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Pacific Coast Shark News 2007
Ft. Kronkite Rodeo Beach —
The following information was obtained from Matt at SurfPulse.
An inquiry for additional data has been made to the individual that
reported this incident to SurfPulse. "On Sunday 11/18/07
a 12' – 14' Great White Shark mauled a seal just outside the
line up at Ft. Kronkite Rodeo Beach, located at the end of Rodeo
Canyon on the Cronkite U. S. Army Base in Marin County. Surfers
Jack Wolford and Lucy Ben-Avrem made an expeditious exit from the
water as the shark made mince meat of the seal, no more than 60
yards from the beach. Several witnesses described a large pool of
blood, carcass parts, and tail thrashing, as the two surfers were
paddling for the shore. Beach closed for at least 24 hrs."
Pleases report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Venice Beach — On
October 7, 2007 Sam Bendall was surfing near the Venice Pier. It
was between 8:00 and 8:30 PM and he had been on the water one hour.
He was 80 – 100 feet from shore in water 4 – 6 feet
deep. There was a light fog with a mild breeze. There were 1 –
3 foot wave sets with a glassy ocean surface. Bendall recounted;
“It was toward the end of my session and I was heading
back out when I felt a sharp stinging sensation on my left hand
at the end of my paddle. I immediately reacted by pulling my hand
out of the water and as I looked back I saw a brownish figure in
the corner of my eye. It looked to be about 3-4 feet in length.
I immediately headed for shore and assessed my injuries. I suffered
minor scrapes and bleeding with no deep wounds. I have 4 scratch
marks that were equally spaced in a half circular pattern on my
left hand by the base of my thumb and wrist. The scratches range
from the top one being the longest in length, and deepest, to the
ones below it becoming shorter and less deep.” Please
report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research
Committee.
Venice Breakwater — On
October 7, 2007 Ilda Jacobsen was surfing near the Venice Breakwater.
It was dusk, about 6:40 PM with a clear sky and an air temperature
of about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. She had been on the water 40 minutes.
There was a slight on shore breeze with 1 – 3 foot waves.
The ocean floor was sandy and 6 – 8 feet deep with a water
temperature of about 62 degrees Fahrenheit. Jacobsen recounted;
“I was buoying on my board on the lookout over the horizon
in wait for the next set. It was dusk, and the evening sky stood
orange before me. I was sitting inside the main line-up, gazing
at the dark silhouettes ahead when, among the floating figures,
I spotted a triangular form cruise by. About 15 inches high with
a jagged backside, it moved steadily and slowly in a southern direction.
Then it disappeared. Immediately, I called out to my husband, ‘Did
you just see that shark?’ He responded that it was probably
a dolphin, but a man sitting next to him agreed with me, ‘Oh
yes, that was definitely a shark.’ I was already cold and
tired, so I took this as a good sign to go in. I began to paddle
back to shore, admittedly shaken. I looked back to signal to my
husband that I was heading out, and saw a rigid spire about 12 inches
above the surface of the water heading toward me. I yelled, ‘It's
coming my way’ to no one in general, and hightailed it to
the shore. No one else got out. About 6 minutes later, a helicopter
flew over the surf, shining a spotlight in the middle of the line
up yelling some kind of one-word warning that I couldn't make out.”
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Santa Monica Beach — On
September 30, 2007 Andrew Sinagra was surfing at Santa Monica Beach
with an undetermined number of people, which included several friends.
It was about 11:30 AM and he had been on the water for 3 hours.
The sky was clear and the sea calm. Small bait fish were observed
swimming in the area. Sinagra recalled; “I was surfing
with a group of people just off Santa Monica Beach. We had been
out for a couple of hours when one of my friends saw a small shark,
about 2 feet long, swim by him. The water was very clear so we could
easily distinguish the shark. Then on my paddle out, I and the guy
next to me saw a shark, about 4 feet long, swim right underneath
us but we didn't think it would bother us. Apparently my friend
Cory was bit on his way into the water as well. He saw it as it
came up and bit his leg quickly and left. It did not puncture his
wetsuit though, just left marks. So they got out and we were just
about done as well and we caught a wave in. We surfed up to the
shore and as soon as i jumped off my board I felt something like
a rubber mallet hit my foot. The water was only 2 – 3 feet
deep. I didn't know what it was at first. The guy that surfed the
wave in with me said he saw 3 sharks follow us in on the wave and
that they were swimming around us when we jumped off our boards.
They were about 4 feet in length. As soon as I got out of the water
I saw I had a 1 – 2 inch puncture wound with a flap of skin
on my foot which immediately started bleeding. My foot was pretty
numb from the water being cold so I didn't feel too much. My friends
picked me up to keep sand out and carried me up to the lifeguard
station where he flushed out the wound, taped the flap of skin down,
and dressed it with bandages.” Please report any shark
sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Moonstone Beach — On
September 27, 2007 Sue Snyder was surfing with 8 other individuals
at Moonstone Beach in Humboldt County, California. It was 8:15 AM
and she had been on the water about 60 minutes. Scott Paynton and
the other surfers were 50 yards from shore with Snyder about 20
yards further out. Air and water temperatures were estimated to
be 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It was sunny and clear with a glassy sea
surface and 2 – 3 feet of water visibility. The water was
5 – 10 feet deep over a sandy ocean floor. A single seal was
observed in the area prior to the attack. The following report was
provided by Scott Paynton, a witness in the water at time of attack.
“There were nine people in the water at the time of the
attack. Seven people were within a radius of approximately 50 yards.
The other two were about 50 yards further south. The victim stated
that she felt a bump and was pushed off her board. As she fell,
she fell onto the shark as it swam by, running her hand along it
and kicking it. As she screamed during the initial bump, another
witness turned to see the dorsal fin and tail splashing past the
board. The dorsal fin was 18 – 22 inches in height. At this
point, the seven of us close together made our way into shore. On
shore we discovered the 16" diameter bite mark in the back
of the board. As best we can determine, the shark hit the fin of
her board as it tried to bite. Fragments of teeth were left in the
board. Parts of the board were punched through so you could see
through the board where the bite occurred. Because the surfer was
sitting, no injuries were sustained.” Caution should
be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities.
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On
September 25, 2007 Edward McNulty was surfing at VFW’s at
Ocean Beach in San Francisco at approximately 7:45 AM. He recounted;
“Conditions were sloppy with a slight offshore breeze
and clear, sunny skies. I was approximately 100 yards off shore.
