A geospatial analysis of shark attack rates for the east coast of Florida: 1994–2009

Abstract

Shark attacks have historically been studied from a viewpoint of encounter number per region and so limited to the areas in which the attacks occurred. In this exploratory modeling study, the goal was to examine whether an area-specific cluster analysis algorithm undertaken with a modern cluster analysis tool (SaTScan TM 9.1.0) could enhance our spatial and spatio-temporal understanding of attack patterns. The data used were from Florida's east coast between 1994 and 2009. The program suggests several high-and low-risk areas for shark attacks. The results are discussed from a quantitative rather than qualitative perspective.

The Importance of Academic Research in the Field of Shark-Human Interactions: A Three-Pronged Approach to a Better Understanding of Shark Encounters

“…It is true that surfers are the most exposed group when it comes to contact with sharks [33], but the idea of a mistake, as a cause for bites, is not true [6,7]. We have shown that there is no mistake when a white shark bites a surfer [7].…”

“…The obvious shortcoming of such numbers is that they cannot be easily compared, except for the actual difference since no connection is made to the numbers of people on the beach at the time. To overcome this shortcoming, we defined the term "bite rates," which reflects the ratio between the total annual bites for a certain region to the yearly estimated beach attendance for that region [33]. For our studies, the beach attendance data were taken from the estimates determined by the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA), a not-for-profit association of professional lifeguards.…”

“…The study of shark-human interactions does not only deal with the actual communication between sharks and humans in different scenarios but also endeavors to understand where and when bites occur [33,50,51].…”

Do Lunar Cycles Influence Shark Attacks?

“…Furthermore, it has been shown [27] that e.g., the incident rate of California likely depends primarily on the migration routes of mature female white sharks, Carcharodon carcharias, hence this reflects a one species effect that does not show up e.g. in Florida where other species are involved in incidents [28].…”

“…Surfing incidents were separated because it is known that the highest waves, the best for surfing, occur around the full and new moon, bringing more surfers to the beaches than at other times. Furthermore, it has been shown that surfing carries a higher risk of being bitten than other beach-oriented activities [28,29].…”