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FWC PUTS SHARK ATTACKS INTO PERSPECTIVE

  The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has received numerous telephone calls inquiring about the safety of swimming in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico after several recent shark attacks, and officials want to put the attacks into perspective.

 “Shark attacks are relatively rare, considering that millions of people swim, surf, scuba dive, fish or boat in Florida waters each year,” said George H. Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville.  “Your actual chances of being bitten by a shark are small.  That relative risk is small when compared to attacks on humans by bees, wasps or snakes, lightning strikes or other natural dangers.  In fact, more people are injured on land while traveling to and from the beach than by sharks in the water.”

Almost all shark bites that have occurred in Florida are of the “hit-and-run” variety in which a small to medium-sized shark mistakes a person’s hand or foot for a fish in the water, and once a shark realizes it wasn’t what it was looking for, it swims away.  The kind of serious attack that occurred recently in Pensacola is rare in Florida waters.

 “Florida has a huge number of people in the water and the number of person-hours in the water is probably higher than anywhere else in the world,” said Dr. Robert Hueter, director of the Center for Shark Research at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota.  “Florida also has a tremendously long coastline with tropical waters, a huge native population and an increasing tourist population.”

Hueter said sharks do not target humans.  If a shark bites a human, it is because the shark has mistaken it for one of its natural food sources such as a fish or stingray.  Most attacks occur in shallow water, typically inside of beach sandbars where sharks may be confined by low tide.  Sharks also may gather along steep drop-offs, near channels or at river mouths, because their natural food items congregate in these areas.

 “The actual likelihood of being attacked by a shark is remote,” said Dr. John Carlson, a National Marine Fisheries Service shark biologist in Panama City.  “However, it’s a good idea to take precautions when you swim in the ocean, such as avoiding swimming during periods of low light when sharks are more active, and avoid wearing shiny jewelry or brightly contrasting colors.  And if you are in the water when a shark is sighted, quickly but calmly leave the water.”

Some other tips to avoid shark interactions in the summertime while swimming in the ocean are:

• Avoid swimming at dusk, dawn or at night between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 a.m., when sharks are more active and cannot see their natural prey as well.

• Swim, dive or surf with other people – never alone.  Avoid swimming off boats offshore.

• Avoid swimming between sandbars, near steep drop-offs, near channels or at river mouths where sharks are frequently found.

• Keep pets and domestic animals out of the water.

• Avoid swimming in waters that are murky or turbid, as the reduced visibility may cause a shark to confuse a swimmer with its natural food source.

• Don’t swim near people who are fishing or spearfishing, or near sewage outfalls.

• If schooling fish start to behave erratically or congregate in large numbers, leave the area.

• If a shark is seen near a swimming area, calmly leave the water, notify the lifeguard and allow the shark to pass by.

 “A shark attack is a possible hazard that must be considered by anyone swimming in the ocean,” Burgess said.  “As in any activity, a participant must acknowledge that there are certain risks involved.   Swimming in the ocean has its inherent risks as well, and a shark attack is simply one of the many that must be considered before entering the water.  Most shark experts agree, however, that there is an extremely slim chance of even encountering a shark, much less being attacked.

 “Although the chance of being attacked by a shark is small, if you do find yourself in a shark’s jaws, the best thing to do is kick, punch or try to jab the shark in the eyes or gills,” Burgess said. “Sharks respect size and power.  Whether that is kicking or beating on the animal, those are things the shark understands and respects.”

For more information on sharks visit the International Shark Attack File Web site at www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Sharks/ISAF/ISAF.htm or the Mote Marine Laboratory at www.mote.org.

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