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Florida sharks: bites, real risk, fishing, eating, fossil teeth, and the myths
Florida leads the nation in shark bites almost every year, yet a shark bite here is rare and almost never deadly. Here is the real record, why Volusia County tops the world list, what to do if a shark shows up, which sharks you can keep and which go back, how to cook one, where to find fossil teeth, and which shark stories are true.
Quick answers
| Question | The answer |
|---|---|
| Bites in Florida in 2025 | 11 unprovoked, none fatal, below the recent five-year average of 18 |
| Florida's rank | More incidents than any other U.S. state, consistently |
| Top county | Volusia, with 6 of the 11 |
| Usually deadly? | No. Volusia had 94 bites from 2012 to 2021, and none were fatal. |
| Main biter in Florida | Likely the blacktip, though the Museum says it isn't conclusive |
| Lightning or sharks? | 459 Florida lightning deaths against 9 shark deaths, from 1959 to 2010 |
| Shark fishing from shore | A free FWC permit and course, renewed every year |
| Keep limit | 1 shark per person a day, 2 per boat |
| Fossil teeth | Free to collect and keep, with no permit needed |
| Feeding sharks | Illegal while diving or snorkeling |
2025 by the numbers
From the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File, which has kept records since 1958, with cases dating back to the 1500s.
| Where | Unprovoked bites, 2025 | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Worldwide | 65 | 9 |
| United States | 25 | 1 |
| Florida | 11 | 0 |
| Volusia County | 6 | 0 |
- Context: the worldwide 10-year average is 72 bites, and the U.S. share of bites dropped to 38%.
- Who: surfers made up 32% of bites worldwide in 2025.
- A Florida case: a 9-year-old girl snorkeling at Boca Grande was bitten in June 2025. The Museum reported that the bite severed her hand, and surgeons repaired her wrist.
- Unprovoked means the person didn't start contact with the shark. Bites while spearfishing, feeding, or unhooking a shark count as provoked, and the yearly counts leave them out.
Florida, year by year
| Year | Florida bites | Fatal |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 27 | 0 |
| 2013 | 24 | 0 |
| 2014 | 28 | 0 |
| 2015 | 30 | 0 |
| 2016 | 36 | 0 |
| 2017 | 31 | 0 |
| 2018 | 18 | 0 |
| 2019 | 21 | 0 |
| 2020 | 16 | 0 |
| 2021 | 28 | 0 |
| 2025 | 11 | 0 |
2012 to 2021 come from the Shark Attack File's U.S. table, and 2025 from its 2025 report. We didn't find 2022 to 2024 Florida totals on the pages we read, so they're left out rather than guessed.
Volusia County: the shark bite capital of the world
The Shark Attack File says Volusia County, and especially New Smyrna Beach, has the highest consistent yearly number of shark and human interactions. Its explanation:
- Most bites are minor and come from juvenile coastal sharks, such as blacktips.
- The water is murky and crowded with people, especially surfers.
- To deal with low visibility, small sharks likely hunt by spotting movement, which leads to bites on people who are usually bigger than the shark.
| Year | Volusia bites | Fatal |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 7 | 0 |
| 2013 | 8 | 0 |
| 2014 | 10 | 0 |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 |
| 2016 | 15 | 0 |
| 2017 | 9 | 0 |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| 2019 | 9 | 0 |
| 2020 | 8 | 0 |
| 2021 | 17 | 0 |
| 2025 | 6 | 0 |
The 2012 to 2021 figures come from the Shark Attack File's Florida page. It notes that more minor bites were counted after 1993 because Volusia lifeguards and emergency crews began reporting them, so part of the rise is better counting.
The real risk
| Comparison | The figures | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Florida, 1959 to 2010 | 459 lightning deaths against 603 shark bites and 9 shark deaths | Shark Attack File |
| Boating, Florida, 2002 to 2013 | 782 boating deaths against 261 shark bites and 2 shark deaths | Shark Attack File, with FWC boating data |
| Alligators, Florida, through 2006 | 351 alligator bites and 17 deaths, against 509 shark bites and 8 deaths | Shark Attack File, with FWC data |
| Rip currents, U.S., 2004 to 2013 | 361 rip current deaths against 379 shark bites and 8 shark deaths | Shark Attack File, with U.S. Lifesaving Association data |
| Beach visits, U.S., 2000 | Shark attack 1 in 11.5 million, against drowning and other beach deaths 1 in 2 million | Shark Attack File |
These comparisons use older years, and the Museum itself warns that true odds are very hard to calculate, because nobody counts how many hours people spend in the water. Treat them as rough comparisons.
