A man has escaped with minor injuries after being attacked by a shark near Byron Bay on the New South Wales north coast.

The incident comes just a day after hundreds of people gathered at a beach in nearby Ballina to protest the planned installation of shark nets in the area.

The man in his 30s was taken to hospital after reportedly suffering three puncture wounds to his upper thigh.

It’s understood the surfer was waiting to catch a wave off a beach between Suffolk Park and Broken Head around 7.30 am when the shark attacked from below.

It is the third shark attack in the area within a month.

The New South Wales Government has committed to installing shark nets.

– TiVi Tuan-san