A man on Florida’s northeast coast was bitten by a shark this weekend but is now recovering, authorities said Sunday, in the third shark attack in state waters over the past month.
Officials from the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit responding to a distress call Friday morning found the victim in critical condition aboard a boat, losing blood from a “severe” shark bite on his right forearm, according to a social media post from the sheriff’s office.
The attack occurred in the Amelia River near Fernandina Beach, about 35 miles north of Jacksonville, after the victim caught the shark while fishing, according to sheriff’s office public affairs officer Alicia Tarancon.
After officers applied a tourniquet, the victim was taken to shore, where he was airlifted to a local hospital, The Florida Times-Union reported.
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On Sunday, Tarancon told The Associated Press that the victim is alert and still recuperating at the hospital.
It’s the third shark attack in Florida in June.
Three more attacks were reported in the U.S. — one in Southern California and two in Hawaii, one resulting in death.
Stephen Kajiura, a Florida Atlantic University professor of biological sciences specializing in sharks, said the number of recent attacks is a “bit high” but is a natural result of more people in the water during summer and warmer waters.
“You’re going to have a higher probability of something happening because more people are coming to the beach,” he said. “It is strange to get so many bites in quick succession, but when you consider the number of people in water right now, it’s not that unusual.”
Another reason for increased shark activity is small bait fish, which sharks feed on, swimming close to the beach, Kajiura said.
Kajiura urged swimmers not to avoid the water — just be vigilant.
Avoid flashy jewelry or watches, which may appear similar to fish scales in the water, he said. Also, avoid swimming near schools of fish, where sharks may be lurking.
From Gazette news services
