Shark attack deaths highest in 19 years... You are in the food chain

[SaltwaterServr]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...0210-shark-attacks-deaths-fatalities-science/

A few quick notes. I lived in Port Aransas for a summer doing research and taking a class on estuarine ecology. One of my contemporaries from then Southwest Texas State started dating, and later married, an EMT in Corpus. One day it comes in conversation about shark attacks. He says he knows of three bites on the Corpus/PINS beaches, and attended to one of the victims himself. "Fishing and/or unknown origin lacerations" were supposedly what got reported.

Now go take a look for total shark attacks in Texas for 2000-2001, if you can find it. I'd almost guarantee you that it's less than three. Communities that depend on tourism don't want the specter of a shark attack hanging around them. Business will dry up and go elsewhere, or at least severely damage a summer's worth of tourism that could be worth over a billion dollars in gross economic impact.

Folks it's real simple. If you're in saltwater over your knees you're in the food chain. Having flown over the Texas and Florida coasts in light aircraft, I can tell you that you wouldn't believe how many sharks are around you while you're swimming at the beach, especially in the gut between the second and third sand bars.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Saltwater advice from Saltwater...

I have seen it all.

To the topic...

Being safe is a reality not an option.

That applies to anything.

 

[big dog cowboy]

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Have an original theater poster hanging in my bedroom.

I might have mentioned this before, but when I was in Bimini on a research project there as an undergrad we played a drinking game one of the last nights with the movie. We turned off the sound, and all of us including the grad students and PhD's had to say the next line in succession in the movie, whether it was a character on screen or not.

Worst drinking game for elasmobranch enthusiasts ever. That's pronounced elasmo-braink, not elasmo-branch like a tree limb. Everyone had it memorized, including the guy from Scandinavia. I can have it on, walk out of the room, quote it in time, come back a few minutes later and maybe only be a few seconds off.

One thing that irks us, or it did at the time, is that the scientific names they use during the autopsy were out of date before the movie ever hit the theaters.

 

[Wimbo]

New Smyrna Beach, FL

South Florida beach:

New Jersey beach:

Santa Monica beach:

near Boston:

Waikiki:

Palm Beach, FL

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...0210-shark-attacks-deaths-fatalities-science/

A few quick notes. I lived in Port Aransas for a summer doing research and taking a class on estuarine ecology. One of my contemporaries from then Southwest Texas State started dating, and later married, an EMT in Corpus. One day it comes in conversation about shark attacks. He says he knows of three bites on the Corpus/PINS beaches, and attended to one of the victims himself. "Fishing and/or unknown origin lacerations" were supposedly what got reported.

Now go take a look for total shark attacks in Texas for 2000-2001, if you can find it. I'd almost guarantee you that it's less than three. Communities that depend on tourism don't want the specter of a shark attack hanging around them. Business will dry up and go elsewhere, or at least severely damage a summer's worth of tourism that could be worth over a billion dollars in gross economic impact.

Folks it's real simple. If you're in saltwater over your knees you're in the food chain. Having flown over the Texas and Florida coasts in light aircraft, I can tell you that you wouldn't believe how many sharks are around you while you're swimming at the beach, especially in the gut between the second and third sand bars.

People in Port A are not too bright though, on the whole. I was there fishing the pier one day recently and could see a whole school of Hammerhead sharks below the surfers. I said, "hey, look, there are a whole bunch of sharks." They freaking laughed at me. But I saw at least 20 Hammerhead's and I wanted to catch one. But the surfers never even saw them. I guess they were too close to the water and had a bad attitude towards tourists.

Anyway, I'm not surprised. I've heard of several in that area.

 

[Doomsday101]

It makes wade fishing more exciting. Especially when you have a stringer attacked to you with fish on it.

 

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

That's why I hate swimming in the ocean.

 

[joseephuss]

The article said there were 12 deaths in 2011 as a result of shark attacks. That is one a month. I think I like those odds. Even if that number has been fudged a little it isn't too bad. Let's say it was 10 times that amount and is really 120 deaths in a single year. That doesn't seem like something that is likely to happen when you consider how many people get in the oceans worldwide. Of course the numbers go up for just attacks or bites, but as far as deaths I am more likely to die driving to the beach than from a shark attack.

 

[Wimbo]

The article said there were 12 deaths in 2011 as a result of shark attacks. That is one a month. I think I like those odds. Even if that number has been fudged a little it isn't too bad. Let's say it was 10 times that amount and is really 120 deaths in a single year. That doesn't seem like something that is likely to happen when you consider how many people get in the oceans worldwide. Of course the numbers go up for just attacks or bites, but as far as deaths I am more likely to die driving to the beach than from a shark attack.

THis is true. I grew up on the coast of Florida, and knew very well what was in the water with me. You can't let that paralyze you with fear. Playing in the ocean (skiing, sailing, fishing, swimming, surfing, etc) is a lot of fun & great way to enjoy this planet we live on. Use common sense & chances are you will be fine.

 

[Phoenix]

Use common sense & chances are you will be fine.

Well, that and shark repellant.

 

[Route 66]

We could open up Google maps and have a contest and see who can find the most sharks.