Influx of shark sightings could be deceiving

By Diana Leone
dleone@starbulletin.com

Immediately after a shark bites a person in Hawaii waters, people tend to be more vigilant about spotting sharks, experts say.

"It always happens that when sharks make the news, people start paying more attention," said Randy Honebrink, of the state Division of Aquatic Resources. "And when they do that, they see more sharks."

Whether the number of sharks is increasing is not clear, he said. "We know there's a lot of them out there" because researchers have no trouble catching sharks to tag them for tracking, Honebrink said. "And we know for the most part they leave people alone."

For the most part, but not entirely.

From 1990 through March, the Hawaii Shark Task Force has recorded 57 shark attacks on people or their gear (usually a surfboard), an average of three to four a year. Forty-six of the attacks resulted in injuries, and five in death. Only one year (1998) had no recorded shark attacks. The year with the most attacks recorded by the task force (eight) was 2002.

Five deaths by shark in Hawaii waters have been listed by the task force since 1990: surfer Willis McInnis at Kahana, Maui, in 2004; kayaker Nahid Davoodabai, west of Maui in 1999; body-boarder Aaron Romento at Keaau Beach Park, Oahu, in 1992; body-boarder Bryan Adona at Leftovers, near Waimea Bay, Oahu, in 1992; and snorkeler Martha Morrell at Olowalu, Maui, in 1991.

In the latest incident, Ronald Deguilmo, 29, was spearfishing Wednesday when he was bitten in the arm by a shark at the Leftovers surf spot between Waimea Bay and Laniakea. He was listed as stable by his doctor yesterday.

Visiting surfer Liz Dunn, 28, was bitten in her left leg while surfing in murky conditions at Leftovers on March 24.

Some have questioned whether an increase in sea turtles on the North Shore could be leading to an increase in sharks, said George Balazs, lead sea turtle researcher for the National Marine Fisheries Service. Tiger sharks are known to eat turtles, though it is not known how often, he said. "So if you have more turtles, you could have more tiger sharks."

The number of green sea turtles has been increasing since they were listed as a threatened species in 1978.

Another question people have asked is whether boat tours that throw fish to attract sharks to underwater cages for tourists could be drawing sharks in. State law forbids feeding sharks in state waters, which is out to three miles from shore, said Gary Moniz, head of Department of Land and Natural Resources conservation officers.

Conservation officers have at times checked on boats that were closer to shore than that, Moniz said, and "they've been in compliance" with the no-feeding rule. The boats are free to be in state waters and to put their observation cages underwater, as long as there is no feeding of sharks, he said.