Despite a record stretch of beach closures in Newcastle, shark sightings are not showing a discernible increase. Photo: Darren Pateman

Newcastle beaches will be closed for a record sixth straight day due to the repeated sightings of a very large shark, raising the question whether we should be more alarmed than usual.

The number of NSW beach closures because of shark sightings is little changed on previous years, with public anxiety likely to be inflated by the explosion of social media reporting, experts say.

Figures compiled for most of the coast and Sydney Harbour by Surf Life Saving NSW tally 165 shark sightings resulting in beach closures this season, on a par for the same stage of last summer.

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While the closures exclude those at popular beaches such as Bondi and Cronulla which are served by council-paid lifeguards there was no indication that shark numbers were on the rise, said Vic Peddemors, a shark biologist with the Department of Primary Industries.

"Because there is commercial fishing along the entire east coast of sharks of various description, the chance of the shark population going up is pretty much inconceivable," Dr Peddemors said.

Concern about sharks has been heightened this week by the closure of Newcastle beaches since Saturday because of multiple sightings of a great white shark estimated to be five metres long and 1700 kilograms in weight.

"Certainly it's the biggest shark we've ever had and it's hung around longer than any other shark," Newcastle Council aquatic services co-ordinator Peter Withers, who has served in the region for 37 years, said

A late suspected sighting of the shark on Wednesday near Nobbys Head means Newcastle beaches will be closed for a record sixth consecutive day on Thursday, Mr Withers said. "We've consistently seen the big one every day."

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Shark sightings: despite record stretch of closures, little change on previous years