Shark Attack - Sharks Remain a Concern as 2025 Sees 16 Nonfatal Attacks Worldwide

So far in 2025, there have been sixteen publicly reported shark attack bites worldwide, with three occurring in the United States. According to Tracking Sharks, these incidents include two in Florida and one in Hawaii, all of which have fortunately been nonfatal and unprovoked. The Hawaii incident happened in January during a shark tour off the north shore of Oahu. The victim, an employee of the tour company, was bitten on the forearm after getting caught in a bait ball while showing tourists the local sharks. Authorities clarified that this was a provoked event, as the sharks were lured in with attractants for the tour. The employee survived with their arm intact and has regained feeling, a rare positive outcome in such encounters.

In Florida, which historically leads the country in shark bites, there have been three bites reported in 2025 without any provoked circumstances or fatalities. Last year, Florida saw a large number of incidents as well, with eighteen bites reported in 2024, all nonfatal. The pattern of higher shark activity in Florida persists, with Volusia County, part of the Daytona Beach area, frequently highlighted due to concentrated shark populations and human use of the surf and shallows. In previous years, as noted by the International Shark Attack File, the United States averaged twenty-eight reported shark bites per year, about half of them in Florida waters.

Elsewhere in the United States, beach closures and increased patrols are becoming more common in regions where sharks are sighted. For example, in New York, Rockaway Beach was closed last summer after several shark sightings and multiple incidents, including a sixteen-year-old surfer bitten off Fire Island and a string of bites across Long Island. Lifeguards and local authorities are deploying drones and spotter patrols to monitor popular beaches more effectively and are using red flag systems to warn swimmers when sharks are sighted nearby.

Globally, recent incidents include a provoked attack in the Turks and Caicos Islands where a Canadian tourist lost both hands while attempting to photograph a shark in shallow water. This underscores the importance of not engaging with wildlife directly, which can lead to dangerous outcomes for both people and sharks. Australia has also recorded a significant number of attacks, with nine so far this year, four of which have been fatal. In several Australian states, fatal attacks have prompted new calls for improved shark monitoring and rapid response protocols along popular surf beaches.

Experts continue to emphasize that while the number of shark attacks fluctuates annually, most bites remain nonfatal. Gavin Naylor of the Florida Program for Shark Research points out that most shark bites occur when people are near a source of food for sharks, rather than due to targeted aggression. Public safety measures such as increased surveillance, public education, and beach closures during periods of heightened shark activity are helping to limit casualties and raise awareness, encouraging swimmers to stay cautious and informed as the warm season approaches.