Record Number Of Shark Attacks In 2015; More Bites Off California Coast Expected
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- There was a record number of unprovoked shark attacks in 2015, according to researchers.
There were 98 attacks recorded worldwide, the most in a single year, and six of them were fatal, according to the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida.
North America saw the most attacks, 59 in all, more than half of those bites were in Florida.
Two attacks were recorded in California, but that number is expected to increase due to rising ocean temperature.
George Burgess, curator of the ISAF data, said the record-setting number of attacks comes as no surprise.
"Sharks plus humans equals attacks. As our population continues to rapidly grow and shark populations slowly recover, we're going to see more interactions," he said in a University of Florida press release.
"We can and should expect the number of attacks to be higher each year," he said. "When we visit the sea, we're on their turf."
To lower the chance of a shark encounter, people shouldn't swim at dusk, dawn or at night. They should avoid areas where people are fishing, or where fish are schooling, and never wear shiny jewelry.
The ISAF advises surfers and swimmers to respond proactively if they do encounter a shark.
"One should not act passively."
Hitting the shark on nose with an inanimate object may induce a retreat. Also, clawing at sensitive areas of the shark's body, like the gills or the eyes can be effective. Whenever possible, get out of the water.
Still, relative to the number of sharks, and the numbers of humans in the water, shark attacks are hardly the norm. The ISAF says spiders, dogs and lightning strikes killed more people last year than sharks.
CBSSF.com writer, producer Jan Mabry is also executive producer and host of The Bronze Report. She lives in Northern California. Follow her on Twitter @janmabr.
