According to data released this week by the Shark Research Committee, the West Coast of the United States nearly doubled its reported number of shark encounters between humans and the apex predators in 2017.
According to the SRC report, there were 9 authenticated unprovoked shark attacks reported from the Pacific Coast of North America; eight instances were recorded in California and one in Washington. None of the attacks proved fatal but it was a significant increase in the five recorded encounters in 2016.
Great White Sharks were positively identified or highly suspect in all 9 of the attacks.
The majority of the encounters were recorded while humans were on a vessel of some sort such as a kayaking (4), surf board (2), or SUP paddle board (1). The other two encounters involved either a swimmer or freediver.
The attacks were distributed in the following months; March (1), April (1), July (4) August (1), November (1), and December (1). There was 1 shark attack reported south of the southern Santa Barbara County line, with the remaining 8 attacks from Santa Barbara County north. The single Washington shark attack occurred at the Grays Harbor jetty in Westport.