Two dolphins had swam south of my position a few minutes before.
I was looking out to sea as a wave crested underneath me and I saw
a large, triangular, nearly stationary dorsal fin about 50 yards
further outside. With the rising sun it was illuminated beautifully.
It had a very broad base and was clearly not a dolphin’s.
I have been surfing at OB regularly for years and have never seen
anything like that. I instantly turned and paddled inside. When
I looked back and watched for several minutes I did not see it again.”
Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your
ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter,
or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Zuma Beach — On September
19, 2007 Julian Bratton was body surfing with several unidentified
surfers at Zuma Beach near Malibu, California. It was 4 PM and he
had been on the water about 20 minutes. Air and water temperatures
were estimated to be in the mid-60s and 50s Fahrenheit respectively.
The sky was overcast with a mild breeze. The waves were 2 –
4 feet at the break with 3 – 5 feet of water visibility. Bratton
recalled; “I was body surfing about 25 yards from shore
with 4 or 5 other surfers and swimmers in the water. I observed
a dorsal fin, about 1 foot high, protruding out of the water. Its
shape was that of a shark’s dorsal fin and not a dolphin.
I also saw a dark shadow but it was difficult to estimate its size.”
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Roads End Beach, Oregon —
On September 16, 2007 Adam Knadler was surfing with several
unidentified surfers at Roads End Beach near Lincoln City, Oregon.
It was about 5 PM and he had been on the water 1 – 2 hours.
Air and water temperatures were estimated in the low 60s and 50s
Fahrenheit respectively. A undetermined number of seals were in
the area prior to the encounter. The sky was overcast and there
was a light rain and mild breeze. The surf consisted of waves 3
– 6 feet and a swell of 4 – 8 feet. The water was 9
– 12 feet deep with 6 – 8 feet of visibility. Knadler
recalled; “I observed a large black dorsal fin moving
at a rapid speed about 10 feet past one of two surfers. I asked
the surfer if he thought it was a dolphin. He explained that the
body was too big to be a dolphin. The surfer explained that what
looked like a large Great White Shark had cast a large shadow in
the water and had a black fin protruding out of the water as it
swam past him about 10feet away. The experienced surfer exited the
water very quickly. I was getting ready to get my surfboard and
head into the water when I ran into two shook up local surfers.
They had told me what happened. I returned to my car and grabbed
my binoculars. The surfers pointed to the area where they had seen
the shark swim past them. I put my binoculars in the spot and sure
enough I saw a fin coming out of the water. Due to poor visibility,
I could only see the outline of the shark, which appeared to be
10 – 12 feet long. There was also a black fin protruding from
the water. The shark appeared to circle around the same spot for
another 10 minutes. We saw seals swimming very quickly and erratically
around the same general area. It looked as if there were some sort
of skirmish between the seals a little further out to sea.”
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On
September 12, 2007 Joe Stein was surfing with two companions at
Ocean Beach near Taraval Street. It was nearly 8 PM and they had
been on the water 30 minutes. The sky was clear with the air temperature
estimated at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a light wind texture
on the sea surface with water visibility 3 – 4 feet. Water
depth was 6 – 8 feet over a sandy ocean floor with a water
temperature of 55 – 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Two dolphins had
been observed by Stein’s two companions prior to the encounter.
Stein recounted; “I was sitting probably 50 yards from
shore at Ocean Beach, San Francisco, at Taraval Street in small
surf, looking out to sea and waiting for a set. The sun had just
set. Two of my friends were still in the water, with one 50 yards
to the south of me and the other 50 yards to the north. As I was
watching the horizon for a wave, I saw a tall dorsal fin cruising
along the surface at a decent clip. A small wave came through and
I lost sight of the fin. I waited to see it again to be sure it
was not a dolphin. After the wave passed, I saw it again, again
cruising along the surface, 20 yards west of me, swimming parallel
to the beach. After watching it for a number of seconds, I turned
and began paddling for shore while the fin was still visible. I
yelled to my two friends as I turned, who then also paddled in immediately.
The shark appeared to have little interest in me and did not act
aggressively or swim towards me. I am unsure of how large it was,
as all I saw was the dorsal fin cruise the surface. Once on shore,
we watched the water for a couple of minutes, but did not see the
shark again.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter,
or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Will Rogers State Beach —
On September 10, 2007 Cesar Loera was wading in the surf at
Will Rogers State Beach. It was about 12 PM and he had been in the
water less than 5 minutes. The surf was very mild and small with
a bright clear sky. The water was only 1 – 3 feet deep depending
on whether incoming and/or receding waves. Air and water temperatures
were estimated to be in the mid-80’s and 60s Fahrenheit respectively.
Lorea stated that while standing near shore in shallow water that
he observed 6 sharks, 4 – 5 feet in length and black in color,
swimming near several surfers. The sharks then swam into very shallow
water, knee deep or less, for several more minutes. Please report
any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Santa Monica Beach — On
September 9, 2007 Peter Halm was body surfing off Santa Monica Beach,
50 yards North of Lifeguard Tower 24. It was 3 PM and he had been
in the water 20 minutes. The sky was clear and there was a moderate
onshore breeze. Water and air temperatures were estimated at 64
and 72 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. The water was 3 feet deep
with the waves about 2 feet and visibility 5 feet. Halm recalled;
“A swimmer next to me suddenly bolted and lost balance.
I looked down and saw what I thought was a big fish swim by. I think
it had "bumped" into him. It was a shark about 3 feet
in length with a brown/grey color. About 5 seconds later I saw it
again. I then decided to exit the water.” Please report
any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
El Segundo — On September
3, 2007 Robert Popa was surfing 150 yards North of Lifeguard Station
#45 at the Chevron Refinery & Power Plant in El Segundo. It
was 3:30 PM and he had been on the water 2.5 hours. The sky was
clear with a few clouds and an air temperature of 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
The sea was calm with waist high surf and a water temperature of
about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean floor was primarily sand
and 8 – 10 feet deep with similar visibility. Popa recalled;
“I was approximately 50 yards from shore paddling to get
into position for the sets. My marker was the ‘Keep Off Rocks’
sign posted to the right of the Chevron Refinery in El Segundo.
I noticed a dark shadow approaching beneath my lower left side.
