Shark sightings trigger beach alarm after swimmer is bitten during summer spike
Swim in ‘quiet zones’ of ocean to avoid shark attacks: Shark researcher
Jesse Watters hosts OCEARCH founder Chris Fischer to discuss the early increase in shark attacks this summer. Recent incidents include a New York beach closure due to bull sharks, a swimmer bitten in Queens, and a child attacked in knee-deep water in Florida. Fischer notes a rebound in the shark population to 1960s levels and advises beachgoers to avoid swimming to stay safe while baitfish are active.
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An increase in shark sightings and a swimmer’s shark bite have alarmed beachgoers on the East Coast.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has identified a man who suffered non-life-threatening lacerations to his foot while swimming at Jones Beach State Park Field 6 on Long Island over the July 4th weekend as a small sand tiger shark.
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The beach was temporarily closed while state officials searched for more sharks, but an hour later they reopened the beach to limited swimming.
A few days ago, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) had warned beachgoers of intermittent beach closures at Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York City’s largest beach, due to multiple shark sightings. Rockaway Beach has recorded 23 shark sightings since May and has been closed 23 times, according to NYC Parks.
People enjoy the beach at Jones Beach State Park. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
According to NYC Parks, 16 of these shark sightings occurred in the first five days of July.
“The city’s emergency management agency said numerous shark sightings had been reported off the coast of Queens… and asked those trying to escape the heat to follow the guidance of on-duty lifeguards.” Fox Weather reported.
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Long Island beach lifeguards spotted a shark off Point Lookout on July 2, prompting a temporary beach closure and the closure of neighboring Hempstead beaches. Associated Press reported.
According to local sources, a fisherman caught and released a 5-foot sandbar shark about 200 yards off East Haven Town Beach in Connecticut in late June. No injuries were reported.
If people are warned about a shark attack near them, they are much less likely to be bitten, experts say. (iStock)
The increase in shark sightings in the New York area may be due to increased surveillance efforts.
In May, New York Governor Kathy Hochul made a statement: Press release The New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Conservation, has increased the state’s surveillance capacity this summer with new drones and drone operators to patrol for sharks and other marine life activity along Long Island State Park beaches.
Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s shark research program, told the AP that shark bites are rare, especially if warning systems are in place.
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Last year, the Lulu Gribbin Shark Warning System Act became law in Alabama. It is named after Lulu Gribbin, who survived a shark attack but lost a hand, leg, or part of it in the incident.
The system works like an Amber Alert, sending an emergency alert to people’s cell phones when a confirmed shark attack occurs near the Alabama coast.
“If there had been any warning given, there would have been no way Lulu would have been in the water,” Republican Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, who sponsored the legislation, told the AP. “And so we talked about how a simple change can make a big impact.”
People walk along Rockaway Beach. (Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images))
“If someone is bitten by a shark and then an alarm is raised, the probability of another person being bitten by a shark within, say, two or three hours is incredibly small,” Naylor told the AP.
OCEARCH Shark Tracker is a free, publicly available online map that allows people to track the movements of tagged sharks via satellite tracking.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