Where and when bites happen
- Near shore: most attacks happen in nearshore waters, usually inshore of a sandbar or between sandbars where sharks feed, and near steep drop-offs.
- Low light: sharks are most active at dawn, dusk, and night, and have a sensory advantage then.
- Murky water and bait: be careful in murky water and where people are fishing, especially if you see baitfish or diving seabirds.
- Hit and run is the usual Florida bite: in the surf zone, usually one bite, often below the knee, and seldom life-threatening. The Museum believes most are mistaken identity.
The Shark Attack File's Florida page has charts by month and time of day, but they're images we couldn't read as text, so we don't quote them. See its Florida page.
The sharks that can bite you
| Shark | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Blacktip | Suspected in most Florida requiem shark bites, though not proven. Grows to about 6 feet. |
| Bull shark | One of the big three behind serious bites. Up to about 9 feet, mostly coastal. |
| Tiger shark | One of the big three. Up to about 15 feet. |
| White shark | One of the big three. Can reach nearly 20 feet. |
| Others | Great hammerhead and shortfin mako are among the other species implicated |
| Any big shark | Almost any shark about 6 feet or longer is a potential threat because of jaw power and teeth |
The Museum says the big three's serrated teeth, powerful jaws, and size mean that even an exploratory bite can be deadly. Bites are hard to pin on a species, because victims rarely get a good look and teeth are seldom left in wounds.
How to lower your risk
From the Florida Museum's advice to swimmers:
- Swim with a buddy and stay close to shore.
- Stay out of the water at dawn, dusk, and night.
- Stay away from people fishing, schools of fish, and diving seabirds.
- Take care between sandbars and near steep drop-offs.
- Skip shiny jewelry, which can look like fish scales.
- Avoid uneven tans and high-contrast clothing, because sharks see contrast well.
- Don't splash too much, especially in one spot.
- Stay out with an open wound.
- Get out slowly and calmly if a shark is seen.
If a shark shows up while snorkeling or diving
From the Florida Museum's advice to divers:
- Stay calm and still. Most sharks are just curious and will leave on their own.
- Drop your catch. If you're spearfishing or holding fish, release them and quietly leave. No catch is worth getting hurt.
- If it keeps coming closer, leave. Swim quickly but smoothly, watch the shark the whole time, and keep your partner close. Sharks are less likely to go after a group.
- Know the warning signs: rushing at you, a hunched back, lowered side fins, a fast zigzag, or rapid up-and-down swimming.
- If it's aggressive, protect your back. Back up against a reef, rock, or piling. In open water, go back-to-back with your partner and rise slowly to the boat. From shore, sink to the bottom for cover.
- Push it away with a pole, speargun, or camera, not your hands if you can help it.
Spearfishing: the Museum advises cutting a speared fish's gills to stop the vibrations, not carrying fish on a belt stringer, and not spearing the shark, which may only make it more aggressive. The law: FWC prohibits feeding fish, including sharks, while diving or snorkeling.
Does kicking or surfing attract sharks?
Here's what the sources say, without the hype:
- Sound draws them in. NOAA says sound seems to be a shark's main cue for moving into an area, especially irregular sounds like a struggling swimmer or injured fish.
- Splashing gets a look. The Museum says sharks hear low-frequency splashing sounds and may investigate.
- Movement in murky surf. In Volusia, small sharks likely hunt by spotting movement, and the area is full of surfers.
- Contrast. The Museum lists splashing, shiny jewelry, contrasting swimsuits, and contrasting tans, especially on the soles of the feet, as things a shark might mistake for prey.
- Surfers are bitten more. Surfers have some of the highest rates of unprovoked bites, 32% worldwide in 2025.
We found no official study that measures dangling legs while surfing. The points above are as close as the sources get.
If a shark attacks
Fight back, get out, and call 911. The Florida Museum says playing dead does not work.
- Hit the snout, ideally with an object. This usually makes the shark back off for a moment, so use that time to get out.
- If it bites, claw at the eyes and gill openings. The Museum says these are sensitive no matter how strong you are, and water resistance weakens punches.
- Get out fast. With blood in the water, the shark could come back.
- Call 911. Bites in salt water can also become infected. The Department of Health warns that open wounds in warm seawater can be exposed to Vibrio.
- Report it. The Shark Attack File asks victims and witnesses to fill out its questionnaire, and keeps the information confidential.
