'Shark Bite Capital Of World' Reports Drop In Attacks
Experts Can't Pinpoint Reason For Decrease In Bites
POSTED: Friday, July 13, 2007
UPDATED: 12:02 pm EDT July 13,
2007
A decline in shark attacks in a region of Florida dubbed the "shark bite capital of the world" has some convinced the title should be stripped from Volusia County.
SURVEY: Scared Of Sharks?
Six years ago, international news outlets flocked to New Smyrna Beach and Ponce Inlet and produced headlines like "Summer of the Shark." During the time, Volusia County was dubbed the "shark bite capital of the world" and the title stuck."We had a world lifesaving championship here years ago, and the guys from Australia were worried because we had shark bites here," Volusia County beach patrol representative Scott Petersohn said.Since the "summer of the shark," attacks and encounters have continued to decrease, leading many people to believe that Volusia County should be stripped of its unpopular shark capital title, WKMG-TV reported."No news is good news for tourism," Petersohn said. "We are at five (shark bites) right now, and we are over halfway through the year.Experts said overfishing of sharks may have led to the shark bite decline.They said it is also possible sharks may have moved on to different regions, following bait fish to different shores.However, experts are not able to pinpoint exactly why shark bites have decreased in Volusia County."It is awesome," beachgoer Annette Linam said about the decline in shark encounters. "They're in there (though). I don't know. I don't know if it because of the water or weather."Biologists also pointed out that the summer season may be halfway finished but the habits of sharks are unpredictable.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
SURVEY: Scared Of Sharks? Six years ago, international news outlets flocked to New Smyrna Beach and Ponce Inlet and produced headlines like "Summer of the Shark." During the time, Volusia County was dubbed the "shark bite capital of the world" and the title stuck."We had a world lifesaving championship here years ago, and the guys from Australia were worried because we had shark bites here," Volusia County beach patrol representative Scott Petersohn said.Since the "summer of the shark," attacks and encounters have continued to decrease, leading many people to believe that Volusia County should be stripped of its unpopular shark capital title, WKMG-TV reported."No news is good news for tourism," Petersohn said. "We are at five (shark bites) right now, and we are over halfway through the year.Experts said overfishing of sharks may have led to the shark bite decline.They said it is also possible sharks may have moved on to different regions, following bait fish to different shores.However, experts are not able to pinpoint exactly why shark bites have decreased in Volusia County."It is awesome," beachgoer Annette Linam said about the decline in shark encounters. "They're in there (though). I don't know. I don't know if it because of the water or weather."Biologists also pointed out that the summer season may be halfway finished but the habits of sharks are unpredictable.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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