Shark catch in Gold Coast lake fans fears

The capture of three large sharks yesterday in a Gold Coast lake where an 84-year-old man was fatally attacked ignited calls for shark netting to be expanded to protect the canal system.

A forensic examination found that the three female bull sharks, 2.2, 2.1 and 1.6 metres long, were all capable of inflicting fatal injuries but none was responsible for mauling Bob Purcell, who was swimming across the Burleigh Lake on Saturday when he was attacked.

It was the second fatal shark attack recently in the area. Beau Martin, 23, was killed by a shark in December in nearby Miami Lake.

"The lake is 30-odd kilometres long and they are netting half a kilometre. They've got to keep going," said resident Michael Wales.

Tony Ham, the acting manager of Queensland's shark control programme, said it was impossible to make everything shark-free.