A rise in shark sightings and a recent shark bite incident have led to heightened caution among beachgoers on the East Coast. A man sustained non-life-threatening lacerations to his foot from a small sand tiger shark while swimming at Jones Beach State Park Field 6 on Long Island during the Fourth of July weekend, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The beach was temporarily closed while officials searched for additional sharks but was reopened for restricted swimming after about an hour. Prior to this incident, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation warned beachgoers of potential intermittent closures at Rockaway Beach due to multiple shark sightings. Since May, Rockaway Beach has recorded 23 shark sightings, resulting in 23 closures, with 16 of those occurring in the first five days of July.
The city’s emergency management agency reported multiple shark sightings at Rockaway Beach and advised visitors to adhere to guidance from lifeguards. Additionally, lifeguards on Long Island spotted a shark off Point Lookout on July 2, leading to temporary beach closures in that area as well.
In late June, a fisherman released a 5½-foot sandbar shark approximately 200 yards offshore from East Haven Town Beach in Connecticut, with no injuries reported. The increase in shark sightings may be attributed to enhanced surveillance efforts, as announced by New York Governor Kathy Hochul in May. The state is utilizing new drones and operators to monitor shark and marine life activity along Long Island beaches this summer.
Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s shark research program, noted that shark bites are rare, especially with alert systems in place. He commented on the effectiveness of alerts in reducing the likelihood of subsequent bites following an initial incident. The OCEARCH Shark Tracker is a public online tool that allows individuals to track the movements of tagged sharks via satellite.