Tagging program prompted by fatal attack of Stella Berry yet to catch a single bull shark

Authorities are still yet to tag a single adult bull shark in the Swan River since teenager Stella Berry was fatally attacked more than a year ago.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development launched a bull shark tagging program in the Swan River in 2023 after Stella, 16, was killed while swimming at North Fremantle on February 4.

A DPIRD spokesperson confirmed the tagging program had restarted in November but was yet to catch and tag a bull shark.

“To date, no bull sharks have been tagged for the program as part of operations in the Swan River,” she said.

“Tagging bull sharks in a number of locations across the State will enable DPIRD to form a better understanding of broad-scale movements and seasonal occurrences, which is critical to informing what mitigation measures may prove effective.”

A separate pre-existing tagging scheme targeting juvenile bull sharks and run by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions — which pre-dates Stella’s death — has caught two of the sharks this year, well upstream at Sandy Beach Reserve (February 13) and at Whiteman Bridge (February 15).

The spokesperson also said DPIRD had been made aware of several sightings in the Swan Canning Estuary so far this year.

“There have been 12 shark sightings reported to Water Police in the Swan Canning Estuary this year, two confirmed as bull sharks by DBCA officers, for the remainder, the species is unknown,” she said.

“DPIRD has been made aware of other reports of bull sharks in the Swan Canning through public fishing forums and direct contacts.”