The water was clear and the sky blue, allowing me to see the sandy
bottom clearly, which is rare for that area. A dark grey shark,
that was about 8 feet in length, swam 2 arms length away from me
on my left side along the ocean floor. It continued to swim along
the ocean bottom in a relaxed manner towards the shoreline. I sat
up on my board and watched it swim for approximately 3 seconds before
it disappeared into the backwash. I could not believe my eyes and
called out ‘Shark!’ to make the surfers around me aware.
I pointed towards its direction then paddled down the beach in the
opposite direction.” Please report any shark sighting,
encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Linda Mar State Beach —
On August 29, 2007 Brian Moss was surfing at Linda Mar State
Beach with several unidentified surfers. He reported the following;
“Today, while surfing Pump House at Linda Mar State Beach
at roughly 1:30 PM, I was sitting outside the break line with a
couple other surfers. The waves were 2 – 4 feet with relatively
clean conditions and a low water visibility of probably 2 –
5 feet. About 300 – 400 feet further out near a flock of birds
I witnessed a small shark breach the water vertically and splash
back down. Following the breach there was splashing for about 30
seconds that I caught glimpses of over the swells and I once again
saw the shark and a vertical tail fin thrashing about. Two other
kids saw it and were confused and one guy, who didn't see it, clearly
didn't believe me and brushed it off as a bird. I surf Linda Mar
State Beach and Ocean Beach 3 – 4 times a week and have seen
plenty of dolphins, pelicans, seagulls and seals. I can't really
estimate length due to its distance from me, but it was probably
5 – 7 feet. It didn't scare me enough to get me right out
of the water, but I did go in after the next set came through."
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Marina State Beach — On
August 28, 2007 Todd Endris, 24, was attacked by a White Shark while
surfing off Marina State Beach, which is located 35 miles South
of Santa Cruz in Monterey Bay. It was about 10:45 AM and he was
about 50 yards from shore in water 5 feet deep with a foggy overcast.
The following was obtained from Wes Williams’ interview with
Surfline.com. Williams recounted; “The surf was marginal
but I paddled out by myself at about 10 AM. I surfed for a while
and was joined first by my tow partner Brian Simpson and then Todd
paddled out. Todd was sitting about 15 feet north and five yards
outside us. There was one other guy surfing the same wave as us,
and another guy further south on a different sandbar. Bryan started
paddling for a wave when a bunch of dolphins swam by me and started
circling Todd. I looked toward shore as Bryan finished off the wave,
and then heard Todd yell and looked back towards him. He had been
knocked off his board and the dolphins were still circling around
him and thrashing. I thought, 'what did he do to upset the dolphins?'
Then he started yelling and I noticed blood seeping out into a circle
in the water and I knew there was a shark down there. He yelled
out, 'help me,' so I started paddling back towards him. The dolphins
were still thrashing around. And then the shark came back, launching
sideways at Todd. I saw its belly and a three-foot side fin - it
looked about 12 feet long. It latched onto him and started thrashing
him around, pushing him six feet in one direction and then another,
really fast. Meanwhile, the dolphins were doing these big tail slaps
on the surface of the water and it was so bloody the water splashes
were all red. The blood pool around him was the size of a car. All
of a sudden, one dolphin leapt full out of the air and swung its
tail around, missing Todd's head by two inches. Todd got back on
his board and we started towards shore. Joe Jansen paddled over
to Todd and helped him to shore.” Endris underwent emergency
surgery at Valley Medical Center Hospital in San Jose. Officials
have closed all beaches from Monterey State Beach to Moss Landing,
a 15-mile stretch, and are prohibiting anyone from entering the
water until Friday, August 30th. Caution should be exercised when
utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please
report any shark sighting, encounter or attack to the Shark Research
Committee.
Will Rogers State Beach —
On August 22, 2005 Chad Serrano and a companion were surfing
and swimming at Will Rogers State Beach just South of Lifeguard
Station # 18. It was about 1:30 PM and they had been in the water
15 minutes. The sky was clear and the sea calm with small surf.
A pod of dolphins, which appeared to be feeding, were observed about
100 yards from the beach. Serrano recalled; “The surf
was small and we decided to go ashore. I noticed what appeared to
be one or two small sharks about 10 yards from the beach, but when
the breaking waves receded I could see at least 20 sharks, 4 –
5 feet in length and dark grey or black in color. They were in knee-deep
water with their dorsal fins and tails exposed. I would estimate
the height of the dorsal fins at about 6 inches and sharply triangular
in shape. My friend and I decided to go ashore. The swarm of small
sharks went back and forth in the water for about an hour, right
at the shoreline. Then suddenly they seemed to go away. It was now
about 2:30 PM and I decided to surf a little before going home.
While walking out I was bumped very firmly on my leg by one of the
sharks. I was in water just over knee-deep. I got out of the water
quickly and did not go back in.” Caution should be exercised
when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please
report any shark sighting, encounter or attack to the Shark Research
Committee.
La Jolla — On August
15, 2007 David Pollock was spear fishing off the coast of La Jolla,
California at a location referred to as ‘Wind and Sea.’
It was early evening, 5 – 6 PM, and he had been in the water
about 45 minutes. The sky was clear and the sea calm. Air and water
temperatures were estimated at 78 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit respectively.
The water depth was 15 feet and a sandy ocean floor with several
areas of kelp plants. Pollock recalled; “I was spear fishing
about 50 yards off the coast of ‘Wind and Sea’ in La
Jolla. As I was following the current and looking for fish, about
30 minutes into my escapade I turned to my right and saw a White
Shark, about 7 feet in length, following me. I steadily balanced
my weight so that I was able to possibly defend myself if necessary.
The shark came to within an arms length of me then scurried away.
All I know is that the shark looked quite aggressive with a white
body and pointed nose. I warned other swimmers as I exited the water.”
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Sycamore Canyon — On
August 11, 2007 Chad Stratton and his friend Jason Schaffner where
kayaking ¼ mile from shore between Deer Creek Road and Sycamore
Canyon, which is South of Point Mugu in Ventura County. It was 11
AM and they had been on the water about 90 minutes. The sky was
clear and there was a light wind chop on the surface of the water.
