In 2008, 59 confirmed cases of unprovoked shark attacks were reported worldwide, said Burgess of the Florida Museum of Natural History. That compares with 71 such attacks in 2007. Overall, the number of attacks has leveled off since peaking at the start of the millennium.
Overfishing has caused some shark species to plummet in the past decade to critically low levels. Burgess speculated that the weak economy may also mean fewer people going to the beach, and hence fewer opportunities for people to swim with the sharks.
"There is a very definite correlation between the number of people in the sharks' habitat and the number of attacks," Burgess said.
The annual tally includes 22 cases in Volusia, though Volusia beach patrol officials said there were actually 24 shark bites last year. Burgess didn't include two cases that he interpreted as provoked. Volusia Beach Patrol Capt. Scott Petersohn said one involved a wader who kicked a shark that bit back, while the other involved a surfer who struck a shark while coming off his surfboard.
That number ties or approaches the 2001 record, set during the "summer of the shark."
Petersohn, who has worked the beach for more than 30 years, said the surfers last year enjoyed good waves in spring and summer, so there were plenty of people in the water, especially near the inlet, where blacktips and spinners love to feed.
And the Daytona Beach region, with its reputation as an affordable destination, may not see visitor numbers plummet even when times are tough.
"In a weird way, the economy could have contributed to more bites than anywhere," Petersohn said. "I've been through two or three down cycles, and Daytona Beach usually remains bullish because you can spend the day at the beach, and it's relatively inexpensive."
59
Shark attacks
worldwide
in 2008
22
Shark attacks
in Volusia County
in 2008
