Brad Harvey: Summer of ‘Jaws’ revisited?

Not since the summer of 1975, when the movie “Jaws” first hit theaters, have shark attacks been such a part of the American conversation. It seems that each day is bringing another news report of someone being attacked along the Eastern Seaboard and, just like back then, folks are getting scared to go into the water.

I’m not sure there’s a good scientific explanation for just how many attacks have happened this summer but there’s no doubt that the media has us all convinced that the numbers are up.

That said, I’m not sure how reliable all of the statistical information from the past is to begin with since shark attacks are actually quite rare. These things are so rare, in fact, that most of the information that’s out there is fairly dated.

I came across the following courtesy of National Geographic and it’s a pretty interesting read.

▪  Ninety-three percent of shark attacks from 1580 to 2010 worldwide were on males.

▪  In 2010, North American waters had 42 percent of all confirmed unprovoked shark attacks worldwide (32 attacks).

▪  Surfers accounted for 50.8 percent of all attacks in 2010.

▪  Swimmers and waders accounted for 38 percent of all attacks in 2010.

▪  Snorkelers and divers accounted for 8 percent of all attacks in 2010.

▪  Inflatable rafts and inner tubes accounted for 3 percent of all attacks in 2010.

▪  2010 was the most dangerous year for unprovoked shark attacks in a decade, with 79.

▪  Over the last half-century, there have been more unprovoked shark attacks in Florida (27 out of a total 139) between 2 and 3 p.m. than at any other time of day.

▪  New Smyrna Beach in Florida is the shark attack capital of the world according to International Shark Attack File. It is estimated that anyone who has swam there has been within 10 feet of a shark.

▪  September is the month with the most shark attacks in Florida.

▪  Since 1907, 201 out of 220 great white attacks have occurred when the human was less than 6 feet from the surface.

▪  You have a 1 in 63 chance of dying from the flu and a 1 in 11 million chance of being killed by a shark during your lifetime.

▪  Over 17,000 people die from falls each year. That’s a 1 in 218 chance over your lifetime, compared to a 1 in 11 million chance of being killed by a shark.

▪  In 1996, toilets injured 43,000 Americans a year. Sharks injured 13.

▪  In 1996, buckets and pails injured almost 11,000 Americans. Sharks injured 13.

▪  In 1996, 2,600 Americans were injured by room fresheners. Sharks injured 13.

▪  The U.S. averages just 19 shark attacks each year and one shark attack fatality every two years. Meanwhile, in the coastal states alone, lightning strikes and kills more than 37 people each year.

▪  Since 1959, Florida has had more shark attacks (603) than lightning fatalities (459).

▪  Since 1959, California has had more shark attacks (89) than lightning fatalities (30).

▪  Since 1959, Hawaii has had 97 shark attacks but no lightning fatalities.

▪  Only five people die from shark attacks yearly, while millions of people die from starvation.

▪  Since 1905, Natal (where Durban is) has had 89 shark attacks and 27 fatalities.

▪  For every human killed by a shark, humans kill approximately two million sharks.

▪  Most shark attacks occur less than 100 feet from the shore, mainly around popular beaches in North America (especially Florida and Hawaii), Australia, and South Africa.

▪  In 2008, a polar bear jaw was found in a Greenland shark's stomach.

Each summer, thousands of tourists visit the beaches of the Carolinas and it needs to be understood that, even when you’re not hearing about someone losing an arm, sharks are always present.

Although experts say there are no guaranteed ways of avoiding a shark attack outside of staying out of the water altogether, understanding shark behavior can definitely help to make better decisions about when and where you decide to slip into the water because, make no mistake about it, sharks are at the top of the food chain in most every marine ecosystem.

Understandably, most species of sharks survive by feeding on fish and marine invertebrates. Humans are not a natural food source by any means and experts believe that attacks on people are purely a case of mistaken identity since nearly all of them tend to be a situation of bite and release.

The question that needs to be asked is why did it happen right then and right there?

This is probably best explained by the large concentrations of baitfish such as mullet and menhaden that can be found near shore during the warmer months. Obviously, these are a natural attractant for sharks and if you notice a lot of bait in the area where you’re looking to take a dip, you can guarantee that there are sharks there, too.

Swimming near any of the fishing piers that line our coast is a pretty dumb move as well since a pier is a structure and structure tends to hold a large concentration of baitfish.

Add to that all of the bait and scraps that all of the fishermen are tossing out there and it’s sort of like one giant chum factory.

What it all boils down to is this. Despite the fact that the media has made it seem like everybody that slips a toe into the ocean is likely to lose it, that’s not the case and you’re actually 30 times more likely to be struck by lightning.

Still, it always pays to be safe and being aware of your surroundings and just where you’re swimming makes good sense.

This story was originally published June 30, 2015 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Brad Harvey: Summer of ‘Jaws’ revisited?."