About the Shark Research Committee


Guest Speaker
         and
Media Consultant

Pacific Coast
Shark News

Sharks of the Pacific Coast

White Shark Biosketch

Distribution and Diet of Pacific Coast White Sharks

Predatory Behavior of Pacific Coast White Sharks

Shark/Human Interactions Along the Pacific Coast

Pacific Coast
Shark Attack
Statistics


Fatal Pacific Coast Shark Attacks
1900  —  Present

Shark Attacks Along the Pacific Coast - 2000 —

Shark Attacks Along the Pacific Coast - 1990s

Case Histories of Unprovoked White Shark Attacks:

  Divers
  Kayakers
  Surfers
  Swimmers

White Shark Interactions with Inanimate Objects

Publications

Shark Encounters:

White Shark Encounters Along the Pacific Coast

Soupfin Shark Encounter

Reporting Forms:

  Shark Attack

  Shark Encounter

  Shark Predation

Shark Web Sites:

Recommended Links

Pacific Coast Shark News 2007

Ft. Kronkite Rodeo Beach  —  The following information was obtained from Matt at SurfPulse. An inquiry for additional data has been made to the individual that reported this incident to SurfPulse. "On Sunday 11/18/07 a 12' – 14' Great White Shark mauled a seal just outside the line up at Ft. Kronkite Rodeo Beach, located at the end of Rodeo Canyon on the Cronkite U. S. Army Base in Marin County. Surfers Jack Wolford and Lucy Ben-Avrem made an expeditious exit from the water as the shark made mince meat of the seal, no more than 60 yards from the beach. Several witnesses described a large pool of blood, carcass parts, and tail thrashing, as the two surfers were paddling for the shore. Beach closed for at least 24 hrs." Pleases report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Venice Beach  —  On October 7, 2007 Sam Bendall was surfing near the Venice Pier. It was between 8:00 and 8:30 PM and he had been on the water one hour. He was 80 – 100 feet from shore in water 4 – 6 feet deep. There was a light fog with a mild breeze. There were 1 – 3 foot wave sets with a glassy ocean surface. Bendall recounted; “It was toward the end of my session and I was heading back out when I felt a sharp stinging sensation on my left hand at the end of my paddle. I immediately reacted by pulling my hand out of the water and as I looked back I saw a brownish figure in the corner of my eye. It looked to be about 3-4 feet in length. I immediately headed for shore and assessed my injuries. I suffered minor scrapes and bleeding with no deep wounds. I have 4 scratch marks that were equally spaced in a half circular pattern on my left hand by the base of my thumb and wrist. The scratches range from the top one being the longest in length, and deepest, to the ones below it becoming shorter and less deep.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Venice Breakwater  —  On October 7, 2007 Ilda Jacobsen was surfing near the Venice Breakwater. It was dusk, about 6:40 PM with a clear sky and an air temperature of about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. She had been on the water 40 minutes. There was a slight on shore breeze with 1 – 3 foot waves. The ocean floor was sandy and 6 – 8 feet deep with a water temperature of about 62 degrees Fahrenheit. Jacobsen recounted; “I was buoying on my board on the lookout over the horizon in wait for the next set. It was dusk, and the evening sky stood orange before me. I was sitting inside the main line-up, gazing at the dark silhouettes ahead when, among the floating figures, I spotted a triangular form cruise by. About 15 inches high with a jagged backside, it moved steadily and slowly in a southern direction. Then it disappeared. Immediately, I called out to my husband, ‘Did you just see that shark?’ He responded that it was probably a dolphin, but a man sitting next to him agreed with me, ‘Oh yes, that was definitely a shark.’ I was already cold and tired, so I took this as a good sign to go in. I began to paddle back to shore, admittedly shaken. I looked back to signal to my husband that I was heading out, and saw a rigid spire about 12 inches above the surface of the water heading toward me. I yelled, ‘It's coming my way’ to no one in general, and hightailed it to the shore. No one else got out. About 6 minutes later, a helicopter flew over the surf, shining a spotlight in the middle of the line up yelling some kind of one-word warning that I couldn't make out.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Santa Monica Beach  —  On September 30, 2007 Andrew Sinagra was surfing at Santa Monica Beach with an undetermined number of people, which included several friends. It was about 11:30 AM and he had been on the water for 3 hours. The sky was clear and the sea calm. Small bait fish were observed swimming in the area. Sinagra recalled; “I was surfing with a group of people just off Santa Monica Beach. We had been out for a couple of hours when one of my friends saw a small shark, about 2 feet long, swim by him. The water was very clear so we could easily distinguish the shark. Then on my paddle out, I and the guy next to me saw a shark, about 4 feet long, swim right underneath us but we didn't think it would bother us. Apparently my friend Cory was bit on his way into the water as well. He saw it as it came up and bit his leg quickly and left. It did not puncture his wetsuit though, just left marks. So they got out and we were just about done as well and we caught a wave in. We surfed up to the shore and as soon as i jumped off my board I felt something like a rubber mallet hit my foot. The water was only 2 – 3 feet deep. I didn't know what it was at first. The guy that surfed the wave in with me said he saw 3 sharks follow us in on the wave and that they were swimming around us when we jumped off our boards. They were about 4 feet in length. As soon as I got out of the water I saw I had a 1 – 2 inch puncture wound with a flap of skin on my foot which immediately started bleeding. My foot was pretty numb from the water being cold so I didn't feel too much. My friends picked me up to keep sand out and carried me up to the lifeguard station where he flushed out the wound, taped the flap of skin down, and dressed it with bandages.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Moonstone Beach  —  On September 27, 2007 Sue Snyder was surfing with 8 other individuals at Moonstone Beach in Humboldt County, California. It was 8:15 AM and she had been on the water about 60 minutes. Scott Paynton and the other surfers were 50 yards from shore with Snyder about 20 yards further out. Air and water temperatures were estimated to be 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It was sunny and clear with a glassy sea surface and 2 – 3 feet of water visibility. The water was 5 – 10 feet deep over a sandy ocean floor. A single seal was observed in the area prior to the attack. The following report was provided by Scott Paynton, a witness in the water at time of attack. “There were nine people in the water at the time of the attack. Seven people were within a radius of approximately 50 yards. The other two were about 50 yards further south. The victim stated that she felt a bump and was pushed off her board. As she fell, she fell onto the shark as it swam by, running her hand along it and kicking it. As she screamed during the initial bump, another witness turned to see the dorsal fin and tail splashing past the board. The dorsal fin was 18 – 22 inches in height. At this point, the seven of us close together made our way into shore. On shore we discovered the 16" diameter bite mark in the back of the board. As best we can determine, the shark hit the fin of her board as it tried to bite. Fragments of teeth were left in the board. Parts of the board were punched through so you could see through the board where the bite occurred. Because the surfer was sitting, no injuries were sustained.” Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Ocean Beach  —  On September 25, 2007 Edward McNulty was surfing at VFW’s at Ocean Beach in San Francisco at approximately 7:45 AM. He recounted; “Conditions were sloppy with a slight offshore breeze and clear, sunny skies. I was approximately 100 yards off shore. Two dolphins had swam south of my position a few minutes before. I was looking out to sea as a wave crested underneath me and I saw a large, triangular, nearly stationary dorsal fin about 50 yards further outside. With the rising sun it was illuminated beautifully. It had a very broad base and was clearly not a dolphin’s. I have been surfing at OB regularly for years and have never seen anything like that. I instantly turned and paddled inside. When I looked back and watched for several minutes I did not see it again.” Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Zuma Beach  —  On September 19, 2007 Julian Bratton was body surfing with several unidentified surfers at Zuma Beach near Malibu, California. It was 4 PM and he had been on the water about 20 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated to be in the mid-60s and 50s Fahrenheit respectively. The sky was overcast with a mild breeze. The waves were 2 – 4 feet at the break with 3 – 5 feet of water visibility. Bratton recalled; “I was body surfing about 25 yards from shore with 4 or 5 other surfers and swimmers in the water. I observed a dorsal fin, about 1 foot high, protruding out of the water. Its shape was that of a shark’s dorsal fin and not a dolphin. I also saw a dark shadow but it was difficult to estimate its size.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Roads End Beach, Oregon  —  On September 16, 2007 Adam Knadler was surfing with several unidentified surfers at Roads End Beach near Lincoln City, Oregon. It was about 5 PM and he had been on the water 1 – 2 hours. Air and water temperatures were estimated in the low 60s and 50s Fahrenheit respectively. A undetermined number of seals were in the area prior to the encounter. The sky was overcast and there was a light rain and mild breeze. The surf consisted of waves 3 – 6 feet and a swell of 4 – 8 feet. The water was 9 – 12 feet deep with 6 – 8 feet of visibility. Knadler recalled; “I observed a large black dorsal fin moving at a rapid speed about 10 feet past one of two surfers. I asked the surfer if he thought it was a dolphin. He explained that the body was too big to be a dolphin. The surfer explained that what looked like a large Great White Shark had cast a large shadow in the water and had a black fin protruding out of the water as it swam past him about 10feet away. The experienced surfer exited the water very quickly. I was getting ready to get my surfboard and head into the water when I ran into two shook up local surfers. They had told me what happened. I returned to my car and grabbed my binoculars. The surfers pointed to the area where they had seen the shark swim past them. I put my binoculars in the spot and sure enough I saw a fin coming out of the water. Due to poor visibility, I could only see the outline of the shark, which appeared to be 10 – 12 feet long. There was also a black fin protruding from the water. The shark appeared to circle around the same spot for another 10 minutes. We saw seals swimming very quickly and erratically around the same general area. It looked as if there were some sort of skirmish between the seals a little further out to sea.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Ocean Beach  —  On September 12, 2007 Joe Stein was surfing with two companions at Ocean Beach near Taraval Street. It was nearly 8 PM and they had been on the water 30 minutes. The sky was clear with the air temperature estimated at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a light wind texture on the sea surface with water visibility 3 – 4 feet. Water depth was 6 – 8 feet over a sandy ocean floor with a water temperature of 55 – 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Two dolphins had been observed by Stein’s two companions prior to the encounter. Stein recounted; “I was sitting probably 50 yards from shore at Ocean Beach, San Francisco, at Taraval Street in small surf, looking out to sea and waiting for a set. The sun had just set. Two of my friends were still in the water, with one 50 yards to the south of me and the other 50 yards to the north. As I was watching the horizon for a wave, I saw a tall dorsal fin cruising along the surface at a decent clip. A small wave came through and I lost sight of the fin. I waited to see it again to be sure it was not a dolphin. After the wave passed, I saw it again, again cruising along the surface, 20 yards west of me, swimming parallel to the beach. After watching it for a number of seconds, I turned and began paddling for shore while the fin was still visible. I yelled to my two friends as I turned, who then also paddled in immediately. The shark appeared to have little interest in me and did not act aggressively or swim towards me. I am unsure of how large it was, as all I saw was the dorsal fin cruise the surface. Once on shore, we watched the water for a couple of minutes, but did not see the shark again.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Will Rogers State Beach  —  On September 10, 2007 Cesar Loera was wading in the surf at Will Rogers State Beach. It was about 12 PM and he had been in the water less than 5 minutes. The surf was very mild and small with a bright clear sky. The water was only 1 – 3 feet deep depending on whether incoming and/or receding waves. Air and water temperatures were estimated to be in the mid-80’s and 60s Fahrenheit respectively. Lorea stated that while standing near shore in shallow water that he observed 6 sharks, 4 – 5 feet in length and black in color, swimming near several surfers. The sharks then swam into very shallow water, knee deep or less, for several more minutes. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Santa Monica Beach  —  On September 9, 2007 Peter Halm was body surfing off Santa Monica Beach, 50 yards North of Lifeguard Tower 24. It was 3 PM and he had been in the water 20 minutes. The sky was clear and there was a moderate onshore breeze. Water and air temperatures were estimated at 64 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. The water was 3 feet deep with the waves about 2 feet and visibility 5 feet. Halm recalled; “A swimmer next to me suddenly bolted and lost balance. I looked down and saw what I thought was a big fish swim by. I think it had "bumped" into him. It was a shark about 3 feet in length with a brown/grey color. About 5 seconds later I saw it again. I then decided to exit the water.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