Shark fishing in Florida
| Rule | What FWC says |
|---|---|
| Shore permit | Free Shore-based Shark Fishing permit plus an online course, renewed yearly, for anglers 16 and older, including those 65 and older |
| Under 16 | Must take the course unless fishing with a permit holder |
| Also triggers the permit | Fishing from shore with a metal leader over 4 feet, a fighting belt or harness, or kayaking out bait with a hook 1 1/2 inches or larger |
| From a boat | No shore permit needed. Federal permit holders have their own rules. |
| Fishing license | A saltwater license, unless you are exempt |
| Bag limit | 1 shark per person a day, 2 per vessel |
| Hooks | Non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks with natural bait. No treble hooks with natural bait. |
| Cutters | Required: a tool that can quickly cut the leader or hook, such as bolt cutters |
| Whole condition | Kept sharks must keep heads, tails, and fins until landed. Gutting and gilling are allowed. |
| Chum | Not allowed when fishing from the beach or wade fishing next to a beach |
| Sea turtle season | March through October, use only amber or red lights when fishing from shore |
FWC's Shark-Smart release tips
- Keep fights short and use at least 80-pound test.
- Keep the shark, and especially its gills, in the water.
- Don't sit on it, and don't delay release for photos.
- If the hook won't come out fast, cut the leader as close to the hook as possible.
- Don't target sharks from crowded beaches, near swimmers, or when the surf is too rough to release safely.
- Don't haul a big shark onto a pier or bridge. Walk it to the base first.
- Sawfish are federally endangered and giant manta rays are threatened. Cut the line and release them.
- If a shark is tagged, record the tag and report it.
Which sharks you can keep, and which go back
| Group | Species | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Keep, no minimum size | Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, blacktip, bonnethead, finetooth, smooth dogfish, Florida smoothhound, Gulf smoothhound | Within the daily limit |
| Keep at 54 inches fork length or more | Bull, nurse, spinner, blue, porbeagle, common thresher | 54-inch minimum |
| Must release | Atlantic angel, basking, bigeye sand tiger, bigeye sixgill, bigeye thresher, bignose, Caribbean reef, Caribbean sharpnose, dusky, Galapagos, great hammerhead, lemon, longfin mako, narrowtooth, night, oceanic whitetip, sandbar, sand tiger, scalloped hammerhead, sevengill, shortfin mako, silky, sixgill, smalltail, smooth hammerhead, spiny dogfish, tiger, whale, white | Prohibited. Keep in the water with gills submerged and release without delay. |
If you don't know, let it go. FWC says to treat an unknown catch as prohibited and release it. NOAA's identification placard uses the same words.
These are state waters rules. Federal waters have their own, from NOAA. See where sources differ.
Eating shark
- The taste: NOAA describes blacktip as sweet and meaty, with thick, large flakes and moist, pinkish-white meat, and blacknose as similar.
- Nutrition: NOAA says shark is a low-fat protein, high in selenium and vitamins B6 and B12.
- Handle it fast: NOAA says shark meat spoils quickly. A strong flavor can be reduced by icing for 24 hours, then soaking two hours in brine.
- Never eat the liver. NOAA says its high vitamin levels can make you sick.
- Hammerhead "poison": only a rumor, NOAA says. You can't keep hammerheads in Florida waters anyway.
Mercury. The Florida Department of Health says women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and young children should not eat shark, because of high mercury. The FDA lists shark among its choices to avoid, with the highest mercury levels.
Easy grilled Florida shark steaks
We found no official Florida shark recipe, so this is ours. Its handling and cooking steps follow NOAA and the FDA. Use only a legal, harvestable species, such as blacktip or bonnethead.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Shark steaks, about 1 inch thick | 4 |
| Olive oil | 2 tablespoons |
| Garlic, minced | 2 cloves |
| Lemon | 1, juiced, plus wedges to serve |
| Salt and black pepper | To taste |
| Ice and a salt brine | For soaking |
- Chill and soak. Keep the meat iced for 24 hours, then soak it in a salt brine for two hours. NOAA suggests this for species with a strong flavor.
- Smell test. The FDA says spoiled seafood can smell sour, rancid, fishy, or of ammonia. Throw it out if it does.
- Season. Rinse and pat dry. Brush with oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Grill. Use medium-high heat, turning once, until the inside reaches 145 degrees, or the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
The seasonings, amounts, grill heat, and steak size are our choices. The 24-hour ice, two-hour brine, smell check, and 145-degree temperature come from NOAA and the FDA.
