Australia shark tagging boosted after surfer attack

Authorities have been under pressure as shark attacks increase

The Australian state of New South Wales has announced new measures to prevent shark attacks on its beaches after a teenage surfer was attacked last week.

Programmes to catch, tag and relocate sharks will be stepped up using baited hooks attached to lines of floating drums, officials say.

The system has proved successful at catching sharks but conservationists say it is harmful to wildlife.

There have been five shark attacks in New South Wales this year, reports say.

Last Monday, a 17-year-old boy was bitten on the leg while surfing off Ballina's Lighthouse Beach, a region that has become known as a shark hotspot.

The so-called smart drum lines alert officials when creatures are captured. The sharks are then tagged before being released further out to sea.

There are already 15 of them off the state and 85 others would be rolled out, a statement said.

New South Wales Premier Mike Baird said 31 great white and five bull sharks have tagged and relocated since May, according to Australia's ABC broadcaster.

Trials with nylon eco-barriers - large nets used to create enclosed swimming areas - were recently abandoned due to rough conditions.