A stay-alert warning has been issued to beachgoers forward of the Fourth of July weekend as sharks return to coastal waters.
The New York State Division of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has launched up to date steerage to ‘cut back the danger of human-shark interactions,’ cautioning swimmers that 13 shark species at the moment are returning to the area.
The annual migration usually runs from June via September as ocean temperatures rise.
Nonetheless, sightings typically peak across the Fourth of July when sharks and their prey, together with bunker fish, transfer nearer to shore.
There have already been a number of sightings this yr, together with a nine-foot white shark noticed off Lengthy Island’s South Shore in Could.
‘Human-shark interactions are uncommon right here, however DEC urges beachgoers and water fans to observe shark security tips to scale back danger and assist preserve New Yorkers secure this summer season,’ DEC Director of Marine Sources Martin Gary stated.
Officers are urging beachgoers to keep away from areas the place seals, faculties of fish or diving seabirds are current, keep out of murky water and keep away from swimming at daybreak, nightfall or at evening.
Swimmers, surfers and paddlers are additionally inspired to remain in teams, stay near shore and at all times observe the directions of lifeguards and park workers.
Shark sightings in New York waters are anticipated to peak across the Fourth of July. Pictured is a shark that washed ashore close to the village of Quogue in 2022
New York recorded only one confirmed unprovoked shark chunk in 2025.
The incident occurred on June 27 at Jones Seaside State Park, when a 20-year-old swimmer suffered minor, non-life-threatening cuts to her leg after being bitten by a juvenile sand tiger shark.
Regardless of the lone chunk, shark sightings remained frequent all through the summer season, with quite a few encounters reported off Lengthy Island and New York Metropolis seashores as expanded marine patrols and drone surveillance noticed extra of the predators close to shore.
Nationally, there have been 28 reported shark assaults in 2025, with Florida accounting for greater than half of them at 15 incidents.
New York’s single chunk marked a pointy decline from the heightened shark exercise seen alongside the state’s shoreline in 2022 and 2023.
Governor Kathy Hochul stated in a Could assertion: ‘As summer season approaches, New York State is making ready to soundly welcome thousands and thousands of holiday makers to our Lengthy Island State Park seashores.
‘We proceed to enhance our surveillance capabilities to watch for harmful situations and assist shield beachgoers. I encourage all guests to stay alert and cling to the steerage of lifeguards and park workers when visiting the seashore.’
Officers have considerably expanded shark surveillance efforts this summer season, with lifeguards, Park Police and park workers utilizing drones to scan the water for sharks and enormous faculties of fish that might entice them nearer to shore.
Officers are urging beachgoers to keep away from areas the place seals, faculties of fish or diving seabirds are current, keep out of murky water and keep away from swimming at daybreak, nightfall or at evening.
A complete of 47 drone operators are at the moment licensed throughout Lengthy Island State Parks, together with lifeguards, law enforcement officials and park staff.
One other 20 operators are anticipated to finish certification by the Fourth of July, bringing the entire variety of skilled drone pilots to 67.
State officers have additionally added 16 new drones to their fleet, growing the variety of plane used throughout peak seashore season to 46.
The predators normally start showing in higher numbers across the Fourth of July, when hotter ocean temperatures draw each sharks and bait fish, equivalent to bunker, nearer to the shoreline from the Rockaways to Montauk.
Even with a number of comparatively quiet summers in recent times, specialists warning that shark exercise can change shortly and there’s no technique to predict precisely what this season will carry.
Frank Quevedo, an environmental scientist and government director of the South Fork Pure Historical past Museum, informed the NY Submit: ‘It is unpredictable what is going on to occur this season.
‘That is what makes scientific analysis so attention-grabbing and intriguing and thrilling – there are nonetheless so many solutions that we do not learn about.’
