WA’s fisheries minister has accused the Nationals of politicising the death of a spearfisherman in Albany on the weekend as two fatal shark attacks in three weeks throws the spotlight on ocean safety.

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.