Air and water temperatures were estimated at 70 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit
respectively. Stratton recounted; “We had paddled from
Thornhill Broome Beach to the kelp beds at Deer Creek. On our return
trip is when the encounter occurred. We were heading West and were
about 300 yards South East of Sycamore Canyon when we spotted a
shark 10 yards to the South of our location. It circled rapidly
a few times and then 'bolted' East. I estimate from the dorsal fin
to the tail was approximately 5 feet. I had never seen a shark travel
so fast. I was impressed and awe struck at the same time.”
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Oceanside — On August
9, 2007 Ted Lorey was on duty as a Lifeguard at the Oceanside Surf
Camp. It was 1:45 PM under a sunny sky with an 8 – 10 mph
west wind. Air and surface water temperatures were recorded at 72
and 68 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. There was a light chop with
1 – 3 foot west wind swells. The water depth was 15 –
25 feet with 5 – 10 feet of visibility. Lorey recalled; “I
was standing on the beach scanning the activities of the Oceanside
Surf Camp. I noticed a large dark shape, 10 – 12 feet in length,
just under the water outside the surf line about 1,000 yards North
of the Oceanside Pier. I was able to see it clearly as a swell passed
by. It was moving fairly quickly, swimming side to side, moving
North. It did not surface. I pointed it out to another staff member
and we watched for quite a while to see if it would surface so we
could dismiss the sighting as a dolphin or a whale, but it never
did. I have over 20 years experience as a lifeguard and have been
surfing these waters since 1969. I know the difference between dolphins,
whales, and sharks. This was much wider in girth than any dolphin
I've ever seen. Another sighting of this same object was made about
1/4 mile down the beach within a few minutes, and they said it was
a shark. There have been other sightings of a ‘shark’
over the past couple of weeks as well.” Please report
any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Laguna Beach — On
August 4, 2007 Cassidy Guyer was about 1 mile from shore engaged
in a long distance outrigger canoe race off Laguna Beach. It was
10 AM and the sky was clear. Air and water temperatures were estimated
at 85 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. The sea was calm with
water visibility about 4 feet. Guyer recalled; “We had
launched our outrigger from Doheny State Beach in Dana Point. There
were 50 outrigger canoes and 50 escort boats for the 20 mile race.
Since it was a 9-man race with only 6 people in the canoe we did
water changes to get breaks. At any given time there would have
been 15 people in the water at various stages of the race. We were
paddling pretty hard so I’m assuming we had some decent speed
built up when the shark approached our canoe. The shark must have
been traveling at a fair rate of speed as well because it stuck
its nose out of the water and bumped our AMA (the lateral canoe
support), and then slowly swam away. The shark was about 5 feet
in length, lighter medium gray on top with a white underbelly.”
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Imperial Beach — On
July 28, 2007 Jordan Springer and Chris Campbell were surfing near
the pier at Imperial Beach, San Diego. It was 11:00 PM and they
had been on the water about 30 minutes. They were about 50 yards
from shore in water 6 – 8 feet deep. Water temperature was
in the low 70’s with a cloudy sky and a full moon. Springer
recounted; “About 2 minutes prior to the attack my friend
Chris told me to keep my feet out of the water because he had seen
some fish jumping around. I was paddling out at the time of the
attack with my left hand in the air to do my next stroke. I saw
something out of the corner of my eye and the next thing I knew
there was a shark on my surf board. It had a hold of my surfboard
so I just hit it as hard as I could. It let go and disappeared beneath
the water and I swam out of the water as quickly as possible. I
was not injured.” Ocean water activities after sunset
are not recommended for any ocean user group. Some sharks migrate
close inshore at sunset, increasing the possibility of an encounter.
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Santa Cruz Island — On
July 27, 2007 Craig Finch was free diving off the South East corner
of Santa Cruz Island near Yellow Banks. It was 6 PM and he had been
in the water about 45 minutes. The sky was clear and there was a
light breeze. Finch recorded air and water temperatures of 70 and
68 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. The sea was calm with a water
depth of 30 feet and visibility of 15 feet at his dive location.
The ocean floor was sand and rock located in a kelp corridor. Finch
recalled: “I was free diving for White Sea Bass near the
edge of the kelp in a corridor when I noticed bait fish and Opaleye
swimming out of an adjoining corridor of kelp. Then I saw a White
Shark, about 8 feet in length, swimming slowly 5 feet underneath
me. I did not have any speared fish with me and the shark lumbered
by slowly. It was grey looking from above with the area in front
of caudal fin lightly expanded not slender like a Blue Shark. It
was also stockier than a Blue and heavier body than a Mako.”
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Malibu Beach — On
July 22, 2007 Vic Calandra accompanied by 20 competitors was paddle
boarding from Zuma Beach to Malibu in the 10-mile Tommy Zahn Paddleboard
Race. They had all entered the water at the Zuma Beach Lifeguard
station at about 9:00 AM. There was a slight overcast with no wind
and a small swell. He was standing on his board using a single paddle
to propel himself and had passed Paradise Cove and Corral Beach
and had nearly reached the incline where Malibu Road starts. He
was about a mile and a quarter offshore with another competitor
300 yards farther outside of his location. Calandra recounted the
following to Journalist Ben Marcus; "The ocean was calm
when I heard the sound of something cutting through the water. I
stopped paddling and turned around and saw something big in the
water behind me. I thought it might be a dolphin, but the fin kept
coming out of the water until it was 18 – 24 inches high.
The fin was about 30 feet behind me and tracked in the wake of my
paddleboard for another 50 – 100 yards, closing the distance
slowly until it was 10 feet away. That is when the melee began.
The shark nudged my board from behind and I slapped at the water
with my paddle just as it turned on its side. I got a full look
at it as it past my board only two feet below the surface. It was
12 feet long with an immense girth of about 3.5 feet on either side
of the dorsal fin. The shark swam laterally three or four times
under me as I continued slapping at it. The shark seemed to be very
aggressive and agitated. I continued to maneuver my board for several
minutes trying to avoid being struck by the shark. This allowed
three other paddlers to catch up to me. I managed to attract the
attention of one. It was Joey Everett an LA County Fireman and Lifeguard
stationed at Zuma Beach. When Everett was about 25 yards from me
the shark rammed the tail of my board. Everett yelled, "Don't
fall! He's on your tail. I'm going to try and ram him!' Everett
paddled up and over the shark with his board and I started swinging
with my paddle. I was screaming at the shark and bumping it with
my board and hitting it on the nose but I had no idea if that was
scaring the shark or making it more aggressive. The shark made at
least 6 aggressive strikes at my board during our mutual stand against
it. We saw a fishing boat about 150 – 200 yards away and headed
for it. When we finally reached the boat Everett went aboard and
called Baywatch for assistance as there were still more than a dozen
paddlers on the water. I continued on to warn other participants
and finish the race." White Sharks are known to frequent
this location from March to September. Caution should be exercised
when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please
report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research
Committee.
