World's Most Dangerous Shark Infested Waters

Exploring the Behaviour of Sharks in Their Habitat

Mar 17, 2009

Shark attacks on humans mostly occur in near-shore locations but where do the majority of attacks take place? Which seas and beaches are the most dangerous?

The authority on shark attack behaviour is the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) which provides reliable statistical analysis on worldwide attacks. Their reliable data focuses on ‘unprovoked attacks’ which is one that “occurs in its natural habitat without human provocation of the shark”.

Shark Attack Patterns and Statistics

The shark attack can be categorised into three main types. ‘Hit and run’, the most common, often results in fewer fatalities and are most likely to be mistaken identity attacks. The victim rarely sees the shark. ‘Bump and bite’ involves circling and bumping prior to attack and the ‘sneak’ attack happens without warning. The following information is provided by the ISAF,

Notice that although Florida has the highest incidence of reported attacks it is Australia that holds the highest fatality rate and is therefore a greater risk locality for fatal attacks. In terms of fatalities the great white shark is the most heavily implicated with 47% of attacks in comparison to 21% tiger shark and 17% bull shark respectively between 1580-2007, according to the ISAF. However, they do treat these figures with caution based on the difficulty of accurately identifying the species involved in every incident.

Beware of the Red Triangle

The area off the coast of northern California that extends from Bodega Bay, out to the Farallon Islands, and down to Monterey Bay has been deemed the 'Red Triangle' or 'Bloody Triangle'. The name, of course, refers to the shark infested waters that are considered the most densely populated in the world for great whites. The ISAF reports that since records began in 1580, 75% of California’s attacks were made by great whites. This is way above the estimated 47% world-wide figure. Reasons for the unusually high white shark presence in the Red Triangle is thought to be related to the high seal population which is their main source of food. Surfers are also attracted to the area, in particular, beaches such as Stinson and Bolinas. Hank Wangford highlights in his 28 May 2008 article ‘San Francisco’s Wild West’ in the Guardian that surfers use the Red Triangle’s known shark risk as an extra “thrill”. Although the odds of any shark attack are extremely low, the ISAF has identified surfers amongst the prime targets.

Sydney Shark Attacks

In 2009 a series of shark attacks has hit Sydney, most notably a 15-year-old boy named Andrew Lindop who was out surfing with his father. The boy was bitten on his left leg and was thought to have been the target of a great white following a characteristic hit and run attack in which the shark surged from beneath the intended victim. This was the third attack along Sydney’s coastline in only a month which saw another surfer at Bondi beach targeted as well as an attack on a navy diver at Sydney Harbour.

Any analysis of shark infested waters would not be complete without a mention of Volusia County, Florida. Richard Luscombe reports in The Observer that Volusia is the “shark attack capital of the world” due to the fact that “It has more recorded incidents per square mile than any other beach on earth”. This is despite South Africa having 214 attacks with 42 fatalities in the last century according to the ISAF. South Africa also ranks very high in the 6 November 2008 article by Molly Edmonds, '10 Most Dangerous Places for Shark Attacks'.

The ISAF conclude that “The number of shark–human interactions occurring in a given year is directly correlated to the amount of time humans spend in the sea”. They also point out that “efficiency in discovering and investigating attacks has increased greatly over the past decade, leading to further increases in attack number”.

These findings go a long way to dispelling the myth that predatory sharks are targeting humans with greater ferocity or intention. In fact, the great white shark is often demonised and is now a protected species having been over-fished. Survivors of attacks such as Rodney Fox have also led campaigns for shark protection.

The copyright of the article World's Most Dangerous Shark Infested Waters in Saltwater Fish is owned by Martin Sleigh. Permission to republish World's Most Dangerous Shark Infested Waters in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.