Three-quarters of people surveyed about the WA Government's policy of a lethal-response following shark bite incidents said they did not support the measure.

The survey questioned 600 people the week after the deaths of Ben Gerring and Doreen Collyer.

Mr Gerring, 29, lost his leg in a shark attack in Mandurah on May 31, and later died in hospital.

Five days later, Ms Collyer, 60, was killed by a shark while diving in Mindarie.

Lead researcher and shark expert Christopher Neff from the University of Sydney said the survey included 100 people each from Mandurah and Mindarie.

The rest were from the federal seat of Perth.

Dr Neff said the results clearly showed most people did not support the WA Government's catch-and-kill shark policy.

"For the number to turn out to be 75 per cent of people not wanting a lethal response ... I was astounded," he said.

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"This is the shark bite hot spot, there have been more fatalities in this area, than in any area of the world in the last six years.

"We're seeing a public that is sophisticated and understands that they need to share the ocean with the sharks and are looking for solutions that will provide them with public safety but that don't kill sharks.

"Media reports and government officials often suggest killing sharks is a popular option but that perception is inconsistent with these research findings.

"I think it is striking that the leading response that the government is taking, is the one that has the least support."

Dr Neff said that shark movements in the cooler seasons were most likely to be behind an increase in attacks.

"WA Government studies have shown these off season [winter, spring] periods is when you have these white sharks moving about," he said.

"It is not like there are more sharks in WA, but it looks like the distribution of the sharks changes with the seasons and the water temperatures."