El Segundo  —  On September 3, 2007 Robert Popa was surfing 150 yards North of Lifeguard Station #45 at the Chevron Refinery & Power Plant in El Segundo. It was 3:30 PM and he had been on the water 2.5 hours. The sky was clear with a few clouds and an air temperature of 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The sea was calm with waist high surf and a water temperature of about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean floor was primarily sand and 8 – 10 feet deep with similar visibility. Popa recalled; “I was approximately 50 yards from shore paddling to get into position for the sets. My marker was the ‘Keep Off Rocks’ sign posted to the right of the Chevron Refinery in El Segundo. I noticed a dark shadow approaching beneath my lower left side. The water was clear and the sky blue, allowing me to see the sandy bottom clearly, which is rare for that area. A dark grey shark, that was about 8 feet in length, swam 2 arms length away from me on my left side along the ocean floor. It continued to swim along the ocean bottom in a relaxed manner towards the shoreline. I sat up on my board and watched it swim for approximately 3 seconds before it disappeared into the backwash. I could not believe my eyes and called out ‘Shark!’ to make the surfers around me aware. I pointed towards its direction then paddled down the beach in the opposite direction.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Linda Mar State Beach  —  On August 29, 2007 Brian Moss was surfing at Linda Mar State Beach with several unidentified surfers. He reported the following; “Today, while surfing Pump House at Linda Mar State Beach at roughly 1:30 PM, I was sitting outside the break line with a couple other surfers. The waves were 2 – 4 feet with relatively clean conditions and a low water visibility of probably 2 – 5 feet. About 300 – 400 feet further out near a flock of birds I witnessed a small shark breach the water vertically and splash back down. Following the breach there was splashing for about 30 seconds that I caught glimpses of over the swells and I once again saw the shark and a vertical tail fin thrashing about. Two other kids saw it and were confused and one guy, who didn't see it, clearly didn't believe me and brushed it off as a bird. I surf Linda Mar State Beach and Ocean Beach 3 – 4 times a week and have seen plenty of dolphins, pelicans, seagulls and seals. I can't really estimate length due to its distance from me, but it was probably 5 – 7 feet. It didn't scare me enough to get me right out of the water, but I did go in after the next set came through." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Marina State Beach  —  On August 28, 2007 Todd Endris, 24, was attacked by a White Shark while surfing off Marina State Beach, which is located 35 miles South of Santa Cruz in Monterey Bay. It was about 10:45 AM and he was about 50 yards from shore in water 5 feet deep with a foggy overcast. The following was obtained from Wes Williams’ interview with Surfline.com. Williams recounted; “The surf was marginal but I paddled out by myself at about 10 AM. I surfed for a while and was joined first by my tow partner Brian Simpson and then Todd paddled out. Todd was sitting about 15 feet north and five yards outside us. There was one other guy surfing the same wave as us, and another guy further south on a different sandbar. Bryan started paddling for a wave when a bunch of dolphins swam by me and started circling Todd. I looked toward shore as Bryan finished off the wave, and then heard Todd yell and looked back towards him. He had been knocked off his board and the dolphins were still circling around him and thrashing. I thought, 'what did he do to upset the dolphins?' Then he started yelling and I noticed blood seeping out into a circle in the water and I knew there was a shark down there. He yelled out, 'help me,' so I started paddling back towards him. The dolphins were still thrashing around. And then the shark came back, launching sideways at Todd. I saw its belly and a three-foot side fin - it looked about 12 feet long. It latched onto him and started thrashing him around, pushing him six feet in one direction and then another, really fast. Meanwhile, the dolphins were doing these big tail slaps on the surface of the water and it was so bloody the water splashes were all red. The blood pool around him was the size of a car. All of a sudden, one dolphin leapt full out of the air and swung its tail around, missing Todd's head by two inches. Todd got back on his board and we started towards shore. Joe Jansen paddled over to Todd and helped him to shore.” Endris underwent emergency surgery at Valley Medical Center Hospital in San Jose. Officials have closed all beaches from Monterey State Beach to Moss Landing, a 15-mile stretch, and are prohibiting anyone from entering the water until Friday, August 30th. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Will Rogers State Beach  —  On August 22, 2005 Chad Serrano and a companion were surfing and swimming at Will Rogers State Beach just South of Lifeguard Station # 18. It was about 1:30 PM and they had been in the water 15 minutes. The sky was clear and the sea calm with small surf. A pod of dolphins, which appeared to be feeding, were observed about 100 yards from the beach. Serrano recalled; “The surf was small and we decided to go ashore. I noticed what appeared to be one or two small sharks about 10 yards from the beach, but when the breaking waves receded I could see at least 20 sharks, 4 – 5 feet in length and dark grey or black in color. They were in knee-deep water with their dorsal fins and tails exposed. I would estimate the height of the dorsal fins at about 6 inches and sharply triangular in shape. My friend and I decided to go ashore. The swarm of small sharks went back and forth in the water for about an hour, right at the shoreline. Then suddenly they seemed to go away. It was now about 2:30 PM and I decided to surf a little before going home. While walking out I was bumped very firmly on my leg by one of the sharks. I was in water just over knee-deep. I got out of the water quickly and did not go back in.” Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

