ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida is once again the shark bite capital of the world as numbers jumped globally after three years of declines, according to the annual update from the International Shark Attack File.
The group released its annual report last month and found 73 documented attacks last year, a stark contrast from 2020’s total of 52. Experts say the 2021 number aligns with the five-year global average of 72 annually.
International fatalities also saw an increase, with 11 deaths reported. 2020 saw 10 deaths, which was unusually high given the year’s low shark-bite count.
The increase in attacks and fatal incidents is surprising for experts but not a cause for concern, as overall short-term trends of both counts are still decreasing, the ISAF said.
“The spike in 2020 and 2021 is almost certainly because of the expanding numbers of white sharks, which have been increasing in various localities likely in response to a boom in the seal populations they feed on,” said Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum’s shark research program, based in Gainesville.
The U.S. led the world in 2021 shark attacks, but it recorded only one death, which took place in late December off a California beach. A man surfing in Morro Bay was attacked by what appears to be a great white shark, according to a report by ABC News. The man later died at the scene.
U.S. attacks last year amounted to nearly double those of the next country listed, Australia, partly because of its enormous shoreline and its high turnout of beachgoers. Florida makes up 60 percent of all attacks in the country. Hawaii is second on the list, but Florida boasts a total of 896 attacks since 1837, compared to Hawaii’s 182.
While Florida is the biggest fish among state shark bites, Volusia County continues to hold the title of shark-bite capital of the world, accounting for 63 percent of all Florida attacks, the ISAF said. Last year, Florida reported 28 attacks, 17 of which took place in Volusia. That number is striking to experts given its departure from Volusia’s five-year average of nine incidents a year, ISAF records show.
“However, Volusia County experiences considerable variation in the number of bites from one year to the next,” the ISAF said.
Bull sharks appear to be responsible for most Florida attacks, with blacktips not far behind. Both sharks prefer to swim in shallow coastal water, but the former is known to be extremely aggressive and dangerous toward humans, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Blacktips aren’t known to be as aggressive but are much more prevalent in Florida’s waters.
Every year, thousands of blacktips — 3 to 5 feet on average — make their way from North Carolina south to Florida, said Tyler Bowling, a manager at the ISAF.
“There’s a lot of them out there,” he said. “In fact, if you’re walking the beach at sunrise, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll see one riding in the waves.”
