A female activist has chained herself to a fisheries boat as activists ramp up their protest against the West Australian Government’s shark catch-and-kill policy today.

Protesters are expected to gather at several sites across Australia today, including a major rally on Perth’s Cottelsoe beach, to protest against the State Government’s controversial policy.

The woman, who used thumb locks to secure herself to the boat at 4.00am, had to be removed by police and fire crews.

Activists from the Marine Response Unit say the protest delayed the boat’s departure by two hours.

The boat is one of two fisheries vessels being used to set and monitor baited hooks off the Perth coast.

Yesterday, two undersized tiger sharks were released by Fisheries officers just a few hours after drum lines were set off five popular swimming spots.

The Marine Response Unit’s Simon Peterffy says the group was outraged by the news.

Under the State Government’s mitigation strategy, only great white, tiger and bull sharks bigger than three metres can be killed if caught on the drum lines.

Sharks smaller than 3 metres must be released under the policy.

After the first capture, Surf Lifesaving WA used Twitter to warn swimmers at Cottesloe to exercise caution, as a 2.6m shark had been released one kilometre from shore.

This morning there were reports an undersized shark had been found dead on a shark drum line off Perth’s Leighton Beach.

The State Government has been contacted for comment.

A 3m shark was shot and killed by a contractor in the South West less than a week ago.