La Jolla  —  On August 15, 2007 David Pollock was spear fishing off the coast of La Jolla, California at a location referred to as ‘Wind and Sea.’ It was early evening, 5 – 6 PM, and he had been in the water about 45 minutes. The sky was clear and the sea calm. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 78 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. The water depth was 15 feet and a sandy ocean floor with several areas of kelp plants. Pollock recalled; “I was spear fishing about 50 yards off the coast of ‘Wind and Sea’ in La Jolla. As I was following the current and looking for fish, about 30 minutes into my escapade I turned to my right and saw a White Shark, about 7 feet in length, following me. I steadily balanced my weight so that I was able to possibly defend myself if necessary. The shark came to within an arms length of me then scurried away. All I know is that the shark looked quite aggressive with a white body and pointed nose. I warned other swimmers as I exited the water.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Sycamore Canyon  —  On August 11, 2007 Chad Stratton and his friend Jason Schaffner where kayaking ¼ mile from shore between Deer Creek Road and Sycamore Canyon, which is South of Point Mugu in Ventura County. It was 11 AM and they had been on the water about 90 minutes. The sky was clear and there was a light wind chop on the surface of the water. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 70 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. Stratton recounted; “We had paddled from Thornhill Broome Beach to the kelp beds at Deer Creek. On our return trip is when the encounter occurred. We were heading West and were about 300 yards South East of Sycamore Canyon when we spotted a shark 10 yards to the South of our location. It circled rapidly a few times and then 'bolted' East. I estimate from the dorsal fin to the tail was approximately 5 feet. I had never seen a shark travel so fast. I was impressed and awe struck at the same time.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Oceanside  —  On August 9, 2007 Ted Lorey was on duty as a Lifeguard at the Oceanside Surf Camp. It was 1:45 PM under a sunny sky with an 8 – 10 mph west wind. Air and surface water temperatures were recorded at 72 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. There was a light chop with 1 – 3 foot west wind swells. The water depth was 15 – 25 feet with 5 – 10 feet of visibility. Lorey recalled; “I was standing on the beach scanning the activities of the Oceanside Surf Camp. I noticed a large dark shape, 10 – 12 feet in length, just under the water outside the surf line about 1,000 yards North of the Oceanside Pier. I was able to see it clearly as a swell passed by. It was moving fairly quickly, swimming side to side, moving North. It did not surface. I pointed it out to another staff member and we watched for quite a while to see if it would surface so we could dismiss the sighting as a dolphin or a whale, but it never did. I have over 20 years experience as a lifeguard and have been surfing these waters since 1969. I know the difference between dolphins, whales, and sharks. This was much wider in girth than any dolphin I've ever seen. Another sighting of this same object was made about 1/4 mile down the beach within a few minutes, and they said it was a shark. There have been other sightings of a ‘shark’ over the past couple of weeks as well.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Laguna Beach  —  On August 4, 2007 Cassidy Guyer was about 1 mile from shore engaged in a long distance outrigger canoe race off Laguna Beach. It was 10 AM and the sky was clear. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 85 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. The sea was calm with water visibility about 4 feet. Guyer recalled; “We had launched our outrigger from Doheny State Beach in Dana Point. There were 50 outrigger canoes and 50 escort boats for the 20 mile race. Since it was a 9-man race with only 6 people in the canoe we did water changes to get breaks. At any given time there would have been 15 people in the water at various stages of the race. We were paddling pretty hard so I’m assuming we had some decent speed built up when the shark approached our canoe. The shark must have been traveling at a fair rate of speed as well because it stuck its nose out of the water and bumped our AMA (the lateral canoe support), and then slowly swam away. The shark was about 5 feet in length, lighter medium gray on top with a white underbelly.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Imperial Beach  —  On July 28, 2007 Jordan Springer and Chris Campbell were surfing near the pier at Imperial Beach, San Diego. It was 11:00 PM and they had been on the water about 30 minutes. They were about 50 yards from shore in water 6 – 8 feet deep. Water temperature was in the low 70’s with a cloudy sky and a full moon. Springer recounted; “About 2 minutes prior to the attack my friend Chris told me to keep my feet out of the water because he had seen some fish jumping around. I was paddling out at the time of the attack with my left hand in the air to do my next stroke. I saw something out of the corner of my eye and the next thing I knew there was a shark on my surf board. It had a hold of my surfboard so I just hit it as hard as I could. It let go and disappeared beneath the water and I swam out of the water as quickly as possible. I was not injured.” Ocean water activities after sunset are not recommended for any ocean user group. Some sharks migrate close inshore at sunset, increasing the possibility of an encounter. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Santa Cruz Island  —  On July 27, 2007 Craig Finch was free diving off the South East corner of Santa Cruz Island near Yellow Banks. It was 6 PM and he had been in the water about 45 minutes. The sky was clear and there was a light breeze. Finch recorded air and water temperatures of 70 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. The sea was calm with a water depth of 30 feet and visibility of 15 feet at his dive location. The ocean floor was sand and rock located in a kelp corridor. Finch recalled: “I was free diving for White Sea Bass near the edge of the kelp in a corridor when I noticed bait fish and Opaleye swimming out of an adjoining corridor of kelp. Then I saw a White Shark, about 8 feet in length, swimming slowly 5 feet underneath me. I did not have any speared fish with me and the shark lumbered by slowly. It was grey looking from above with the area in front of caudal fin lightly expanded not slender like a Blue Shark. It was also stockier than a Blue and heavier body than a Mako.