The family of Esperance surfer Andrew Sharpe who went missing off Kelp Beds has remembered him as a "very loving father, life-partner and brother" as the marine search for his body is called off with their "blessing".
Mr Sharpe went missing off the popular surf break on Friday but hopes to find him alive soon faded as early search efforts were only able to locate two pieces of wetsuit.
Andrew Sharpe
Search efforts to locate Mr Sharpe were called off at 2pm on Saturday due to challenging weather conditions but resumed at 7am on Sunday for the third day, only to later once again be called off.
Officer in charge Senior Sergeant Justin Tarasinski on Sunday said the decision to suspend the marine search had been done with the blessing of Mr Sharpe’s family.
"It is never easy to sit down with the family and tell them you are suspending the search," he said.
"It was actually with their blessing and almost their suggestion that the search be suspended and that everyone has already done over and above what their expectations were."
In a statement, Mr Sharpe's family described the 40-year-old as an experienced surfer who loved the ocean who knew the risks.
"Andrew was a very loving father, life-partner and brother," the statement read.
"He would do anything for anyone and was a great and loyal mate to his friends and people he met. He will be greatly missed by us all."
The family thanked "everyone who was with him on Friday and the Esperance community
for their support".
"We live in an amazing town," the statment read. "We would also like to thank all the first responders, emergency services, police, volunteers and search teams."
Emergency services at Kelp Beds beach Esperance responding to potential shark attack. Credit: Jess Gardiner
Beaches remain closed by the Shire of Esperance and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions from Wylie Head to Cape Le Grand National Park.
The marine search on Sunday was concluded about 2.45pm but the land search continued.
Esperance Senior Sergeant Justin Tarasinski on Saturday said crews combed the shoreline from dawn, with search boats and police divers deployed from 7.30am.
However, due to the ongoing risk of a shark attack, divers were required to search for Mr Sharpe from the back of jet skis instead of diving into the water.
Senior Sergeant Tarasinski said the two pieces of wetsuit had been found where Mr Sharpe was last seen in the water and had been collected for DNA testing.
A much-loved member of the local community, Mr Sharpe was surfing off Kelp Beds break, a popular surfing spot 15 kilometres east of Esperance, when he was bumped off his board and bitten by a shark on Friday morning.
Others in the water rushed to help him, with a number of witnesses providing first-hand accounts of the gruesome attack to police, but Mr Sharpe quickly disappeared in the water.
A surfboard washed up on a nearby beach shortly after showing signs of a shark attack.
Those known to Mr Sharpe have since shared moving comments on social media where they describe the surfer as a "great bloke", an "amazing friend" and a "family man".
"Esperance will be different without you. Thinking of all the family and friends back home with this very sad news," a user wrote.
"My heart breaks for all concerned," another user commented.
Snr-Sgt Tarasinksi said police would continue to deploy all available resources to locate Mr Sharpe and sent a heartfelt message of unity to the Esperance community.
"Esperance is a really small community, a tight-knit community. It is, unfortunately, accustomed to these sorts of things occurring," he said.
"What I say to the Esperance community is: look out for each other, put your arm around each other and make sure that we are caring and we are looking out for Mr Sharpe's family and all of his close friends in this time."
Local beaches remain closed from Wylie Head to Cape Le Grand National Park.
Esperance local Gary Johnson was scuba diving about seven kilometres off Cull Island on January 5 this year when he was taken by what was believed to be a great white shark.
Mr Johnson had been in the water for about three minutes when he was attacked, with his wife brought to shore by a rescue boat and treated by ambulance crews for shock.
Mr Johnson revealed his thoughts on diving and the risks of shark attacks in a Facebook post in 2017 when he was the president of the Esperance Dive Club.
"Whenever people find out about my diving in Esperance, inevitably the first question is whether I am worried about being attacked by a shark," he wrote.
"There is no doubt that we are aware that sharks are around. My friends take great delight at informing of the latest sighting at various locations."
Kelps Beds is the same break where 17-year-old surfer Laeticia Brouwer died after being mauled by a shark in 2017.
In 2014, surfer Sean Pollard lost an arm and the other hand in a shark attack at the same site.