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Warnbro shark slips drum lines

Warnbro beach was reopened yesterday afternoon after authorities called off the search for an electronically tagged great white shark.

The beach was closed on Friday after the shark set off a monitoring buoy in Warnbro Sound 99 times since November 24.

Department of Fisheries acting director-general Rick Fletcher issued a catch and kill order in line with the Government's "imminent threat" policy but drum lines put in place at the weekend failed to hook the shark.

As of yesterday afternoon, the shark had not been detected since 3.48am on Sunday, according to the Government's sharksmart website.

The department said the risk level had been reviewed after the shark's recent movements and the order rescinded.

"This action is consistent with the State Government's guidelines for the taking of sharks posing a serious threat to public safety," it said.

Shadow fisheries minister Dave Kelly said there had been no imminent threat to humans once the beach was closed.

"There's no logic in killing tagged sharks, because you know where they are," he said. "If you tag them and then try to kill them when you detect them, it's completely contradictory."