- February 5, 2025
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Volusia County may be known for its various attractions on land, but a large draw for residents and tourists alike is the Atlantic coast that includes mile after mile of beaches. But with beaches comes the ocean and the creatures that live in it.
One of those creatures recently gave Volusia County the designation of being the county with the most reported shark attacks in not only the state but the world, according to the 2017 International Shark Attack File from the University of Florida.
The report found there were nine reported attacks in Volusia out of a total of 31 unprovoked attacks in Florida. Last year's attacks followed a similar trend of the past five years with an annual average of 29 incidents. However, the number was lower than the previous year's total of 35.
According to ISAF, Volusia not only topped the list for attacks but is also home to the "shark attack capital of the world," also known as New Smyrna Beach. And while this section of Volusia may have a higher number of attacks, ISAF reported that a study between 1999 and 2008 showed that there were no fatalities and that most attacks rarely caused serious injury.
Marilyn Sullivan, a former Marine Discovery Center staff member, is one person passionate about dispelling any myths regarding sharks, and she led a lecture on Thursday, June 21, to help the public better understand what these predators are like. Sullivan said people should know that many of the sharks in the local coastal waters are not more than a couple feet.
According to Sullivan, the most common species found in Volusia are the blacktip, spinner, bonnethead and Atlantic sharpnose shark.
"I would be more worried about a barracuda," Sullivan said. "There's so much negative information about sharks."
Sullivan said what is concerning is the number of sharks that are threatened due to them being killed off. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, there are 11 species of shark that are critically endangered and 15 species, including the great hammerhead, that are endangered.
Sullivan said that one major problem has been the number of sharks that have been killed by people who are cutting off their fins, which have been used in soups.
According to the Oceanic Preservation Society, in the time it takes to watch one hour of a Shark Week program, 11,000 sharks will be killed for their fins.
"The sad part is there were ... between 20 million and 100 million sharks killed last year," Sullivan said. "So our shark population is decreasing."
