Shark attack off Broken Head

A 14-year-old surfer was thrown into the air and left with a graze and a punctured wetsuit after a shark made a bee-line for his board this morning near Byron Bay.

The Northern Star understands the local boy, who was surfing off Broken Head, was paddling back out from the shore when he and the shark collided.

The impact caused the boy to fly into the air and his wet suit was swiped and punctured, leaving him grazed.

It is understood his injuries are not severe.

The attack comes as the shark season ramps up in line with the migration of fish they feed on.

"(Shark season) seems to correspond with the run of Australian salmon up the coast," fisherman and fishing correspondent Tony Zann said.

"The professional industry has virtually stopped fishing for them."

But Mr Zann said shark attacks could happen at any time.

"At any time of the year if you’re swimming or surfing around a great school of fish your chances of being bitten by a shark are raised astronomically," he said.

Mr Zann said sharks were particularly active at first and last light.