19 Shark Attacks in 2008 at New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Sep 04 2008

New Smyrna Beach – Florida – Shark Attack Capital of the World

Published by Evan at 11:21 am under Sharks

The image above is a aerial photo of New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The dark shapes in the water are Blacktip and Spinner Sharks. New Smyrna is now officially the shark attack capital of the world. It has registered 19 attacks in 2008 alone!!! There were 74 unprovoked attacks globally in 2007 (image and statistics courtesy of the International Shark Attack File). The 19th attack at New Smyrna Beach was the 4th attack in 2 weeks at the beach. Concerned? I think I might be. Although I’m a bit more puzzled as to why people keep swimming and surfing there. To give you an idea, the attacks so afar at New Smyra Beach in 2008 alone is 1/3 of the global attacks of 2007! I posted earlier on statistics of the risk of death from a shark attack (pretty much nill), but I wouldn’t discount a risk of an attack in New Smyrna.

5ones and the Fear Beneath both report on the attacks. Check the Fear Beneath for more detailed reports on the attacks. Too bad for surfers in the area because the Altantic is sending a slew of hurricanes there way right now. Meanwhile popular surf spots in California’s Red Triangle have had a string of shark sightings including sightings at Ocean Beach, San Francisco and Stinson Beach, Marin County. Not hugely surprising considering it is the Red Triangle.

Here’s a photo a photographer, Kem McNair, caught earlier this year of a spinner shark jumping out of a wave with a surfer on it at New Smyrna Beach.