Are there sharks in Delaware waters? Yes, here's what you need to know
"Jaws" was nightmare fuel for people who enjoyed going to the beach but wondered if the apex predator was lurking in the blue void.
Fast forward 50 years, and sharks are still roaming the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean. However, there isn't much of a reason to fear going in the water.
How many shark attacks have happened in Delaware?
Since 1837, there have been five shark attacks in Delaware waters, according to the database at the University of Florida. The biggest period for shark attacks was in the 1960s when two were reported in Delaware.
The last two attacks were a 14-year-old boy who was hospitalized after a shark bite at Cape Henlopen State Park in June 2020, according to a Delaware Online/The News Journal story from 2021. That bite was likely from a sandbar shark, a state expert said. In 2014, another teen was bitten by a shark, also at Cape Henlopen State Park.
How many sharks are in Delaware?
According to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, as many as 62 species of sharks can be found in the Atlantic Ocean, Delaware Bay and inland bays. Included in the 62 is the great white shark. The great white, which has terrorized people ever since the movie "Jaws" was released in 1975, is the least common species found in Delaware waters.
What are the most common sharks in Delaware?
Sandbar shark
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the sandbar shark, also known as a brown or thickskin shark, can grow up to 8 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds. The sandbar is among the largest sharks found in coastal waters. They live in shallow coastal waters and can be found on the East Coast from Cape Cod to Florida.
Dogfish shark
There are two varieties of the dogfish shark – smooth and spiny. Spiny dogfish can grow up to 4 feet and have two dorsal fins with ungrooved large spines. Smooth dogfish sharks can grow to 5 feet. They live in shallow bays, continental shelves and near offshore banks.
Sand tiger
According to Oceana, the sand tiger shark lives near the seafloor in surf zones, shallow bays and coral and rocky reefs. They can grow to more than 10 feet and weigh 350 pounds. The sand tiger shark is the only shark known to maintain neutral buoyancy by gulping air at the water's surface and holding it in its stomach. This allows the sand tiger shark to hover motionless in the water.
Atlantic mako shark
According to Oceana, the Atlantic mako shark lives in the open ocean and reaches lengths of 12 feet and weights at least 1,200 pounds. It is one of the fastest fish on the planet, swimming at speeds around 45 mph. These sharks are caught commercially or accidentally in fisheries. These sharks are valued for the high quality of their fins and meat.
Hitting the beach: Are Delaware beaches safe for swimmers? Here's what the numbers say
How to avoid sharks
Again, once you enter the ocean or Delaware Bay, you are in their world. So here are a few tips from the DNREC and the County of Maui, Hawaii:
Swim at lifeguard-monitored beaches, and follow their advice and any posted warning signs.
Always swim in a group.
Don't stray too far from the shore.
Swim in water where you can see your feet.
Avoid the water at dawn, dusk and at night.
Don't enter the water if you have any open wounds or are bleeding in any way.
Don't wear shiny objects in the water.
Leave the water quickly and calmly if a shark is sighted; if you see a shark, alert lifeguards or other swimmers immediately.
SHARK WEEK: Learn about the TV event and its copycats
If you watch
What: Discovery Channel's Shark Week
When: Through July 26, starting at 8 each night
Where: Airs on the Discovery Channel and streams on Discovery+ and HBO Max
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Which sharks are in Delaware waters. How to stay safe
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