This summer, New York beaches and lifeguards noticed an increase in the number of sharks swimming off the northeastern coast.
While people build sandcastles and play in the waves, boats and helicopters circle the waters, looking out for any signs of sharks. Lately, there has been a growing presence of hammerhead sharks and bull sharks. “It’s become part of our daily routine,” said a lifeguard supervisor, Justine Anderson. “We’ll patrol throughout the day and respond immediately if we get a report of a shark sighting.”
In the past, shark sightings were extremely rare, and lifeguards didn’t need to patrol as vigilantly. However, last summer, there were daily occurrences of sharks feeding on bait fish close to beaches and swimmers. Many areas along Long Island’s beaches were temporarily closed due to the sharks. This summer, a man swimming on Long Island Beach was bitten by an animal. Doctors weren’t able to tell whether the injury was from a shark or another fish.
On Friday, the Nassau County executive, Bruce Blakeman, held a conference announcing that county police would patrol the shoreline by helicopter and boat to ensure the safety of the citizens.
Other places along Long Island have begun using less conventional tools for shark tracking. Drones, Jet Skis, paddleboards, and online shark tracking sites have all been implemented to help detect sharks.
“It’s like a new world we’re living in,” said Cary Epstein, a veteran guard at Jones Beach. “In my 25 years as a lifeguard, we never had to do this.”
Not everyone is satisfied with more shark patrols: Marine experts are frustrated at how overblown the shark issue is. Hans Walters, a field scientist at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium, says that “the danger to people is infinitesimal.”
According to Walters, the main reason for more shark sightings is the extra monitoring and the sharing of pictures through social media. Civilian pictures can often spread rapidly on social media and make news headlines.
But beach operators want to ensure that beachgoers feel safe, and to assure the public that no sharks will be near them while swimming.
Earlier this summer, a 10-foot mako shark washed ashore at Point Lookout, prompting a wave of fear from the public. Even though shark attacks are rare, people at the beach just want to have fun and relax without having to worry about getting nibbled on by a shark.
The chief lifeguard of the Town of East Hampton, John Ryan Jr, put it succinctly: “if you don’t do anything and then something happens, that’s a problem.” Amid the recent lifeguard shortages, counties are hoping to find enough people to fill the new patrols.
Link to Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/02/nyregion/sharks-ny-lifeguards.html
While people build sandcastles and play in the waves, boats and helicopters circle the waters, looking out for any signs of sharks. Lately, there has been a growing presence of hammerhead sharks and bull sharks. “It’s become part of our daily routine,” said a lifeguard supervisor, Justine Anderson. “We’ll patrol throughout the day and respond immediately if we get a report of a shark sighting.”
In the past, shark sightings were extremely rare, and lifeguards didn’t need to patrol as vigilantly. However, last summer, there were daily occurrences of sharks feeding on bait fish close to beaches and swimmers. Many areas along Long Island’s beaches were temporarily closed due to the sharks. This summer, a man swimming on Long Island Beach was bitten by an animal. Doctors weren’t able to tell whether the injury was from a shark or another fish.
On Friday, the Nassau County executive, Bruce Blakeman, held a conference announcing that county police would patrol the shoreline by helicopter and boat to ensure the safety of the citizens.
Other places along Long Island have begun using less conventional tools for shark tracking. Drones, Jet Skis, paddleboards, and online shark tracking sites have all been implemented to help detect sharks.
“It’s like a new world we’re living in,” said Cary Epstein, a veteran guard at Jones Beach. “In my 25 years as a lifeguard, we never had to do this.”
Not everyone is satisfied with more shark patrols: Marine experts are frustrated at how overblown the shark issue is. Hans Walters, a field scientist at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium, says that “the danger to people is infinitesimal.”
According to Walters, the main reason for more shark sightings is the extra monitoring and the sharing of pictures through social media. Civilian pictures can often spread rapidly on social media and make news headlines.
But beach operators want to ensure that beachgoers feel safe, and to assure the public that no sharks will be near them while swimming.
Earlier this summer, a 10-foot mako shark washed ashore at Point Lookout, prompting a wave of fear from the public. Even though shark attacks are rare, people at the beach just want to have fun and relax without having to worry about getting nibbled on by a shark.
The chief lifeguard of the Town of East Hampton, John Ryan Jr, put it succinctly: “if you don’t do anything and then something happens, that’s a problem.” Amid the recent lifeguard shortages, counties are hoping to find enough people to fill the new patrols.
Link to Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/02/nyregion/sharks-ny-lifeguards.html
