Central Coast beaches closed after surfer bitten by shark at Avoca

Avoca and North Avoca beaches on the state’s Central Coast were closed following a shark attack on a surfer who was bitten on the hand on Wednesday morning.

The 14-year-old surfer was bitten about 7am and was treated by paramedics and taken to Gosford Hospital, where he received stitches in one hand.

He has since been released from hospital, the NSW Department of Primary Industries said in a statement.

The shark was likely a white shark, according to biologists from the DPI, who assessed photos of the boy’s injuries, including bite indentations.

DPI Shark-Management-Alert-In-Real Time (SMART) drumlines were set at Avoca and North Avoca beach at 7.13 and 7.17am on Wednesday, which the department said is normal practice.

SMART drumlines are deployed daily and allow for sharks to be detected beyond the surf break.

The lines at North Avoca and Avoca have not captured any sharks.

Aerial surveillance by Surf Life Saving NSW failed to spot any sharks by Wednesday afternoon.

The last tagged shark detected at the tagged shark listening station was on Friday.

“Our thoughts are with the young surfer who sustained a wound to his right lower forearm, near his hand,” Central Coast council said in a statement.

DPI confirmed that mesh netting will be installed on Thursday on Central Coast beaches as part of the shark meshing program.

Steve Charters posted to Facebook that he was fishing at North Avoca on Tuesday afternoon and “there was plenty of salmon in close and leaping out of the water with sharks obviously after them”.

With AAP

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