Newport Beach — On
July 22, 2007 Juan and Angela Gardea were surfing at Newport Beach
by 18th Street near Life Guard House #18. It was 5 PM and they had
been in the water about 20 minutes. Water and air temperatures where
in estimated to be in the mid-60’s and 70’s respectively.
The sky was overcast with a very slight drizzle and water visibility
was about 5 feet. Two dolphins were observed about 600 yards from
their location. Juan recalled; “My wife and I had just
started surfing for the day. Before going in the water the people
next to us where telling us that they had just spotted 2 dolphins
popping in and out of the water. We stayed about 10 yards away to
avoid injury. I was already out about shoulder level on top of my
surfboard facing parallel to the shore waiting to catch a wave.
Angela was just starting to get in again and was at waist level.
While waiting for a wave to come, water is calm at this point, I
saw a fin pop-up out of the water, and then disappear for about
5 seconds, then pop back up. It was swimming very smoothly and I
knew it wasn’t a dolphin because dolphins usually jump in
and out of the water; also the color of the fin was darker than
a dolphin. I saw the shark swimming parallel to the shore then it
turned towards the shore and Angela. It accelerated slightly but
was swimming smoothly and going up with a wave. At that point I
was able to see it was a shark as its tail protruded above the waters
surface and looked similar in shape to the dorsal fin. I knew it
wasn't a dolphin because a dolphin’s tail is like a whale's
tail. I then yelled "Shark" and pointed towards the shark
to alert Angela. She started swimming toward shore and I proceeded
toward shore as well. After getting out we were approached by 2
lifeguards on a truck asking us about the shark. They said they
would keep and eye on the water and that possibly that shark was
sick and lost but that it wasn't common for sharks to be that close
to shore. The shark was dark grey in color and 6 – 7 feet
in length ” Please report any shark sighting, encounter,
or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Bean Hollow Beach — On
July 21, 2007 Joel Lotilla reported that a White Shark struck the
Kayak of friend, “Dan,” while fishing off Bean Hollow
Beach, which is just south of Pescadero and about 17 miles south
of Half Moon Bay, in San Mateo County. The victim was riding a red
16 foot sit-on-top fishing Kayak and had been on the water about
4 hours. About 18 kayakers had launched from the beach at about
7:30 AM with “Dan” paddling North to a location about
one mile off the beach. Water depth was about 50 feet with the ocean
floor a mixture of small reefs with intermittent sandy areas. Lotilla
recalled; “Dan was tying a fishing lure when he suddenly
got ejected from his sit-on-top kayak. As he was attempting to climb
back on his kayak, he saw that a Great White Shard had its mouth
around the bow of his kayak. The shark then let go and swam away.
Dan got back on his kayak and noticed that he was taking on water
and paddled back to the beach. He was not injured. Tooth marks to
the bow of the Kayak were about 20 inches in diameter with several
teeth penetrating the heavy plastic hull causing the vessel to take
on water.” This is the sixth confirmed attack by a White
Shark on a kayaker off the Pacific Coast of North America. Please
report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research
Committee.
Palos Verdes — On
July 21, 2007 Erik York was free diving with an unidentified companion
near the site of the old Marineland aquarium in Palos Verdes. It
was 10 AM and they had been diving for 45 minutes. York was wearing
a blue/black wetsuit, black wet belt with a silver buckle, black
freediving fins and carried a silver barrel speargun. Air and water
temperatures were estimated at 68 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit respectively.
The sky was overcast with a slight South wind. The sea surface was
calm and the ocean floor primarily sand with a few scattered kelp
stalks. The water was 15 feet deep with 8 – 12 feet of visibility.
York recounted; ”I was treading water while stalking white
sea bass when all of a sudden a small school of fish darted past
me followed by a larger school of the same species. As I looked
up, I saw the profile of what I believe to be a Shortfin Mako slowly
swimming in front of me. It then circled quickly at waist level
then slowly descended to the sand below where it circled a second
time. Immediately following second circular motion, the shark began
to twitch as if it were agitated. I immediately ripped the calico
bass off my waist/stringer and threw it across the kelp beds as
to not become prey. I then distanced myself from the shark as it
slowly cruised in the direction of the tossed fish. I swam to my
dive partner to inform him of the encounter and we headed straight
through the middle of the kelp forest. The shark was blue on top,
white on bottom with a slightly round-pointed nose and a thick stout
body.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or
attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Faria Beach — On
July 17, 2007 Susan Levy was swimming with her husband Eric off
Faria Beach, Ventura, California. This location is also referred
to as Pitas Point. She was wearing a full black wetsuit with exposed
hands and feet. It was 11 AM and they had been in the water 25 minutes.
The sky was clear with a 1 – 3 foot ocean swell. They were
about 1/3 of a mile from shore with water visibility 1 – 2
feet. Susan recounted; “I was swimming with my husband
when I felt a tug on my left foot. At first I thought it might have
been my husband grabbing my foot, but then I saw he was about 10
feet away to my left. I looked around but did not see any sharks
or other marine animals. We examined my foot and saw that I was
bleeding but the wounds were not deep, so we swam into shore. We
went to the lifeguard station at Emma Wood State Beach; where the
lifeguard gave me antiseptic cleanser for my wounds. I have 4 scrapes
on the instep, ranging from 1inch to 1 1/2 inches forming an arching
shape. The scrape on the back of my foot, by my heel is about 2
inches long with scrapes going down.” Caution should
be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities.
