Geoff Brooks posted two images of the six metre apex predator to Facebook on Tuesday, claiming that the tiger shark was 'caught off 7 Mile Beach' near Lennox Head, on the northern NSW coast, at some stage over the weekend.

'As far as I'm aware; It was a kill order on a shark here on the far north coast that was identified as being responsible for a local attack.'

'And yes - it's real,' he added. 

Mr Brooks said he could not confirm the shark was killed intentionally after hearing reports that the marine predator may have been collected from nets in Lennox Head area.

While the Northern Star have reported that a fisherman named Matthew came forward to confirm that he pulled the massive shark out of the water off the Tweed Coast 'a while ago', even taking the jaws as a souvenir.  

Mr Brooks said he could not confirm the shark was killed intentionally after hearing reports that the marine predator may have been collected from nets in Lennox Head area.

While the Northern Star have reported that a fisherman named Matthew came forward to confirm that he pulled the massive shark out of the water off the Tweed Coast 'a while ago', even taking the jaws as a souvenir.  

He claims that the marine predator was hunting another breed of shark when he pulled it from the water.

'I was fighting the Hammerhead and he came up and swallowed it,' Matthew told the Northern Star. 

He said that the pictures that have appeared on social media were used to identify the monster shark as he had no idea of its exact species when it was caught.

The fisherman claims to have spotted sharks well over 7 metres off the Tweed coast, commenting that this specific monster was 'only a little one'. 

The Northern Star have reported that the giant tiger shark was sent to the fish markets when it was caught and that the only proof of its existence are a set of jaws taken by the fisherman as a souvenir. 

Other reports claim that the body was handed over to authorities with the CSIRO, however a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that the shark has not been accounted for by CSIRO staff.

'We've seen the photos but we haven't got any information that it has been handed in or where it was caught,' he said.

'There has been no indication from staff that it has been handed in to a CSIRO site, all we can say is that it is a tiger shark and not a white.' 

This comes amid reports that a vigilante group of surfers are planning a covert culling of sharks in the area following a string of sightings and attacks along the popular coastline.

The revelation came during a community meeting earlier this week where residents were informed that businesses in the area were facing foreclosure after tourists started avoiding the area, fearful that they will fall victim to a shark attack, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.  

Ballina shire mayor David Wright said he feared some locals may 'take the matter into their own hands'. 

He said a helicopter team, that patrols beaches in the area at a cost of $16,000, are closely monitoring seven great white sharks in the area, which are believed to be up to five metres long.

According to the Department of Environment, several species of shark are known to be dangerous to humans, including the tiger shark. 

However, it states that no shark are thought to target humans as prey, rather the 'majority of shark attacks can be attributed to the shark confusing us with its normal prey'. 

Surfer and conservationist with Positive Change for Marine Life warns that culling will have absolutely no impact on the number of sharks interacting with humans each year.

'Eliminating individual species that are slow to reach sexual maturation and whose numbers are already under extreme pressure from human activities is not only influencing the balance of our oceans, but it is proven to not make any difference on shark/human interactions in all areas where culls have been carried out.'

He said removing them, with little understanding of their behaviour or migration patterns, is simply a 'band-aid solution' that will not solve the issue surrounding attacks in the area. 

(dailymail.co.uk)