of the animals may have been responsible for attacking a man off Albany's Middleton Beach yesterday.

Thirty-seven-year-old Jason Cull was swimming about 80 metres off the beach when he was attacked.

He was bitten on the leg and Surf Club member Joanne Lucas swam out to save him.

Mr Cull underwent surgery at the local hospital overnight and is now in a stable condition.

Surf Life Saving WA spokesman Chris Peck says the sharks are three to four metres long and are probably attracted to schools of salmon in the area.

He says it is not known how long it will take to shift the sharks.

"They're causing a few problems at the moment with the boats trying to herd them back out, but each time it looks we're going to have some success they double back into the bay," he said.

"They've been around for a good 24 hours now, so we just need to keep monitoring the situation and keeping the public informed of what's happening."