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Oceanside — On July
17, 2007 Geri Buchholz was bodysurfing off the beach near Cassidy
Street in Oceanside. It was 1 PM and she was in the breakers with
a water depth of about 3 feet. There was a young boy on a short
board about 60 feet from her location. She recorded air and water
temperatures at 76 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. There
was a light haze with little or no wind and small waves 1 –
2 feet. She had been in the water about 1 hour. Buchholz recalled;
“I was bodysurfing for an hour in shallow water when I
saw the top of the shark's body almost surface coming toward me
60 feet from the South. I've seen dolphins catch waves on their
stomach, so I thought it was a dolphin really close in. But then
I noticed the dorsal fin wasn't the same and it had a weird shaped
body and swam like a turtle towards me. I thought it was a type
of sand shark, so I took a small wave in closer to shore but never
turned my back on it. When it swam past me to the boy on the surfboard,
he saw it before it got to close, and he took a wave in. We both
watched the shark swim away to the North. We did not feel threatened
and we both kept surfing, keeping our eyes out.” Please
report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research
Committee.
Hollywood Beach — On
July 16, 2007 John Oleska was walking along Hollywood Beach, Ventura
near Oxnard Harbor. He reported the following; “I came
across a beheaded seal that had washed ashore. I didn't get too
close to look for bite marks on its body, I just saw that the head
was missing. There was also a hole in it's abdomen, but it was fairly
small and could have been the result of scavenging birds.”
Please report and shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Cannon Beach, Oregon —
On July 14, 2007 Kristopher Larson was surfing off the Northern
most part of Cannon Beach, Oregon. It was 4:30 PM and he had been
in the water about 30 minutes. Water and air temperatures were estimated
to be in the mid-50s and 70’s respectively. The sky was overcast
and there was a light rain. The sea was calm with 1 – 3 foot
sets. The water visibility was about 4 feet with the ocean floor
primarily sand. There appeared to be more than 100 sea birds about
500 feet from shore. Larson recalled; “I was the only
surfer out with two kayakers about 200 feet South of my location.
I went into the water about 4:00 PM and surfed for about 1/2 hour
then returned to the beach to rest for a few minutes. I am teaching
my wife to surf so I convinced her that the waves were not too big,
so we both walked toward the water. Just as we were stepping into
the water, we were shocked to see a small 4 foot shark about 12
feet from us in ankle deep water. The swimming movements did not
seem aggressive and looked as if it was almost shallow enough to
beach itself. We just stood there and watched for about 30 seconds,
then it slowly swam away. The shark was grey in color and about
6 - 8" in diameter. I could only see the top half of the shark,
including its dorsal fin and tail. I did not see the head of the
shark. After looking online at the different sharks that are common
to the Pacific Coast, it appears to have been a young white shark.”
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
McKerricher State Beach —
On July 11, 2007 Tad Ulatowski and several unidentified witnesses
observed a predatory attack by a white shark at McKerricher State
Beach, which is located 3 miles North of Fort Bragg. The sky was
clear and it was 7 PM. Ulatowski reported; “A large shark
was observed by myself and several other individuals at the seal
observation deck. It was chasing a small harbor seal about 20 meters
from our location. The shark made a sudden lunge at the seal and
the shark's head was briefly seen above the surface as well as the
dorsal fin. After the apparent attack the seal could not be seen
again but no blood was visible. The entire incident lasted less
than 30 seconds.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter,
or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Long Beach — On July
10, 2007 a Blue Shark was observed swimming in the Long Beach Marina.
Video tape of the 6 foot shark appeared on local TV stations. Los
Angeles County Animal Control Officers responded capturing the shark
and transporting it to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.
The shark had a hook in its mouth with a short section of heavy
test monofilament line trailing from the hook. The shark was released
later in the day.
Ocean Beach — On
July 5, 2007 Dylan Mills was surfing off Ocean Beach, San Francisco
at Balboa Street. It was 7:30 PM and he had been in the water about
60 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated to be 65 and
50 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. There was a dense fog and a
mild breeze with a calm sea surface and 6 foot waves. Water depth
at this location is 8 – 10 feet. Two dolphins were observed
about 45 minutes prior to the encounter. Mills recalled; “I
had just paddled back out after taking a wave to the beach. I was
sitting on my board resting and waiting for another wave when I
saw a dorsal fin pass over the crest of the next swell. It caught
my attention immediately because it didn't look like a dolphin.
When I passed over the swell, I saw it in the same place going over
another swell. It seemed to be heading in my direction at a slight
angle so I could see the shape of the dorsal fin. It was triangular
but flat on top, possibly bent away from me. It also seemed to be
dark brown in color. When it made a sudden movement sideways I knew
it wasn't a dolphin and I paddled frantically for the shore. Due
to the fog I couldn't see it from shore, nor could I see any other
surfers in the water. I've been surfing this location for 25 years
without seeing a shark and it gave me a good scare.”
Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your
ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter,
or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Will Rogers State Beach —
On June 30, 2007 Katina Zinner was swimming off Will Rogers
State Beach about 20 yards from shore directly in front of the Bel
Air Bay Club, which is North of the Temescal/ Will Rogers State
Beach and South of the surfing beach at Sunset Beach. It was about
10 AM and she had been in the water 50 minutes. Zinner was wearing
a bikini with silver jewelry; including anklets, bracelets and large
silver rings. Water and air temperatures were estimated to be in
the mid-60s and 80’s respectively with a clear sky. Three
fishermen were observed on the rocks in front of the Bel Air Bay
Club. The ocean was flat over a sandy, flat bottom, 20 – 30
feet deep. Zinner recounted; “While swimming I felt an
enormous clamp down bite sensation and very, very strong tug. I
was in a very meditative state as I usually am when I swim and this
just bolted me into panic. I yanked my left hand out of its mouth
instinctively and swam toward shore immediately hyperventilating
for a few minutes, then collecting myself and began swimming more
slowly to the beach. I lost a silver ring about an inch long. I
have bite marks from the top of my ring finger to the lower part
of my palm. Once I reached the shore I immediately went to the fishermen
who were aware at that point something was wrong. They had been
fishing there and noticed I was wearing silver jewelry and suggested
this may have been an unintentional lure to the shark that bit me.
I reported the incident to the staff at the Bel Air Bay Club and
then proceeded to do the same with the lifeguard at Sunset Beach
who bandaged me. I never did see the shark.” Sharks are
known to frequent this area during grunion spawns from March thru
September. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack
to the Shark Research Committee.
