Shark attacks: 2008 figures could indicate troubling trend for West Coast

Here's something to ponder as you plan your next surfing trip: There were five unprovoked shark attacks along the West Coast, slightly more than double the number for 2007. All involved great white sharks, but only one attack -- that on swimmer David Martin off Solana Beach in April -- was fatal.

The others involved surfers (two) and kayakers (two) and occurred off Huntington Beach, Santa Catalina Island, Santa Barbara and Tomales Bay in Northern California. This is according to the Shark Research Committee, which keeps track of attacks occurring along the West Coast.

Martin reportedly became the third confirmed fatal shark-attack victim during the 21st century. The 2008 figures bring to 42 the total number of authenticated shark attacks along the West Coast during the first eight years of the century -- more than five times the 20th century annual average.

It might be simply because more people venturing into the ocean. It could also be that more white sharks are milling off Southern California, perhaps taking advantage of an exploding population of California sea lions. Or it could be that both factors are in play.

Not included were attacks occurring elsewhere in the United States or internationally, notably three bull shark attacks -- two of them fatal -- on surfers off Zihuatanejo, Mexico, last spring.

I was present during that bizarre, Jaws-like scare. Hopefully, there will be no repeat in 2009. Here's also hoping that fewer white sharks off the West Coast will mistake people for prey.

--Pete Thomas

Photo (top): A sign is posted at Fletcher Cove Park in Solana Beach a day after David Martin was fatally attacked. Credit: Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times. Photo (bottom): A sign cautions beachgoers just south of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, after three shark attacks, two of them fatal. Credit: Pete Thomas / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[RIC D.T. WILSON]

Those that use the water need to wise up to the changes caused by global warming, increased radiation, overfishing at sea and population growth. Throw in the agendas of tourism and conservation amidst a global economic crisis that brings out much more greed and a false sense of security will ensure more shark incidents. Take much more care people as folk do going missing more than you will be told about. From one of Australia's longest serving voluntary beach patrol pilots and researcher.

[Ben]

5 Great White incidents in a year is not uncommon. What is rare is that any of the incidents occurred south of pt. conception. This is a sign that the water was abnormally COLD in 2008. This corellates well with recorded global temperatures in the past year. In other words, this has nothing to do with GW.

[California Surfing]

I think with so few attacks any attempt to correlate this to anything is just a small sample fallacy. Just go surfing and live your life, hopefully a shark never decides to bite you.

[Bust Trusts]

Exactly: you are more likely to die in a comets strike than from a shark attack. A comet hits every 100 million years, and would kill all humans; sharks kill a couple dozen per year, max.

[Forxa Barxa]

Seems like the increased shark attacks might be symptomatic of the Australian coast off of Sydney. Check out the Sydney Morning Herald's website. I read off three Great White shark attacks on swimmers last week.
http://www.smh.com.au/

[2 cents]

global warming? tourism agenda? greed? more go missing than we're told about? it's a joke, right?

[Andrew]

mmmmmm. only reminds me of NY Times´ "summer of the shark" story posted a few days before the september 11 attacks. Seeing a trend where none exist. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0DE3D61439F936A3575AC0A9679C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

[squidman]

The water was not cold in 2008 in Santa Barbara, in fact it never got colder than 14 deg C for more than two weeks. I've seen more GW near shore than I've ever seen. They were small sharks but still great whites.

Temp has been closer to 13 deg C lately but this is normal. The news of shark attack here has been suppressed. I've not heard of it but this is a tourist merchant-run town...

[Pat Judd]

Right On "California Surfing." To think an increase in shark attacks is from radiation, population growth and increased fishing is nonsense. The sea lion population increased in California and the water temp got colder, thus sharks are hunting more and doing so further south. 9.5 out of 10 sharks don't attack humans to eat for crying out loud. It's there way of check out what something is or what's something is doing in it's domain.

[James Sullivan]

It could also be that more white sharks are milling off Southern California, perhaps taking advantage of an exploding population of California sea lions.

Gee ya think?!?

[c earl jr]

I agree with the correlations between comet attacks and global card sharks... The centigrade differential and LIBERAL BIAS OF THE GULFSTREAM MEDIA makes this an issue of great importance for consideration because it raises the question "How does one define and 'unprovoked' attack?" Can you speak for how provoked the shark feels...?

[stanley]

Yeah, go ahead and live your life, go swimming, surfing, and hope you won't end up in a shark's stomache. I don't care which way you say it. One attack on a human life is one to many.

[Mike]

I remember reading a story a while back about scientists in Zihutanejo investigating the theory that the sharks around there have developed a taste for human flesh due to so many bodies being dumped into the local waters by the drug loards.

[El Guapo]

I've grown up in the water from Santa Barbara to HB. I'm in it five days a week. Yes, they're are more sharks and big ones cruising our coastline, especially between Malibu and Lowers. Stay out of the water. Sharks especially like to eat kooks transplanted kooks.

Jesus, more cockemamy sensationalistic horsesh*^ from the liberal Times.

[Senor Huge]

Anyone who uses the word kook should be the first one eaten.

[Just_The_Facts]

The Al Gorefantics don't get it. The waters off of SoCal are getting colder. Hence, more great white sightings. Historically great whites do not venture south of Point Conception as the water was too warm. Global warming is a hoax. Climate change is caused by solar activity not mankind. Get over it.

[William]

Most importantly, all were surfers. A surfer on a board looks like a sea lion from underneath with the arms and legs flailing etc. Same in Hawaii, same in Florida. Do some research on how many divers get attacked by sharks. Many of us go looking for them and get close but guess what? We don't look like something they normally eat.

[anonymous]

To all the people that say sharks dont like the wamer water....

Could you explain all the great whites in South Africa.... the water is really warm there and there are a lot of great whites.

[FeelLikeAStranger]

This is great. Don't go surfing people. There are sharks everywhere that will kill you. Surfing is dangerous. Stay out of the water.

[Guy]

White Sharks will eat anything if it's hungry it's nature, it's not like they can go to mcdonalds and buy food. You said it attacked only sufers, read the article carefully it also attacked people in kayaks. Some people here have to also learn their geography a bit. Australia is White Shark haven, if you did'nt know by now.

[ProShark]

Ok, so what does it take to just stay out of shark territory, they were there first, so stay the heck out of their water. Seriously, why is this so hard? If you flailed around in bear country and were attacked by a bear, is it a "Bear Attack? No! It's nature regulating on your butt, so you need to listen up.

[Tristan]

Listen to our tribute to sharks... SHARK ATTACK
http://www.myspace.com/shieldsbrothersband

Shark Attack, is a social commentary on the political and environmental implications of globalization -- or -- it could just be about sharks. You decide!

Tristan Shields
www.shieldsbrothersband.com

[Jimmy Dean]

PRetty scary stuff dude, pretty scary!

www.anonweb.pro.tc

[David Whitten]

In my opinion, I blame these attacks on the Clinton administration. Or, better yet, the Great White Sharks are following the teachings of Satan & making human offerings for immortality. Perhaps, these animals have received secret messages from those attending Bohemian Grove ceremonies. Do you think they these attacks are related to JFK?

[Ryan]

This is just another example of fuzzy math statistics. Read this article at www.DailyHuman.com....