A 17-year-old boy, understood to be a spear fisherman, is dead in Albany after a shark attack.
Jay Muscat was with a friend at Cheynes Beach - about 65 kilometres east of Albany - when he was attacked and killed around noon.
It is understood his friend was also approached by the shark but did not suffer serious injuries.
The Department of Fisheries has confirmed the teenager's death was the result of a shark.
"It has been confirmed that at about midday this morning, a man suffered fatal injuries after being bitten by a shark," the department said.
It is believed at least two men, who were fishing from rocks nearby, saw the boy's body floating in the water.
Cheynes Beach is a small coastal settlement of fishing shacks, holiday homes and a caravan park, surrounded by Waychinicup National Park.
While a Fisheries Department spokeswoman initially said the department had no plans to send officers or a vessel to the area to search for sharks that may have been involved in the incident, that position has since changed.
The Department of Fisheries has deployed equipment in an effort to catch the shark, which a spokeswoman said was "most likely to be a white shark".
The spokeswoman said Cheynes Beach was closed and beaches in the region were likely to remain closed on Tuesday.
She urged local people and holiday makers to stay out of the water.
People are urged to stay informed about possible shark activity in WA waters through the state government's Shark Smart website.
The website was updated late on Monday afternoon with a public report of a 4.5-metre shark sighted at Cheynes Beach about the time of the attack.
Monday's attack is the eighth confirmed fatal shark incident in WA since August 2010.
Police have said they will prepare a report for the Coroner and are working closely with the Department of Fisheries.
