So, should Mainers be afraid of sharks or not? | Column
“They’re just fish.”
For a couple of days, the words of Scarborough surf shop owner Andy McDermott — speaking to a reporter about how surfers have learned to share the ocean with sharks — made me feel better about the threat posed by the great whites being spotted with increasing frequency in Maine waters.
The idea of being anywhere near something so swift, strong and sharp-toothed is unnerving, sure, but if we’re not their prey, why wouldn’t they just swim away?
Related
Scarborough lifeguard who escaped shark encounter: ‘I felt like I had a job to do’
Enter Greg Wilfert.
The 71-year-old Scarborough lifeguard, straight out of central casting with shoulder-length bleached blond locks and 55 years of beach experience, spoke to media outlets this week about his first shark encounter Saturday, when he believes a great white grabbed his rescue device and pulled him under water.
Suddenly, the progress I was making in overcoming “sharkanoia” took a step backwards.
Advertisement
Since we started hearing more about sharks off the coast of Maine several years ago, the information we’ve received has felt somewhat conflicting. While some say increased shark sightings are a result of a rebounded seal population and warming waters, others argue we’re only more aware of them because of scientific monitoring and fishermen’s Facebook videos.
We’re told shark attacks are statistically so unlikely that, for those of us willing to get in a car every day, any fear is misplaced. At the same time, officials are issuing press releases about shark sightings with tips for staying safe and have restricted swimming at certain beaches, as they did at Scarborough last week.
So, should we be worried or not?
Related
Explore all of our stories on recent shark sightings in southern Maine
My initial reaction, when the sightings started, was to avoid ocean swimming entirely. Regardless of the stats, I thought I would never be able to relax knowing they were out there — no great sacrifice, considering I can barely stand to walk into Maine’s frigid waters past my ankles. But in this summer’s heat, I’ve been more tempted than usual by the ocean; I wanted to better assess the threat.
I was interested to hear from local surfers like McDermott and eager to adopt their confidence. After reading about the Scarborough lifeguard’s experience last weekend, however, I wondered if the 2020 fatal shark attack in Harpswell wasn’t a freak incident but the start of a new trend.
For some perspective, I looked to a place that’s been dealing with a lot more sharks for a lot longer than we have: Volusia County, Florida, where the country’s highest concentration of shark bites occur.
Advertisement
There were 11 incidents last year, none fatal; when sharks bite humans, it’s usually as a “test” to see what they’re encountering. The area’s daily newspaper, The Daytona Beach News-Journal, has done some Shark Week-related feature stories and reported on trends in attacks, but it certainly doesn’t document every shark sighting.
Not to say we shouldn’t be doing that in Maine. It’s news here is because it’s new to us, and people ought to be informed about the increased presence of sharks and how to avoid interactions with them, including by staying away from seals and other prey, swimming in groups and not wearing shiny jewelry.
Surely, Florida residents would be taking note if moose started showing up in the middle of their roads (the wildlife encounter that, statistically, should concern Mainers most). Here, however, while we have signs posted on the highway where moose are likely to cross and we know to be on alert after sunset, we generally put the thought out of our minds and don’t let it deter us from driving.
This is the kind of risk assessment we make all the time. We all had to figure out our own personal calculations with COVID-19 and continue to do the same whenever a study comes out correlating something new with cancer (ideally, allowing others to draw their own conclusions without judgment).
Last month, as news of the cyclosporiasis outbreak was emerging, before we knew which brand was to blame, I ate a bagged salad mix on a camping trip. Some might see that as living on the edge.
Copy the Story Link
Tagged: great white sharks, sharks, swimming, wildlife
Leslie Bridgers is a columnist for the Portland Press Herald, writing about Maine culture, customs and the things we notice and wonder about in our everyday lives. Originally from Connecticut, Leslie came. More by Leslie Bridgers
