Daniel Turpin was attacked by a shark just before 11.30am on Saturday at Michaelmas Island off Albany, 400km southeast of Perth.

Government department says man was in the water around Michaelmas Island, near Albany, when he was bitten by a suspected 4.5-metre shark

Today's tragedy is the Australian state's second fatal shark attack in three weeks.

The man was fishing when he was bitten by a shark, police say.

This is Australia's fourth fatal shark attack this year.