Avila Beach — On
June 27, 2007 a White Shark, estimated length 15 feet, was sighted
by a boater off Avila and Port San Luis beaches between the Harford
and Cal Poly piers at about 7:00 PM. The Port San Luis District
authorities said the waters off Avila, Olde Port, and Fisherman’s
beaches would be closed for five days. This has been the district
policy since the fatal White Shark attack on Deborah Franzman in
August 2003 off Avila Beach. "The five-day water use restriction
is meant to be an opportunity to educate the public about specific
ocean hazards," said Casey Nielsen, District Operations
Manager. He said the closure could be extended if a shark was spotted
again. The closure will last until 7 PM Monday, July 2nd. The beaches
were closed over the Labor Day weekend the result of two shark sightings
within days of each other. The sightings shut down the beaches for
nearly two weeks. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or
attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Beach — On
Tuesday, June 12, 2007 Jerry Thompson observed the following; “I
arrived at Sunset Beach around 6:15 PM. Sunset Beach is south of
Seal Beach adjacent to Huntington Harbor. It was very windy with
sloppy breaks. I wasn't sure if I should fish or fly a kite. Not
wanting to give up, I decided to travel north towards the jetty.
On my way up I saw this big object in the surf close inshore. Upon
closer examination I determined it was a dead seal. The head was
missing, as well as all of the flippers, and there was a large bite
out of the thorax with a few ribs exposed. After taking pictures
of the carcass I continued up the beach. About 50 yards from the
dead seal I hook a surfperch (walleye). After catching the surfperch
I continued north toward a large flock of birds near the shoreline.
There was a large object bouncing around in the white wash of the
waves. I thought to myself that it couldn’t be another seal……unfortunately
it was. I thought finding two headless seals on one beach was worth
reporting.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter
or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Emma Wood State Beach, Ventura —
On June 6, 2007 Mark Schulbach and a companion were surfing
at Emma Wood State Beach, Ventura. Schulbach recounted; “My
friend and I were paddling in heavy 30 knot downwind conditions
about 3/4 mile offshore when a sea lion jumped about 40 feet from
our location and was immediately hit by a shark. The shark was about
12 feet in length. We turned and paddled toward shore and saw the
shark again inside about 50 feet away. To say the least it was a
long paddle back to shore. We were on 12' stand up paddle board.
The winds were from the NW about 30 knots and the swell was 4-6
feet, feathering waves about a mile offshore. The temperature of
the water was probably above 60 degrees and the visibility was hampered
due to red tide. The swell was close interval and the conditions
were crazy at sea. We were looking forward to the downwind run into
the Ventura Pier when we came across this feeding shark. This is
my second shark sighting at Emma Wood State Beach in Ventura. My
first was on October 31, 2006 where I saw a 4-5 foot shark breaching
3 times within a couple minutes.” Please report any shark
sighting, encounter or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Beach, San Diego —
During April 2007 Chris Marks was spearfishing off Ocean Beach,
San Diego. He was wearing a black wetsuit with gloves hood, booties
and mask. His swim fins were green and his SCUBA tank blue. It was
about 11 AM with water visibility at least 25 feet as the mixed
sand and rock bottom could be seen clearly from the surface. Water
temperature was 59degrees Fahrenheit. He had been in the water about
30 minutes. Marks recounted; “ I was diving from a friends
43 foot sailboat that was anchored off the southern end of Ocean
Beach, San Diego. I entered the water and headed for some kelp.
I shot a calico bass early in the dive which lasted a total of 33
minutes. After getting the fish I placed it in my bag attached to
my BC. I then spent the remainder of my dive exploring and checking
out the area. After 33 minutes I began to surface from a depth of
25 feet when I noticed a shark heading right towards me from a distance
of about 30 feet. It startled me at first because it appeared fairly
large, but after continuing to ascend and watching the shark closely
I concluded that it was only about 6 or 7 feet long and dark gray
in color. The shark was at first heading directly towards me in
a calm manner but after I continued to ascend and watch it with
my spear pointed in its direction it altered course away from me
slightly. Once I got to the surface and quickly looked around for
the boat I looked back down and saw the shark do a slow quarter
circle turn around me checking me out. I turned and faced the shark
at all times as he was doing this. The shark then turned away in
the exact opposite direction that I had to take to get to the boat,
which was about 100 feet away. As I kicked back towards the boat
I was looking for the shark the whole time but never saw it again.
The shark stayed close to the sand the whole time and the only view
I had of it was from above it looking down. The entire encounter
only lasted between 20 to 30 seconds and the shark seemed calm just
taking a look at me the whole time.” Please report any
shark sighting, encounter or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Monterey Bay Aquarium / April 16, 2007
White Shark Phones Home from Cabo San
Lucas —
An electronic tag carried by a young white shark released in January
by the Monterey Bay Aquarium popped free off the southern tip of
Baja California on Sunday, April 15, documenting a journey of more
than 1,100 miles in the 90 days since it was returned to the wild.
The first signals from the data tag arrived via satellite after
the tag floated to the surface on schedule, in waters southwest
of San José del Cabo in Baja California, Mexico.
This marks the second time the aquarium has exhibited a young white
shark, released it to the wild, and documented its travels following
release. In 2005, a female white shark traveled south from Monterey
Bay to waters north of Santa Barbara during her first 30 days back
in the wild. This time the tag was programmed to separate from the
shark 90 days after release.
The young male white shark spent 137 days at the aquarium before
release on January 16. It grew from an initial length of 5-foot-8
inches and 103 pounds when he arrived on August 31, 2006 to a size
of 6-foot-5 inches and 171 pounds at release. The aquarium plans
a sixth field season this summer, and will again attempt to bring
a young shark back to Monterey for exhibit.
The male shark was caught by aquarium collectors offshore in Santa
Monica Bay on August 17, 2006. He spent two weeks in a 4-million-gallon
ocean pen off Malibu and was observed feeding in the pen before
he was brought to Monterey.
Santa Cruz — On April
12, 2007 Tim (no last name) reported the following encounter while
kayaking just off the Santa Cruz Pier, about 200 yards from the
end of the pier on the south-side, adjecent to the end of the pier.
Tim recounted; "We were kayaking, heading in, when a fin
appeared about 20 yards next to us traveling in the same direction.
The fin was greyish in color and was about 2 feet tall. It was hard
to really measure, but plenty big to see, rode along with us visible
for a good 6-8 seconds. My two companions and I got a good look.
My friend saw the back of the shark and confirmed the sighting.