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Malibu Beach  —  On July 22, 2007 Vic Calandra accompanied by 20 competitors was paddle boarding from Zuma Beach to Malibu in the 10-mile Tommy Zahn Paddleboard Race. They had all entered the water at the Zuma Beach Lifeguard station at about 9:00 AM. There was a slight overcast with no wind and a small swell. He was standing on his board using a single paddle to propel himself and had passed Paradise Cove and Corral Beach and had nearly reached the incline where Malibu Road starts. He was about a mile and a quarter offshore with another competitor 300 yards farther outside of his location. Calandra recounted the following to Journalist Ben Marcus; "The ocean was calm when I heard the sound of something cutting through the water. I stopped paddling and turned around and saw something big in the water behind me. I thought it might be a dolphin, but the fin kept coming out of the water until it was 18 – 24 inches high. The fin was about 30 feet behind me and tracked in the wake of my paddleboard for another 50 – 100 yards, closing the distance slowly until it was 10 feet away. That is when the melee began. The shark nudged my board from behind and I slapped at the water with my paddle just as it turned on its side. I got a full look at it as it past my board only two feet below the surface. It was 12 feet long with an immense girth of about 3.5 feet on either side of the dorsal fin. The shark swam laterally three or four times under me as I continued slapping at it. The shark seemed to be very aggressive and agitated. I continued to maneuver my board for several minutes trying to avoid being struck by the shark. This allowed three other paddlers to catch up to me. I managed to attract the attention of one. It was Joey Everett an LA County Fireman and Lifeguard stationed at Zuma Beach. When Everett was about 25 yards from me the shark rammed the tail of my board. Everett yelled, "Don't fall! He's on your tail. I'm going to try and ram him!' Everett paddled up and over the shark with his board and I started swinging with my paddle. I was screaming at the shark and bumping it with my board and hitting it on the nose but I had no idea if that was scaring the shark or making it more aggressive. The shark made at least 6 aggressive strikes at my board during our mutual stand against it. We saw a fishing boat about 150 – 200 yards away and headed for it. When we finally reached the boat Everett went aboard and called Baywatch for assistance as there were still more than a dozen paddlers on the water. I continued on to warn other participants and finish the race." White Sharks are known to frequent this location from March to September. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Newport Beach  —  On July 22, 2007 Juan and Angela Gardea were surfing at Newport Beach by 18th Street near Life Guard House #18. It was 5 PM and they had been in the water about 20 minutes. Water and air temperatures where in estimated to be in the mid-60’s and 70’s respectively. The sky was overcast with a very slight drizzle and water visibility was about 5 feet. Two dolphins were observed about 600 yards from their location. Juan recalled; “My wife and I had just started surfing for the day. Before going in the water the people next to us where telling us that they had just spotted 2 dolphins popping in and out of the water. We stayed about 10 yards away to avoid injury. I was already out about shoulder level on top of my surfboard facing parallel to the shore waiting to catch a wave. Angela was just starting to get in again and was at waist level. While waiting for a wave to come, water is calm at this point, I saw a fin pop-up out of the water, and then disappear for about 5 seconds, then pop back up. It was swimming very smoothly and I knew it wasn’t a dolphin because dolphins usually jump in and out of the water; also the color of the fin was darker than a dolphin. I saw the shark swimming parallel to the shore then it turned towards the shore and Angela. It accelerated slightly but was swimming smoothly and going up with a wave. At that point I was able to see it was a shark as its tail protruded above the waters surface and looked similar in shape to the dorsal fin. I knew it wasn't a dolphin because a dolphin’s tail is like a whale's tail. I then yelled "Shark" and pointed towards the shark to alert Angela. She started swimming toward shore and I proceeded toward shore as well. After getting out we were approached by 2 lifeguards on a truck asking us about the shark. They said they would keep and eye on the water and that possibly that shark was sick and lost but that it wasn't common for sharks to be that close to shore. The shark was dark grey in color and 6 – 7 feet in length ” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Bean Hollow Beach  —  On July 21, 2007 Joel Lotilla reported that a White Shark struck the Kayak of friend, “Dan,” while fishing off Bean Hollow Beach, which is just south of Pescadero and about 17 miles south of Half Moon Bay, in San Mateo County. The victim was riding a red 16 foot sit-on-top fishing Kayak and had been on the water about 4 hours. About 18 kayakers had launched from the beach at about 7:30 AM with “Dan” paddling North to a location about one mile off the beach. Water depth was about 50 feet with the ocean floor a mixture of small reefs with intermittent sandy areas. Lotilla recalled; “Dan was tying a fishing lure when he suddenly got ejected from his sit-on-top kayak. As he was attempting to climb back on his kayak, he saw that a Great White Shard had its mouth around the bow of his kayak. The shark then let go and swam away. Dan got back on his kayak and noticed that he was taking on water and paddled back to the beach. He was not injured. Tooth marks to the bow of the Kayak were about 20 inches in diameter with several teeth penetrating the heavy plastic hull causing the vessel to take on water.” This is the sixth confirmed attack by a White Shark on a kayaker off the Pacific Coast of North America. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Palos Verdes  —  On July 21, 2007 Erik York was free diving with an unidentified companion near the site of the old Marineland aquarium in Palos Verdes. It was 10 AM and they had been diving for 45 minutes. York was wearing a blue/black wetsuit, black wet belt with a silver buckle, black freediving fins and carried a silver barrel speargun. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 68 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. The sky was overcast with a slight South wind. The sea surface was calm and the ocean floor primarily sand with a few scattered kelp stalks. The water was 15 feet deep with 8 – 12 feet of visibility. York recounted; ”I was treading water while stalking white sea bass when all of a sudden a small school of fish darted past me followed by a larger school of the same species. As I looked up, I saw the profile of what I believe to be a Shortfin Mako slowly swimming in front of me. It then circled quickly at waist level then slowly descended to the sand below where it circled a second time. Immediately following second circular motion, the shark began to twitch as if it were agitated. I immediately ripped the calico bass off my waist/stringer and threw it across the kelp beds as to not become prey. I then distanced myself from the shark as it slowly cruised in the direction of the tossed fish. I swam to my dive partner to inform him of the encounter and we headed straight through the middle of the kelp forest. The shark was blue on top, white on bottom with a slightly round-pointed nose and a thick stout body.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Faria Beach  —  On July 17, 2007 Susan Levy was swimming with her husband Eric off Faria Beach, Ventura, California. This location is also referred to as Pitas Point. She was wearing a full black wetsuit with exposed hands and feet. It was 11 AM and they had been in the water 25 minutes. The sky was clear with a 1 – 3 foot ocean swell. They were about 1/3 of a mile from shore with water visibility 1 – 2 feet. Susan recounted; “I was swimming with my husband when I felt a tug on my left foot. At first I thought it might have been my husband grabbing my foot, but then I saw he was about 10 feet away to my left. I looked around but did not see any sharks or other marine animals. We examined my foot and saw that I was bleeding but the wounds were not deep, so we swam into shore. We went to the lifeguard station at Emma Wood State Beach; where the lifeguard gave me antiseptic cleanser for my wounds. I have 4 scrapes on the instep, ranging from 1inch to 1 1/2 inches forming an arching shape. The scrape on the back of my foot, by my heel is about 2 inches long with scrapes going down.” Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Oceanside  —  On July 17, 2007 Geri Buchholz was bodysurfing off the beach near Cassidy Street in Oceanside. It was 1 PM and she was in the breakers with a water depth of about 3 feet. There was a young boy on a short board about 60 feet from her location. She recorded air and water temperatures at 76 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. There was a light haze with little or no wind and small waves 1 – 2 feet. She had been in the water about 1 hour. Buchholz recalled; “I was bodysurfing for an hour in shallow water when I saw the top of the shark's body almost surface coming toward me 60 feet from the South. I've seen dolphins catch waves on their stomach, so I thought it was a dolphin really close in. But then I noticed the dorsal fin wasn't the same and it had a weird shaped body and swam like a turtle towards me. I thought it was a type of sand shark, so I took a small wave in closer to shore but never turned my back on it. When it swam past me to the boy on the surfboard, he saw it before it got to close, and he took a wave in. We both watched the shark swim away to the North. We did not feel threatened and we both kept surfing, keeping our eyes out.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Hollywood Beach  —  On July 16, 2007 John Oleska was walking along Hollywood Beach, Ventura near Oxnard Harbor. He reported the following; “I came across a beheaded seal that had washed ashore. I didn't get too close to look for bite marks on its body, I just saw that the head was missing. There was also a hole in it's abdomen, but it was fairly small and could have been the result of scavenging birds.” Please report and shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Cannon Beach, Oregon  —  On July 14, 2007 Kristopher Larson was surfing off the Northern most part of Cannon Beach, Oregon. It was 4:30 PM and he had been in the water about 30 minutes. Water and air temperatures were estimated to be in the mid-50s and 70’s respectively. The sky was overcast and there was a light rain. The sea was calm with 1 – 3 foot sets. The water visibility was about 4 feet with the ocean floor primarily sand. There appeared to be more than 100 sea birds about 500 feet from shore. Larson recalled; “I was the only surfer out with two kayakers about 200 feet South of my location. I went into the water about 4:00 PM and surfed for about 1/2 hour then returned to the beach to rest for a few minutes. I am teaching my wife to surf so I convinced her that the waves were not too big, so we both walked toward the water. Just as we were stepping into the water, we were shocked to see a small 4 foot shark about 12 feet from us in ankle deep water. The swimming movements did not seem aggressive and looked as if it was almost shallow enough to beach itself. We just stood there and watched for about 30 seconds, then it slowly swam away. The shark was grey in color and about 6 - 8" in diameter. I could only see the top half of the shark, including its dorsal fin and tail. I did not see the head of the shark. After looking online at the different sharks that are common to the Pacific Coast, it appears to have been a young white shark.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

