Australian state opens largest shark barrier following numerous sightings

The largest shark barrier in Western Australia (WA) has been officially opened in the wake of numerous shark sightings across the state.

The barrier, which measures 660 meters long and cost 655,000 U.S. dollars, will provide a safe space for swimmers and surfers at Sorrento Beach, 20 kilometers north of the state's capital city of Perth.

The opening of the Eco Shark Barrier came after beaches at Trigg and Scarborough, 5 and 8 kilometers south of Sorrento, were closed over the weekend due to multiple shark sightings.

Surfer Ben Gerring and diver Doreen Collyer were both killed by shark attacks within a week of each other in June 2016.

Colin Barnett, the Premier of WA, said the large net guaranteed the safety of patrons at the beach.

"Beach enclosures are an important component of the Liberal National government's shark hazard mitigation strategy and are proving to be incredibly popular with swimmers and families," Barnett said in comments published by Fairfax Media on Monday.

"The government has invested more than (24 million U.S. dollars) on shark hazard mitigation measures including research, public education, shark tagging, aerial patrols and a trial of drones.

"No single measure alone will protect water users from shark interactions, but a complementary suite of measures will reduce the risk."

Of the 23 shark-related fatalities in WA in the past 100 years, 14 have occurred since 2000.

Barnett said there was obviously more sharks in the water and he believed governments had a responsibility to make beaches as safe as possible to protect beaches.

"Clearly more people are using our beaches. If you go surfing or diving on reefs people know there will always be that risk," he said.

"The state government is looking at a whole range of different methods to try to improve water safety and reduce the danger of shark attacks." Endit