Avoid areas with seals.
Avoid areas with schools of fish, splashing fish, or diving seabirds.
Avoid swimming at dusk, night, and dawn.
Avoid murky water.
Always follow the instructions of lifeguards and Parks' staff.
Report Incidents
The vast majority of unprovoked incidents are the result of test bites, which occur when a shark misidentifies a human as their preferred prey. Negative interactions between sharks and bathers in New York have been primarily attributed to exploratory bites from sharks to bathers who were swimming near large concentrations of forage fish, and where there was poor water clarity in the surf zone. There is no evidence which suggests that sharks in New York are intentionally pursuing or "attacking" humans.
To further investigate the causes and species involved in New York shark interactions, DEC asks the public to report all incidents to the Florida Museum of Natural History (FMNH). The FMNH maintains the global record of negative shark interactions, and documents and investigates all bites on humans by sharks.