McKerricher State Beach  —  On July 11, 2007 Tad Ulatowski and several unidentified witnesses observed a predatory attack by a white shark at McKerricher State Beach, which is located 3 miles North of Fort Bragg. The sky was clear and it was 7 PM. Ulatowski reported; “A large shark was observed by myself and several other individuals at the seal observation deck. It was chasing a small harbor seal about 20 meters from our location. The shark made a sudden lunge at the seal and the shark's head was briefly seen above the surface as well as the dorsal fin. After the apparent attack the seal could not be seen again but no blood was visible. The entire incident lasted less than 30 seconds.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Long Beach  —  On July 10, 2007 a Blue Shark was observed swimming in the Long Beach Marina. Video tape of the 6 foot shark appeared on local TV stations. Los Angeles County Animal Control Officers responded capturing the shark and transporting it to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. The shark had a hook in its mouth with a short section of heavy test monofilament line trailing from the hook. The shark was released later in the day.

 

Ocean Beach  —  On July 5, 2007 Dylan Mills was surfing off Ocean Beach, San Francisco at Balboa Street. It was 7:30 PM and he had been in the water about 60 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated to be 65 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. There was a dense fog and a mild breeze with a calm sea surface and 6 foot waves. Water depth at this location is 8 – 10 feet. Two dolphins were observed about 45 minutes prior to the encounter. Mills recalled; “I had just paddled back out after taking a wave to the beach. I was sitting on my board resting and waiting for another wave when I saw a dorsal fin pass over the crest of the next swell. It caught my attention immediately because it didn't look like a dolphin. When I passed over the swell, I saw it in the same place going over another swell. It seemed to be heading in my direction at a slight angle so I could see the shape of the dorsal fin. It was triangular but flat on top, possibly bent away from me. It also seemed to be dark brown in color. When it made a sudden movement sideways I knew it wasn't a dolphin and I paddled frantically for the shore. Due to the fog I couldn't see it from shore, nor could I see any other surfers in the water. I've been surfing this location for 25 years without seeing a shark and it gave me a good scare.” Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Will Rogers State Beach  —  On June 30, 2007 Katina Zinner was swimming off Will Rogers State Beach about 20 yards from shore directly in front of the Bel Air Bay Club, which is North of the Temescal/ Will Rogers State Beach and South of the surfing beach at Sunset Beach. It was about 10 AM and she had been in the water 50 minutes. Zinner was wearing a bikini with silver jewelry; including anklets, bracelets and large silver rings. Water and air temperatures were estimated to be in the mid-60s and 80’s respectively with a clear sky. Three fishermen were observed on the rocks in front of the Bel Air Bay Club. The ocean was flat over a sandy, flat bottom, 20 – 30 feet deep. Zinner recounted; “While swimming I felt an enormous clamp down bite sensation and very, very strong tug. I was in a very meditative state as I usually am when I swim and this just bolted me into panic. I yanked my left hand out of its mouth instinctively and swam toward shore immediately hyperventilating for a few minutes, then collecting myself and began swimming more slowly to the beach. I lost a silver ring about an inch long. I have bite marks from the top of my ring finger to the lower part of my palm. Once I reached the shore I immediately went to the fishermen who were aware at that point something was wrong. They had been fishing there and noticed I was wearing silver jewelry and suggested this may have been an unintentional lure to the shark that bit me. I reported the incident to the staff at the Bel Air Bay Club and then proceeded to do the same with the lifeguard at Sunset Beach who bandaged me. I never did see the shark.” Sharks are known to frequent this area during grunion spawns from March thru September. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Avila Beach  —  On June 27, 2007 a White Shark, estimated length 15 feet, was sighted by a boater off Avila and Port San Luis beaches between the Harford and Cal Poly piers at about 7:00 PM. The Port San Luis District authorities said the waters off Avila, Olde Port, and Fisherman’s beaches would be closed for five days. This has been the district policy since the fatal White Shark attack on Deborah Franzman in August 2003 off Avila Beach. "The five-day water use restriction is meant to be an opportunity to educate the public about specific ocean hazards," said Casey Nielsen, District Operations Manager. He said the closure could be extended if a shark was spotted again. The closure will last until 7 PM Monday, July 2nd. The beaches were closed over the Labor Day weekend the result of two shark sightings within days of each other. The sightings shut down the beaches for nearly two weeks. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Sunset Beach  —  On Tuesday, June 12, 2007 Jerry Thompson observed the following; “I arrived at Sunset Beach around 6:15 PM. Sunset Beach is south of Seal Beach adjacent to Huntington Harbor. It was very windy with sloppy breaks. I wasn't sure if I should fish or fly a kite. Not wanting to give up, I decided to travel north towards the jetty. On my way up I saw this big object in the surf close inshore. Upon closer examination I determined it was a dead seal. The head was missing, as well as all of the flippers, and there was a large bite out of the thorax with a few ribs exposed. After taking pictures of the carcass I continued up the beach. About 50 yards from the dead seal I hook a surfperch (walleye). After catching the surfperch I continued north toward a large flock of birds near the shoreline. There was a large object bouncing around in the white wash of the waves. I thought to myself that it couldn’t be another seal……unfortunately it was. I thought finding two headless seals on one beach was worth reporting.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Emma Wood State Beach, Ventura  —  On June 6, 2007 Mark Schulbach and a companion were surfing at Emma Wood State Beach, Ventura. Schulbach recounted; “My friend and I were paddling in heavy 30 knot downwind conditions about 3/4 mile offshore when a sea lion jumped about 40 feet from our location and was immediately hit by a shark. The shark was about 12 feet in length. We turned and paddled toward shore and saw the shark again inside about 50 feet away. To say the least it was a long paddle back to shore. We were on 12' stand up paddle board. The winds were from the NW about 30 knots and the swell was 4-6 feet, feathering waves about a mile offshore. The temperature of the water was probably above 60 degrees and the visibility was hampered due to red tide. The swell was close interval and the conditions were crazy at sea. We were looking forward to the downwind run into the Ventura Pier when we came across this feeding shark. This is my second shark sighting at Emma Wood State Beach in Ventura. My first was on October 31, 2006 where I saw a 4-5 foot shark breaching 3 times within a couple minutes.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Ocean Beach, San Diego  —  During April 2007 Chris Marks was spearfishing off Ocean Beach, San Diego. He was wearing a black wetsuit with gloves hood, booties and mask. His swim fins were green and his SCUBA tank blue. It was about 11 AM with water visibility at least 25 feet as the mixed sand and rock bottom could be seen clearly from the surface. Water temperature was 59degrees Fahrenheit. He had been in the water about 30 minutes. Marks recounted; “ I was diving from a friends 43 foot sailboat that was anchored off the southern end of Ocean Beach, San Diego. I entered the water and headed for some kelp. I shot a calico bass early in the dive which lasted a total of 33 minutes. After getting the fish I placed it in my bag attached to my BC. I then spent the remainder of my dive exploring and checking out the area. After 33 minutes I began to surface from a depth of 25 feet when I noticed a shark heading right towards me from a distance of about 30 feet. It startled me at first because it appeared fairly large, but after continuing to ascend and watching the shark closely I concluded that it was only about 6 or 7 feet long and dark gray in color. The shark was at first heading directly towards me in a calm manner but after I continued to ascend and watch it with my spear pointed in its direction it altered course away from me slightly. Once I got to the surface and quickly looked around for the boat I looked back down and saw the shark do a slow quarter circle turn around me checking me out. I turned and faced the shark at all times as he was doing this. The shark then turned away in the exact opposite direction that I had to take to get to the boat, which was about 100 feet away. As I kicked back towards the boat I was looking for the shark the whole time but never saw it again. The shark stayed close to the sand the whole time and the only view I had of it was from above it looking down. The entire encounter only lasted between 20 to 30 seconds and the shark seemed calm just taking a look at me the whole time.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Monterey Bay Aquarium / April 16, 2007

White Shark Phones Home from Cabo San Lucas  —

An electronic tag carried by a young white shark released in January by the Monterey Bay Aquarium popped free off the southern tip of Baja California on Sunday, April 15, documenting a journey of more than 1,100 miles in the 90 days since it was returned to the wild. The first signals from the data tag arrived via satellite after the tag floated to the surface on schedule, in waters southwest of San José del Cabo in Baja California, Mexico.

This marks the second time the aquarium has exhibited a young white shark, released it to the wild, and documented its travels following release. In 2005, a female white shark traveled south from Monterey Bay to waters north of Santa Barbara during her first 30 days back in the wild. This time the tag was programmed to separate from the shark 90 days after release.

The young male white shark spent 137 days at the aquarium before release on January 16. It grew from an initial length of 5-foot-8 inches and 103 pounds when he arrived on August 31, 2006 to a size of 6-foot-5 inches and 171 pounds at release. The aquarium plans a sixth field season this summer, and will again attempt to bring a young shark back to Monterey for exhibit.

The male shark was caught by aquarium collectors offshore in Santa Monica Bay on August 17, 2006. He spent two weeks in a 4-million-gallon ocean pen off Malibu and was observed feeding in the pen before he was brought to Monterey.

