Which sharks are common in Delaware waters? How often do they attack, how to stay safe
They're lurking in the water. The moment you step into the Atlantic Ocean or Delaware Bay, you're in their world.
It's just a reality, there are sharks in Delaware waters.
On the good side, shark attacks in Delaware are rare.
Since 1837, there have been five shark attacks in Delaware waters, according to the database at the University of Florida. The biggest period for shark attacks was in the 1960s when two were reported in Delaware. The last two attacks, according to a DelawareOnline.com story from 2021, were a 14-year-old boy who was hospitalized after a shark bite at Cape Henlopen State Park in June 2020. That bite was likely from a sandbar shark, a state expert said. In 2014, another teen was bitten by a shark, also at Cape Henlopen State Park.
How many sharks are in Delaware?
According to the DNREC, as many as 62 species of sharks can be found in the Atlantic Ocean, Delaware Bay and inland bays. Included in the 62 is the great white shark. The great white, which has terrorized people ever since the movie "Jaws" was released in 1977, is the least common species found in Delaware waters.
What are the most common sharks in Delaware?
Sandbar Shark
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Sandbar Shark, also known as a Brown or Thickskin shark, can grow up to eight feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds. The Sandbar is among the largest sharks found in coastal waters. They live in shallow coastal waters and can be found on the East Coast from Cape Cod to Florida.
Dogfish shark
There are two varieties of the Dogfish shark – smooth and spiny. Spiny Dogfish can grow up to four feet and have two dorsal fins with ungrooved large spines. Smooth Dogfish sharks can grow to five feet. They live in shallow bays, continental shelves and near offshore banks.
Sand Tiger
According to Oceana, the sand tiger shark lives near the seafloor in surf zones, shallow bays and coral and rocky reefs. They can grow to more than 10 feet and weigh 350 pounds. The sand tiger shark is the only shark known to maintain neutral buoyancy by gulping air at the water’s surface and holding it in its stomach. This allows the sand tiger shark to hover motionless in the water.
Atlantic Mako Shark
According to Oceana, the Atlantic Mako Shark lives in the open ocean and reaches lengths of 12 feet and weights of at least 1,200 pounds. It is one of the fastest fish on the planet, swimming at speeds around 45 mph. These sharks are caught commercially or accidentally in fisheries. These sharks are valued for the high quality of their fins and meat.
Hitting the beach: Are Delaware beaches safe for swimmers? Here's what the numbers say
How to avoid sharks
Again, once you enter the ocean or Delaware Bay, you are in their world. So here are a few tips from the DNREC and the County of Maui, Hawaii.
Swim at lifeguard-monitored beaches, and follow their advice and any posted warning signs.
Always swim in a group
Don’t stray too far from the shore
Swim in water where you can see your feet
Avoid the water at dawn, dusk and at night
Don’t enter the water if you have any open wounds or are bleeding in any way.
Avoid waters being fished, bait and schools of fish
Don’t wear shiny objects in the water
Leave the water quickly and calmly if a shark is sighted; if you see a shark, alert lifeguards or other swimmers immediately.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Which sharks are in Delaware waters. How to stay safe
