Shark Bites Were Down In 2024, Here Are Some Shark Safety Tips New Jersey Needs For 2025

Do you have some irrational fear of the ocean?

Do you imagine that the creatures of the deep will come out of their hideouts and take you into the murky depths below if you tread too far past the breakers?

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Personally, I'm terrified of the ocean but love going to the bach and living at the Jersey Shore. I just don't go too far past my ankles if I need to cool off.

Like a lot of people who have a fear of the ocean, a lot of the fear stems from the movie Jaws.

Now, I know that sharks don't just go on rampages and stalk swimmers at local beaches, but shark bites do happen.

In fact, the first shark bite at the Jersy Shore in the past ten years occurred just back in 2023 after a surfer was bit while out in the open waters.

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2024 Was An Unusually Quiet Year For Shark Bites In The United States

This was interesting, according to APP, there were only 71 shark bites reported in the United States last year.

And that may seem like a lot, but it's actually down from 2023 where there were 91 recorded shark bites 14 of which proved to be fatal.

Most of these incidents occurred in Florida, but Jersey is known for having shark sightings on an almost regular basis.

Will 2025 Be An Exceptionally High Year For Shark Bites?

That's like trying to predict what the winning lottery numbers will be; no one actually knows for sure, but according to APP there are several ways to protect yourself against the threat of shark bites while you're enjoying the shore this summer.

You can swim in pairs, as sharks more often than not approach people who are swimming alone.

You should also avoid the water during dusk, dawn, and at night as low light hours increase the chance of sharks being near.

You may also want to avoid areas where people are fishing as the scent of bait can attract sharks.

In the grand scheme of things, sharks are relatively harmless, and of the 71 reported bites in 2024 only 28 bites were reported as unprovoked.

So don't mess with sharks, and odds are they won't mess with you!