Sharks in Context

[DivePartner1]

Someone in a thread recently suggested 'doing someting' to the coasts to keep sharks away. To put this in context:

Between 1670 and 2002, 63 people died in sharks attacks in what is now the U.S. according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. That comes to ONE death in the U.S. every 5 and a quarter years.

No one in California had been killed by a shark since 1994.

Automobile deaths in the U.S. routinely exceed 40,000 a year (there up this year due to SUV rollerovers and increased DWIs).

Murder deaths exceed 15,000 annually. In D.C. alone (pop. under 680,000), they generally range around 440 to 600 a year exclusive of suburbs, which would more than double it.

It is a tragedy when anyone is killed in the wild, but sharks are the least of anyone’s problems, at least in the U.S.

 

[DandyDon]

DivePartner1 once bubbled...


No one in California had been killed by a shark since 1994.

Don't know if your other "facts" are correct or not, but a lady was killed in California waters last week. I generally agree with your suggestions, but one error in a statement can make the rest look weaker...

Always good to give sources. Thanks,

D-Don

 

[norcaldiver]

I think they were posting that info in reference to the attack and discussion here about it. I think the key word is HAD...No one HAD been killed...etc.

 

[DivePartner1]

Thanks for the correction Dandydon and NorCal.

No one in California had been killed by a shark since 1994 . . .
. [/B]

other than one on Avila Beach so widely discussed on this and other boards. That makes one death in 10 years in a very populous state with a long coast.

Since the University of Florida statistics yielded a death every 5 plus years, sharks are far less of a threat than my original post implied.

Does anyone really believe sharks are a pose a bigger danger than most of the risks we daily take for granted?

 

[DandyDon]

Coconuts kills 15 times as many as sharks (see my post in the Humor Forum - with references). The biggest risk to traveling Scuba divers is riding in a car without a seatbelt. (Sorry, can't back that up.) Now I agree totally...

D-Don

 

[drbill]

By the way DandyDon, there've been a few sightings of "great whites" near Avalon recently (since you're heading our way). Of course they've always been here and have even entered the Dive Park and Avalon Bay on occasion. No known and substantiated attacks in the many years I've been here.

Given the incredibly poor visibility here (8-10 ft yesterday), I've restricted my diving to shallow depths (for purposes of better lighting but it also further reduces the chances a shark might mistake me for something with more fat content!

Dr. Bill

 

[SCUBACrazy]

If one were to encounter one under water what would be the appropriate action to take? (other than fouling your wetsuit)

 

[zeN||]

I modified my statements, and suggested such a futuristic device could be used for personal use (field around the diver) and selected beach areas for public use, and I stand behind that idea 100% (t would be uneccessary and ill-advised to extend that to all shore areas) zeN

 

[mgri]

drbill once bubbled...
By the way DandyDon, there've been a few sightings of "great whites" near Avalon recently (since you're heading our way). Of course they've always been here and have even entered the Dive Park and Avalon Bay on occasion. No known and substantiated attacks in the many years I've been here.

Given the incredibly poor visibility here (8-10 ft yesterday), I've restricted my diving to shallow depths (for purposes of better lighting but it also further reduces the chances a shark might mistake me for something with more fat content!

Dr. Bill

I think most shark attacks occur in shallow water. If I remember right only a few sharks like Mako's and White tips are know for open water attacks on humans.

Got to love Shark week, make a shark "expert" out of anyone.

 

[mgri]

Stats from the 2000 USLA report....

68 USLA East and West Coast ocean lifeguard agencies reporting


Estimated attendance 264,156,728
Lifeguard provision of medical care 236,642
Lifeguard rescues from drowning 70,771


Drowning (lifeguard areas) 12
Drowning (non-lifeguard areas) 62
Fatalities (causes other than drowning) 58
Total fatalities 132


Unprovoked shark attack 23
Fatalities 0

I thinks it's obvious that the true problem is exposure to water.

Maybe we need to set up water free zones at our public beaches