BoMan wrote:While searching for the map, I found some "sharky history" at Dillon. Might have to rethink riding alone.
Well since you brought it up, here's just about everything you want to know about recent shark attacks in the world. Short version: Stay the hell out of Florida! Go to Jeffrey's Bay instead.
German version:
http://prime-surfing.de/wo-liegt-die-ha ... -pid14408/Long version: https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/isaf/worldwide-summary/:
-snip-
Following long-term trends, continental North American waters had the most [43: 53.1% of world total] unprovoked attacks in 2016. The total of 53 (65.4 of world total) unprovoked attacks in the United States (including ten in non-North American Hawaii) is a decline from the record high year of 2015, which saw 59 unprovoked attacks. There were no fatalities in U.S. and North American waters.
Elsewhere, multiple unprovoked attacks occurred in Australia [15], New Caledonia [4], and Indonesia [2], and single incidents were reported from the Bahama Islands, Brazil, Japan, La Reunion, South Africa, Spain, and Sri Lanka.
Australia's total of 15 unprovoked attacks was a bit higher than the recent five year (2011-2015), average of 13.2 per year, but lower than recent highs of 18 in 2015 and 22 in 2009. Seven attacks occurred in New South Wales, four in Western Australia, two in Queensland, and single incidents were reported from Tasmania and Victoria (see also Australian 2016 Shark Attack Summary). The two fatalities (both in Western Australia) were a bit lower than the country’s recent annual rate of 2.8 per year.
South Africa had but a single unprovoked, non-fatal case this year, making it the lowest contact year recorded since 2008 when no incidents occurred. To put this in context, within the past five years (2011-2015) South Africa has averaged 4.8 incidents and 1.4 deaths per year with annual highs of eight attacks and three deaths in a year, again underscoring the variable nature of the phenomenon in any given year and locale.
As has been the norm for decades, Florida proportionately had most (60.4%) of the unprovoked attacks in the United States and the largest portion (39.5%) of the world’s total; both percentages higher than recent (2011-2015) averages of 49.2%, and 29.0% respectively. The total of 32 Florida bites was a bit higher than the 2015 total of 30 and well above the recent five-year average of 23.8 (which included a recent record low of 11 in 2011), but did not approach the record high of 37 that occurred in 2000. Also following recent trends, Volusia County had the largest number (15) of unprovoked incidents in the state. The number of bites was notably higher than the its recent five-year average of eight attacks per annum but much lower than the record high of 22 such incidents in 2001. The higher number of encounters in this central-east coast county is attributable to high aquatic recreational utilization of the area’s long and attractive beaches and waters by both Florida residents and tourists, including large numbers of surfers, and to the rich nature of its marine fauna. Other Florida counties having bites were Duval (4), Brevard (3), St. Johns (3), Indian River (2), and Flagler, Lee, Palm Beach, Pinellas, and St. Lucie (1 each). Outside of Florida, U.S. attacks were recorded in Hawaii (10), California (4), North Carolina (3), and South Carolina (2), with single reports in Texas and Oregon. Hawaii and California totals were comparable the recent five year averages of eight and five per year, respectively.
Significantly, worldwide there were only four fatalities resulting from unprovoked attacks, producing an uncommonly low fatality rate (4.9%).
by BoMan » Thu Feb 02, 2017 7:23 pm 
