A surfer was bitten by a shark Wednesday morning while surfing at New Smyrna Beach, according to Volusia County Beach Safety officials. The incident adds another entry to the long-running list of shark encounters at the popular Central Florida break, an area that has earned a somewhat dubious reputation as the shark-bite capital of the world.
Details about the surfer’s injuries were limited in the initial report, but the incident was serious enough to prompt a response from local beach safety officials. As is often the case in New Smyrna, the encounter happened in an area where surfers and sharks typically intermingle.
The waters around Ponce Inlet and New Smyrna Beach offer an ideal combination of ingredients for both surfing and sharks. Strong currents stir up the water, baitfish congregate around the inlet, and shifting sandbars create a dynamic environment that attracts both sharks and surfers.
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According to researchers with the Florida Program for Shark Research, many of the bites in the area are believed to be cases of mistaken identity. Sharks feeding on baitfish can mistake a surfer’s arm or leg for prey, particularly in the murky, turbulent water around the inlet.
And there are plenty of sharks to make that possibility more than theoretical. Volusia County has consistently ranked among the world’s leading locations for unprovoked shark bites. In 2023, the county recorded eight confirmed bites, accounting for half of Florida’s total that year. Researchers have repeatedly emphasized that the high number of encounters isn’t necessarily evidence of an unusually aggressive shark population. Instead, it reflects the sheer number of people, including a large population of surfers, using the water in an area where sharks are naturally abundant.
The timing of Wednesday’s encounter is also notable. Shark bites in Volusia County historically peak during the warmer months, with July through October accounting for a significant share of incidents.
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