NSRI Plettenberg Bay recovered the body of a 39 year-old Cape Town woman Sunday morning, following reports of shark activity at Central Beach.

The NSRI and the SAPS were activated just before 8am Sunday morning.

The sea rescue craft Eric Stratford was launched and Plett beaches were closed.

The woman’s body was recovered from the water and brought to the beach.

The Bitou Municipality have appealed to the public to be cautious along the Plettenberg Bay and Southern Cape coastline.

“At this moment there seems to be more shark activities in our beaches. This is very unusual when compared with previous years,” the municipality said.

The municipality said research is being done about possibly installing a shark barrier at Central beach to assist in understanding the behaviour of the sharks.

Police have taken the body into their care together with government health, forensic pathology services and police have opened an inquest docket.

The NSRI has conveyed its condolences to the family of the deceased woman.

In June this year, Plett local Bruce Wolov died following a shark encounter while swimming in the ocean.

In 2015 a surfer was lucky to escape with his life after a shark bite. On 27 June that year, Dylan Reddering (19 at the time) suffered severe lacerations and muscle damage to the right side of his body – injuries that required surgery.

Shark activity on the Garden Route increases dramatically over the winter months due to many factors, including the annual sardine run and an increase in food sources.