 

Santa Cruz  —  On April 12, 2007 Tim (no last name) reported the following encounter while kayaking just off the Santa Cruz Pier, about 200 yards from the end of the pier on the south-side, adjecent to the end of the pier. Tim recounted; "We were kayaking, heading in, when a fin appeared about 20 yards next to us traveling in the same direction. The fin was greyish in color and was about 2 feet tall. It was hard to really measure, but plenty big to see, rode along with us visible for a good 6-8 seconds. My two companions and I got a good look. My friend saw the back of the shark and confirmed the sighting. He estimated to be 12-16 feet in lengh. I am not sure how he came up with that estimate as I never saw the entire shark. The time was 5:50 PM PST and the water temp was 54 degrees. There were seals checking us out as well and were within a few feet us us on several occasions. Water was murky. We headed into shore and called it a day, feeling like a cross between chickens and smart people. We were in sit on top Future kayaks 18-21 feet long if that matters, 3-kayakers." Please report any shark sighting, encounter or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Santa Cruz  —  On March 20, 2007 Teresa Sullivan and her husband were observing surfers from shore near Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz. It was 4 PM with a slightly overcast sky, the remnants of a small storm that had moved through the area earlier in the day. There was a moderate swell with a light wind chop. A large kelp bed is near a rocky reef at this location. Sea Lions were observed hauled out on a rock with several in the water, including an otter. Sullivan recalled; “While watching the surfers I saw a very large dorsal fin moving through the water. It was standing well over a foot out of the water. I was drawn to it because it had no curve like the dorsal fins I usually see from dolphins. It was also coming close to the surface, but not coming up for air like a dolphin. It was moving very smoothly through the water by the rock where all the sea lions were hauled out. It would swim straight about fifteen feet, disappear, then pop back up in the same spot and swim the same length. It looked kind of like it was doing small laps. It did this about five times. It came up so close to the surface that we could see the dorsal and tail fins come up out of the water. The really weird thing was that there were all these animals around, not to mention several dozen surfers, yet none of the animals seemed at all rattled. A couple of birds whipped out of the water, but there was no unusual behavior. I would expect to see a very quick mass exodus with a big shark nearby. The shark didn't visibly feed either.” Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Bolsa Chica State Beach  —  On January 31, 2007 Logan Ascher was surfing at Bolsa Chica State Beach, which extends three miles from Seal Beach to the Huntington Beach City Pier. It was about 11:00 AM and he had been in the water one hour. It was overcast with a light drizzle and small surf.. Ascher recalled; “I paddled back out after catching a wave and sat up on my board. I was talking to two other guys when the shark passed between us. It circled very slowly a few times, and then disappeared. We all immediately paddled in to the beach and tried to spot it from shore, but never saw it again. The shark was 5 – 7 feet in length, a greyish color on top, with possible markings on top and sides, a flat blunt nose and very wide in appearance. I’m not sure what type of shark it was, although I do know it was not a great white.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

 

Although the following does not pertain to the Pacific Coast of North America specifically, it is an important step forward in conservation and protection of all elasmobranch species. For that reason it has been posted for your edification.

Associated Press / January 20, 2007

Conservationists Rally to Support Sharks  

By TARA GODVIN, Associated Press Writer

The Kauai surfer was lucky: the eight-foot long shark that took a half moon-shaped chomp out of his board didn't go for a second bite.

He made it back to shore, shaken but unharmed, and the spat-out 13-inch chunk of board washed up on shore later that day Jan. 5, the only casualty of the first shark attack of 2007 on a surfboard.

Given the shark's razor sharp teeth, a carnivorous appetite and a reputation as a "man-eater," it's easy to understand why attacks like that grab headlines.

But conservationists are out to rehabilitate the image of the shark and rally support for protecting the misunderstood fish's dwindling numbers.

They estimate 20 percent of the world's shark population is threatened — and they're calling upon to public to give up its fear and start acting on the predator's behalf.

"They're not all just teeth," said Sonja Fordham, policy director of the Belgium-based Shark Alliance and director of the shark conservation program of the Washington-based Ocean Conservancy.

Experts point out that for all the hoopla over shark attacks, they're relatively few and fatalities are even fewer. Last year there were 86 known and suspected shark encounters, with seven confirmed deaths and the shark involvement in another two ocean fatalities uncertain, according to the Global Shark Attack File maintained by the Shark Research Institute of Princeton, New Jersey.

Meanwhile, about 100 million sharks and their close relatives are killed each year, either deliberately or as fishermen's bycatch, according to the Shark Alliance, a five-month-old international coalition of advocacy and ocean recreation groups.

That would make for a fatality ratio of about 1 human to every 10 million sharks, some conservation advocates point out.

Over the past 15 years both the public and government ocean managers have come to realize that sharks — which include more than 400 species — are a more diverse group than the voracious monster portrayed in "Jaws," Fordham said.

"Sharks underwater are just the most magnificent animals," said Marie Levine, Executive Director of the Shark Research Institute. "They just move with such grace you expect to hear music."

Sharks range from the world's largest fish, the whale shark, which grows up to 50 feet long and feeds mostly on plankton and other small prey, to the diminutive cookie-cutter shark, an up to 20-inch, bioluminescent fish that cuts plugs of flesh out of its much larger prey.

Relatively few species pose a threat to humans.

Ironically, the most feared of sharks, the great white, is also among the most protected. In New Zealand fines of up to $172,000 and six months in prison for harming the fish are about to go into effect.

The path to protection, however, is more difficult for lesser known shark species such as the spiny dog fish, which has an unfortunate name and what some call "beady eyes," Fordham said.

Several years ago the Ocean Conservancy faced just such a challenge when it led a push to get U.S. protection for the smalltooth sawfish, a relative of the shark with a bizarre-looking, long snout ringed with protruding teeth.

"When these species are going up against salmon and right whales ... and other endangered marine mammals, they're not exactly the most cuddly of the group," Fordham said.

The campaign — including cartoonist Jim Toomey's sticker featuring a kindly looking shark saying "Please help protect my pal, the endangered sawfish" — brought an unprecedented response and helped lead to the sawfish's listing as endangered in 2003.

Shark finning, the practice of killing sharks for their fins used in a popular Chinese soup, is considered to be among the biggest threats to sharks.

Awareness campaigns and documentaries have brought attention to the issue, which even made it into celebrity news this summer after San Francisco-based conservation group WildAid persuaded the Chinese-born NBA star Yao Ming to publicly disavow shark-fin soup, a delicacy.

But shark consumption isn't limited to Asia. British fish and chips and German beer garden snacks have used the meat of spiny dog fish, which takes up to two years to develop inside its mother before being born, Fordham said.


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