He estimated to be 12-16 feet in lengh. I am not sure how he came
up with that estimate as I never saw the entire shark. The time
was 5:50 PM PST and the water temp was 54 degrees. There were seals
checking us out as well and were within a few feet us us on several
occasions. Water was murky. We headed into shore and called it a
day, feeling like a cross between chickens and smart people. We
were in sit on top Future kayaks 18-21 feet long if that matters,
3-kayakers." Please report any shark sighting, encounter
or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Santa Cruz — On March
20, 2007 Teresa Sullivan and her husband were observing surfers
from shore near Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz. It was 4 PM with a slightly
overcast sky, the remnants of a small storm that had moved through
the area earlier in the day. There was a moderate swell with a light
wind chop. A large kelp bed is near a rocky reef at this location.
Sea Lions were observed hauled out on a rock with several in the
water, including an otter. Sullivan recalled; “While watching
the surfers I saw a very large dorsal fin moving through the water.
It was standing well over a foot out of the water. I was drawn to
it because it had no curve like the dorsal fins I usually see from
dolphins. It was also coming close to the surface, but not coming
up for air like a dolphin. It was moving very smoothly through the
water by the rock where all the sea lions were hauled out. It would
swim straight about fifteen feet, disappear, then pop back up in
the same spot and swim the same length. It looked kind of like it
was doing small laps. It did this about five times. It came up so
close to the surface that we could see the dorsal and tail fins
come up out of the water. The really weird thing was that there
were all these animals around, not to mention several dozen surfers,
yet none of the animals seemed at all rattled. A couple of birds
whipped out of the water, but there was no unusual behavior. I would
expect to see a very quick mass exodus with a big shark nearby.
The shark didn't visibly feed either.” Caution should
be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities.
Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark
Research Committee.
Bolsa Chica State Beach —
On January 31, 2007 Logan Ascher was surfing at Bolsa Chica
State Beach, which extends three miles from Seal Beach to the Huntington
Beach City Pier. It was about 11:00 AM and he had been in the water
one hour. It was overcast with a light drizzle and small surf..
Ascher recalled; “I paddled back out after catching a
wave and sat up on my board. I was talking to two other guys when
the shark passed between us. It circled very slowly a few times,
and then disappeared. We all immediately paddled in to the beach
and tried to spot it from shore, but never saw it again. The shark
was 5 – 7 feet in length, a greyish color on top, with possible
markings on top and sides, a flat blunt nose and very wide in appearance.
I’m not sure what type of shark it was, although I do know
it was not a great white.” Please report any shark sighting,
encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Although the following does not pertain to the Pacific Coast of
North America specifically, it is an important step forward in conservation
and protection of all elasmobranch species. For that reason it has
been posted for your edification.
Associated Press / January 20, 2007
Conservationists Rally to Support Sharks
By TARA GODVIN, Associated Press Writer
The Kauai surfer was lucky: the eight-foot long shark that took
a half moon-shaped chomp out of his board didn't go for a second
bite.
He made it back to shore, shaken but unharmed, and the spat-out
13-inch chunk of board washed up on shore later that day Jan. 5,
the only casualty of the first shark attack of 2007 on a surfboard.
Given the shark's razor sharp teeth, a carnivorous appetite and
a reputation as a "man-eater," it's easy to understand
why attacks like that grab headlines.
But conservationists are out to rehabilitate the image of the shark
and rally support for protecting the misunderstood fish's dwindling
numbers.
They estimate 20 percent of the world's shark population is threatened
— and they're calling upon to public to give up its fear and
start acting on the predator's behalf.
"They're not all just teeth," said Sonja Fordham, policy
director of the Belgium-based Shark Alliance and director of the
shark conservation program of the Washington-based Ocean Conservancy.
Experts point out that for all the hoopla over shark attacks, they're
relatively few and fatalities are even fewer. Last year there were
86 known and suspected shark encounters, with seven confirmed deaths
and the shark involvement in another two ocean fatalities uncertain,
according to the Global Shark Attack File maintained by the Shark
Research Institute of Princeton, New Jersey.
Meanwhile, about 100 million sharks and their close relatives are
killed each year, either deliberately or as fishermen's bycatch,
according to the Shark Alliance, a five-month-old international
coalition of advocacy and ocean recreation groups.
That would make for a fatality ratio of about 1 human to every
10 million sharks, some conservation advocates point out.
Over the past 15 years both the public and government ocean managers
have come to realize that sharks — which include more than
400 species — are a more diverse group than the voracious
monster portrayed in "Jaws," Fordham said.
"Sharks underwater are just the most magnificent animals,"
said Marie Levine, Executive Director of the Shark Research Institute.
"They just move with such grace you expect to hear music."
Sharks range from the world's largest fish, the whale shark, which
grows up to 50 feet long and feeds mostly on plankton and other
small prey, to the diminutive cookie-cutter shark, an up to 20-inch,
bioluminescent fish that cuts plugs of flesh out of its much larger
prey.
Relatively few species pose a threat to humans.
Ironically, the most feared of sharks, the great white, is also
among the most protected. In New Zealand fines of up to $172,000
and six months in prison for harming the fish are about to go into
effect.
The path to protection, however, is more difficult for lesser known
shark species such as the spiny dog fish, which has an unfortunate
name and what some call "beady eyes," Fordham said.
Several years ago the Ocean Conservancy faced just such a challenge
when it led a push to get U.S. protection for the smalltooth sawfish,
a relative of the shark with a bizarre-looking, long snout ringed
with protruding teeth.
"When these species are going up against salmon and right
whales ... and other endangered marine mammals, they're not exactly
the most cuddly of the group," Fordham said.
The campaign — including cartoonist Jim Toomey's sticker
featuring a kindly looking shark saying "Please help protect
my pal, the endangered sawfish" — brought an unprecedented
response and helped lead to the sawfish's listing as endangered
in 2003.
Shark finning, the practice of killing sharks for their fins used
in a popular Chinese soup, is considered to be among the biggest
threats to sharks.
Awareness campaigns and documentaries have brought attention to
the issue, which even made it into celebrity news this summer after
San Francisco-based conservation group WildAid persuaded the Chinese-born
NBA star Yao Ming to publicly disavow shark-fin soup, a delicacy.
But shark consumption isn't limited to Asia. British fish and chips
and German beer garden snacks have used the meat of spiny dog fish,
which takes up to two years to develop inside its mother before
being born, Fordham said.
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