After a massive uptick in shark sightings last summer, New York beaches are now increasing patrols and adopting new shark monitoring strategies by buying drones, Jet Skis, and paddleboards. Local police are also now tasked with shark patrol by boat and helicopter.
Lifeguards on Long Island beaches usually keep an eye out for the occasional shark, but now, lifesaving departments on Long Island, which are facing staffing issues, are taking the shark situation much more seriously. On Friday, Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman announced that the county police would be increasing patrols this summer to do hourly runs over the shoreline. The town of Hempstead beaches has hired more lifeguards to look for sharks. They also have a shark patrol on Jet Skis and even a drone squad. The New York Times’s Corey Kilgannon reports that: “Farther east, Smith Point beach lifeguards conduct morning shark patrols on Jet Skis and paddleboards, beach officials said. They have also begun stocking tourniquets in their first aid kits in case of shark attacks.” In East Hampton, lifeguards have begun online shark trackers to look out for the return of sharks tagged with tracking devices.
Many shark incidents have already occurred this summer. Kilgannon also reports that: “a 10-foot mako shark washed up at Point Lookout over Memorial Day weekend, prompting another round of shark headlines. And just this week, the authorities said a man swimming at Jones Beach may have been bitten by a shark.”
Some marine experts say sharks do not pose danger to swimmers enjoying the beach. Hans Walters, a field scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium, said the threat from sharks is “infinitesimal”. According to Walters, more shark sightings are just because of increased monitoring and more circulation of civilian phone and drone pictures.
Chris Stefanou, a fisherman, said he had seen more hammerheads and bull sharks in local waters each year as water temperatures have increased. Those sharks have previously avoided the colder local waters. “There are more and more sharks in the water, which sounds scary,” he said. “But it’s actually a good thing because it reflects a healthy ecosystem.”
Article Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/02/nyregion/sharks-ny-lifeguards.html
Lifeguards on Long Island beaches usually keep an eye out for the occasional shark, but now, lifesaving departments on Long Island, which are facing staffing issues, are taking the shark situation much more seriously. On Friday, Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman announced that the county police would be increasing patrols this summer to do hourly runs over the shoreline. The town of Hempstead beaches has hired more lifeguards to look for sharks. They also have a shark patrol on Jet Skis and even a drone squad. The New York Times’s Corey Kilgannon reports that: “Farther east, Smith Point beach lifeguards conduct morning shark patrols on Jet Skis and paddleboards, beach officials said. They have also begun stocking tourniquets in their first aid kits in case of shark attacks.” In East Hampton, lifeguards have begun online shark trackers to look out for the return of sharks tagged with tracking devices.
Many shark incidents have already occurred this summer. Kilgannon also reports that: “a 10-foot mako shark washed up at Point Lookout over Memorial Day weekend, prompting another round of shark headlines. And just this week, the authorities said a man swimming at Jones Beach may have been bitten by a shark.”
Some marine experts say sharks do not pose danger to swimmers enjoying the beach. Hans Walters, a field scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium, said the threat from sharks is “infinitesimal”. According to Walters, more shark sightings are just because of increased monitoring and more circulation of civilian phone and drone pictures.
Chris Stefanou, a fisherman, said he had seen more hammerheads and bull sharks in local waters each year as water temperatures have increased. Those sharks have previously avoided the colder local waters. “There are more and more sharks in the water, which sounds scary,” he said. “But it’s actually a good thing because it reflects a healthy ecosystem.”
Article Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/02/nyregion/sharks-ny-lifeguards.html
