Beaches are closed along a 15 km stretch of the New South Wales north coast as the hunt continues for a shark which killed a Japanese surfer.
Warning signs have gone up along a 15km stretch of NSW coast Photo: AFP
Searchers suspect a large great white shark killed Tadashi Nakahara, 41, at Ballina on Monday.
His legs were bitten through and he died from a massive blood loss at the scene.
New South Wales police said they were trying to identify the type of shark and a shark expert has been brought in to help.
Richard Becker who owns a Ballina Surf shop said the number of shark scares is going up and up.
Listen to Richard Becker
The ABC reports that the death of Mr Nakahara brings the number of people killed by sharks in Australian waters to five in the past 12 months.
Of those five fatalities, three have been in New South Wales.