Finding fossil shark teeth
| Question | What the Florida Museum says |
|---|---|
| Can I keep them? | Yes. Fossil shark and ray teeth are specifically excluded from Florida's fossil rules, and no permit is needed. |
| Where's off-limits? | No collecting of any kind in state parks, national wildlife refuges, national parks, or national forests. Private land needs the owner's permission. |
| Where to look | Creek beds and beaches: the low tide line, and the edges and bottoms of creeks and rivers, where water erodes the sediment |
| Anywhere in Florida? | Most of the state. Parts of Florida have been underwater on and off for millions of years. |
| Can I dig? | Digging to expose more layers is often discouraged or prohibited on public land. Motorized tools need state permission. |
| River sediment | Up to a gallon a day from a riverbed to screen at home |
| Megalodon | A perfect giant megalodon tooth is very rare. Screening sediment can turn up dozens of tiny teeth under 1/5 inch. |
| How old? | Estimate from where you found it, using the geologic age of the area |
| Other fossils | Bones and teeth of other vertebrates need a permit, and the permit is $5 or less. Arrowheads and human remains are illegal to collect on state land. |
| Help identifying | The Museum’s free identification service. Email clear photos with something for scale. |
Why teeth survive: NOAA says shark skeletons are cartilage, but teeth have enamel, so they show up well in the fossil record. Venice: the Gulf coast town is famous for shark teeth on its beaches. See VISIT FLORIDA's Venice beach guide for local tips.
Myths and truths about Florida sharks
| What people say | The truth | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Florida's shark bites are deadly | Florida leads in bites, but deaths are rare. There were none in 2025, and none in Volusia from 2012 to 2021. | Shark Attack File |
| Sharks are always hungry | Sharks can go about six weeks without feeding | NOAA |
| Play dead if a shark grabs you | That doesn't work. Fight back at the eyes and gills. | Florida Museum |
| Dolphins mean no sharks | Both often eat the same food, so dolphins don't mean sharks are absent | Florida Museum |
| Sharks smell human blood from miles away | Sharks have never been shown to be attracted to the smell of human blood, though stay out with an open wound | Florida Museum |
| Periods attract sharks | No positive evidence menstruation is a factor in bites | Florida Museum |
| Sharks prefer men | About 8 in 10 bites have been on men, because more men historically did high-risk water sports, not because sharks prefer them | Florida Museum |
| Hammerhead meat is poisonous | Only a rumor, NOAA says | NOAA |
| More bites mean more sharks | More people in the water mean more bites, and the per-person rate hasn't been shown to change | Florida Museum |
| Sharks are mindless killers | Most bites are mistaken identity or defense, and many are a single hit-and-run bite | Florida Museum |
| Hitting a shark makes it worse | A hit to the snout usually makes it back off, though each hit works less well | Florida Museum |
| Sharks have bones | Their skeletons are cartilage | NOAA |
Where sources differ
| Question | One source | Another source |
|---|---|---|
| Does yellow attract sharks? | Florida Museum: most sharks are colorblind, and yellow is likely less attractive than people believe. Keep bright safety gear for rescue. | NOAA: yellow, white, and silver seem to attract sharks. Both say high contrast is visible to sharks. |
| Does blood attract sharks? | Florida Museum: never shown to be attracted to human blood. | NOAA: blood combined with other factors may excite sharks. Both say stay out with an open wound. |
| Hammerheads | FWC, state waters: great, scalloped, and smooth hammerheads are prohibited. | NOAA placard, federal waters outside the U.S. Caribbean: great, scalloped, and smooth hammerheads can be kept at 78 inches fork length, one per vessel, and not when tuna, swordfish, or billfish are onboard. They cannot be kept in the U.S. Caribbean. Know which waters you're in. |
| Shortfin mako | FWC: prohibited in state waters. | FWC also notes the federal retention limit is zero until further notice. |
| 54-inch group | FWC says the group has 7 species. | Its list shows 6. We list the 6 FWC names. Check the full rule. |
Questions people ask
How many shark bites were there in Florida in 2025?
The Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File counted 11 unprovoked shark bites in Florida in 2025, with no deaths. That's below the state's recent five-year average of 18. Florida still had more than any other U.S. state.
Why does Florida have the most shark bites?
The Shark Attack File ties bites to how many people are in the water, and Florida has a lot of beachgoers and surfers. In Volusia County, it says the water is murky, crowded with surfers, and home to many small juvenile sharks that likely hunt by spotting movement.
Where do most shark bites happen in Florida?
Volusia County, especially New Smyrna Beach. The Shark Attack File calls Volusia the shark bite capital of the world. It had 6 of Florida's 11 bites in 2025, and 17 in 2021.
Are shark bites in Florida usually deadly?
No. Volusia County recorded 94 bites from 2012 to 2021 and none were fatal. Most Florida bites are minor hit-and-run bites, often below the knee, by small coastal sharks such as blacktips.
What are the odds of a shark bite?
Very small. Using U.S. beach attendance data from 2000, the Shark Attack File put the odds of a shark attack at 1 in 11.5 million beach visits, against 1 in 2 million for drowning and other beach-related deaths.
