Fortunately, shark attacks are not very common in the Gulf of America. However, they do occur occasionally and it’s important to be aware of that. Sharks are also only one of the hazards hidden beneath the Gulf’s sparkling blue waters -- beachgoers and surfers should be aware of stingrays, skates, jellyfish, and other marine life they may encounter.
How Many Shark Attacks Happen in the Gulf of America?
In 2024, there were six recorded shark attacks in the Gulf of America, all of which occurred during the summer months, and none of which were fatal. In recent years, there has been controversy about whether or not shark attacks are increasing.
According to an article on MyRGV, “Some analysts and organizations report that shark attacks are increasing, and some blame climate change.”
However, other experts say there has been no significant increase. Joseph Martinez, a Ph.D. student at the University of Florida and researcher who manages the ISAF (International Shark Attack File) database, said “What we’ve noticed is that it’s just kind of random. It’s stochastic, so it goes up and down as the years go on.”
He explained that the historical data going back to the 1950s and 60s shows that the number of annual shark attacks is continuing to oscillate around an average of about 60 attacks and 4 deaths per year, without significant variance.
This being said, there are factors that contribute to more shark attacks in certain areas.
Firstly, If the number of people in the water increases, the number of interactions people have with sharks will too.
“Populations in some coastal areas continue to get higher and higher, which means you're going to have more swimmers and surfers in the water, so you're probably going to have more shark bites,” Martinez said.
Environmental factors also contribute to shark attacks: mainly, whether or not bait fish are around. Ocean currents are always changing, and if they’re running closer to the beach, there’s going to be more bait fish closer to the beach.
Sharks follow the fish -- their food, and when they’re swimming around humans, it's much more likely for misidentification bites to occur. Below is a summary of the previous year’s (2024) shark attacks across the Gulf.
Panhandle of Florida
On Jun. 7, two teenage girls and a 45-year-old woman were injured in two separate shark attacks in Walton Country, according to an article on PNJ.
The 45-year-old woman was bitten while swimming with her husband past the first sandbar in Watersound Beach.
“She suffered significant trauma to her mid-section and pelvic area and the amputation of her lower left arm,” the article stated.
The second shark attack occurred two hours later, about 4 miles away from the first, near Sandy Shores Court. The two victims, ages 15 and 17, were bitten while hanging out with a group of friends in waist deep water.
One victim, Lulu Gribbin, suffered significant injuries to one upper and lower extremity and required the application of tourniquets, according to PNJ. In an interview, her mother stated Gribbin would likely need four or five more surgeries to finalize amputations.
“The second girl suffered flesh wounds to her lower right extremity and was transported by South Walton Fire District first responders to Ascension Bay Medical Center in Panama City Beach, where she was listed in stable condition,” PNJ stated.
Texas Shark Attacks
In Texas, four people encountered a shark in the Gulf off South Padre Island on the Fourth of July.
“Details at this time indicate that two people were bitten and two people encountered the shark but were not seriously injured,” the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said, according to an article from CNN.
Neither of the men who were bitten suffered life-threatening injuries and both were taken to Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, where one victim was treated and the other was flown out from for further treatment, the department said.
After the attacks, authorities came out and claimed that one bull shark was responsible for all four encounters -- but there is no evidence to back this up, and it's much more likely that different people encountered different sharks.
“A lot of times the authorities and news will say that [it was one shark] because they don't want to scare people and say, well, there were probably four or five bull sharks in the water, which is way more plausible than one shark going out and attacking people,” Martinez explained.
West Florida Discluding the Panhandle area, no shark attacks occurred on the west coast of Florida in 2024.
However, according to the Herald Tribune a 10-foot great white shark was tracked off the West coast near Sarasota as recently as Jan. 3.
The shark, nicknamed “Crystal” had previously pinged in the Gulf off of Pensacola on Dec. 10. “A ping means the satellite tag attached to Crystal's dorsal fin by OCEARCH scientists sent location information to trackers as it moved above the water's surface,” the article noted.
When waters in the Atlantic become too cold and food sources become scarce in the winter months, it is common for North Atlantic sharks to migrate south to the Gulf of America.
Florida Keys Shark Attacks
According to a CNN article, on Jul. 15, a man was bitten by a shark while spearfishing along a reef off of the Florida Keys. “He was brought to shore and airlifted to a Miami hospital where he was alert and responsive,” the sheriff’s department said. His condition was not publicized at the time of the release.
What Kind of Sharks Live/Migrate In the Gulf of America?
“The Gulf has about 50 shark species with about 20 to 30 species that beachgoers and fishermen can encounter. Most of those are really small and only pose an aggravation to the fishermen,” said Sean Powers, Chair of the Marine Sciences department at the University of South Alabama, in an interview with Gulfshores.com.
Although the chances of shark attacks are rare, there are certain sharks more likely to attack humans than others. “The main ones that we see attacking humans in the Gulf are gonna be bull sharks, blacktips, and spinners,” Martinez said.
Interestingly enough, although great white sharks do migrate to the Gulf of America, there is no record of a great white ever attacking a human there. “It's actually never happened,” Martinez said. “It's mostly going to be just smaller sharks, like black tips and juvenile bull sharks.”
Typically, great whites have been tracked in the deep waters of the Gulf, not close to shore.
What Months are Sharks Most Active in the Gulf of America?
The highest levels of shark activity occur during the summer months (May - September), when the water is warmest and bait fish are more active.
How to Protect Yourself From a Shark Attack in the Gulf of America
To avoid shark encounters, there are a few precautions that can be taken.
● Swim with a friend, or a group of people, as sharks are less likely to approach groups.
● Avoid swimming at dusk and dawn -- this when sharks are typically most active and when they are feeding.
● Avoid wearing shiny jewelry in the ocean, sharks can be attracted to it.
● Avoid swimming around bait fish
● Excessive splashing could mimic the distress signals of sharks’ prey, potentially attracting them.
While these precautions may help avoid shark encounters, it is also important to remember that the chances of a shark attack are very small, and sharks do not intend to bite humans.
Martinez noted that the idea of a ‘rogue shark’ has been a piece of misinformation circulating since Jaws came out.
“People think there's gonna be this one shark that’s really pissed off or something, and it's gonna go out and it's gonna eat all these people,” he said, “and that goes against everything that we've recorded about shark behavior and how they feed and how they interact with us.”
We, humans, are not on sharks’ menus. If we were, there would be thousands of shark attacks every single day.
What To Do If You Witness a Shark Attack in the Gulf of America
If you witness a shark attack, you should call 911 immediately, and explain the situation as quickly and calmly as possible.
If lifeguards are on duty, you should alert them as soon as possible if they have not already responded to the scene.
Shark Attacks in Gulf of America: Conclusion
While shark attacks are not very common, it is important to stay aware of your surroundings in the water and swim and surf as safely as possible.
Also, remember that sharks do not intend to attack humans -- we are entering their home when we enter the ocean and should respect marine life.