Is lightning more dangerous than sharks in Florida?
Yes. From 1959 to 2010, the Shark Attack File counted 459 lightning deaths in Florida, against 9 shark bite deaths.
Which sharks bite people in Florida?
The Shark Attack File suspects blacktip sharks cause most of Florida's bites, though it says the evidence isn't conclusive. Worldwide, the white, tiger, and bull sharks are the big three behind serious bites.
Which sharks can you keep in Florida?
FWC allows harvest of Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, blacktip, bonnethead, finetooth, smooth dogfish, Florida smoothhound, and Gulf smoothhound with no minimum size. Bull, nurse, spinner, blue, porbeagle, and common thresher sharks must be at least 54 inches fork length. The limit is one shark per person a day and two per boat.
Which sharks must you release in Florida?
FWC prohibits harvesting about 30 species, including great, scalloped, and smooth hammerheads, tiger, lemon, sandbar, dusky, sand tiger, shortfin and longfin mako, silky, oceanic whitetip, whale, and white sharks. Keep them in the water with gills submerged and release them without delay.
Do you need a permit to shark fish from the beach in Florida?
Yes. Shore-based shark anglers 16 and older need FWC's free Shore-based Shark Fishing permit and must pass an online course. Both must be renewed every year, even for people 65 and older who are normally exempt from a fishing license.
Can you eat shark?
Yes. NOAA says shark meat is tasty and nutritious if properly prepared, and calls blacktip and blacknose meat sweet and meaty. But shark is high in mercury, and the Florida Department of Health says women of childbearing age and young children should not eat it.
Is hammerhead shark poisonous to eat?
NOAA says that is only a rumor. In Florida, though, great, scalloped, and smooth hammerheads are prohibited from harvest, so you can't keep one.
Can you keep fossil shark teeth in Florida?
Yes. The Florida Museum says fossil shark and ray teeth are exempt from Florida's fossil permit, so anyone can collect and keep them. Collecting of any kind isn't allowed in state parks, national parks, national wildlife refuges, or national forests.
Where can you find shark teeth in Florida?
The Florida Museum says the best spots are creek beds and beaches, along the low tide line and at the edges and bottoms of creeks and rivers. Venice, on the Gulf coast, is well known for them.
What should you do if a shark comes near you while diving or snorkeling?
The Florida Museum says to stay calm and still. Most sharks are just curious. If it keeps coming closer, leave the water, swimming quickly but smoothly and watching it, with your buddy close. If it acts aggressive, back up against a reef or rock, or go back-to-back with your buddy.
What do you do if a shark attacks?
The Florida Museum says to fight back. Hit it on the snout, and claw at the eyes and gill openings if it bites. Playing dead does not work. Get out of the water as soon as you can, and call 911.
Does splashing or kicking attract sharks?
It can draw attention. The Florida Museum says sharks hear the low-frequency sounds of splashing and may investigate, and advises against excess splashing. In murky surf, small sharks likely hunt by spotting movement.
Does period blood attract sharks?
The Florida Museum says there is no positive evidence that menstruation is a factor in shark bites. It also says sharks have never been shown to be attracted to the smell of human blood.
Do dolphins mean there are no sharks?
No. The Florida Museum says seeing porpoises or dolphins doesn't mean sharks are absent, because both often eat the same food.
Is it legal to feed sharks in Florida?
No. FWC prohibits feeding fish, including sharks, while diving or snorkeling, and bans chumming when fishing from the beach.
Sources
- Florida Museum, International Shark Attack File: 2025 summary, 2025 report, Florida, U.S. by year, U.S. frequency and Volusia, species implicated, how, where, and when, quick tips, advice to swimmers, how to avoid a bite, advice to divers, advice to spearfishers, apparel color, menstruation, lightning, Florida boating, alligators, rip currents, beach odds, more people, more bites, case classifications, report a bite
- Florida Museum, fossils: Florida Fossil Permit FAQs, legal information, five facts about fossil shark teeth, fossil identification
- FWC: sharks, feeding sharks and fish, Shark-Smart course, do I need a license?
- NOAA Fisheries: fun facts about sharks, blacktip seafood, blacknose seafood, shark identification placard
- Florida Department of Health: eating healthy seafood, Vibrio
- FDA: advice about eating fish, selecting and serving seafood safely
- VISIT FLORIDA: Venice beach guide
This page is general information. Fishing rules change, so FWC and NOAA have the final word before you keep a shark. In an emergency, call 911.
More on the water: Florida fishing, beach warning flags, snorkeling and scuba, and the surf report.