Fewer Sharks, But More Attacks

6th victim in 6 years in South African spot

(NEWSER) - Yet another swimmer has been killed by a shark on a South Africa beach considered the most dangerous in the world. The victim this time was a 25-year-old swimmer who was standing up to his waist in water at a beach in Port St. John's. The shark nearly severed an arm and slashed the swimmer's chest and stomach. The man was hauled to the shore by lifeguards but died on the scene, reports the Telegraph . He was the sixth fatality from a shark attack off the same beach in six years. More»

(NEWSER) - Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the Discovery Channel, Shark Week is back. The channel's wildly popular annual look at the predators returns next week with six new documentaries, including a look at the deadly 1916 shark attacks off New Jersey that inspired Jaws. Channel execs say they're trying to mix entertainment with a serious conservation message, USA Today reports. More»

(NEWSER) - Victims of shark attacks have gathered in Washington to lend a hand to their one-time foes, reports the Washington Post. The survivors plan to lobby senators to pass a bill setting new restrictions on shark fishing in US waters. A third of the world's shark species are now classified as threatened, and their disappearance is playing havoc with ocean ecosystems, advocates argue. More»

Study finds severe effects of intentional, unintentional fishing

(NEWSER) - Ocean sharks are threatened with extinction, with 11 species designated “high-risk” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and five more also in danger. Sharks are dwindling from intentional fishing, which targets them for their meat and fins, and “bycatch” fishing that lands them in nets meant for tuna and swordfish. The group is calling for global catch limits, the BBC reports. More»

First area fatality since 1994 sparks fears of great white rampage

(NEWSER) - Beaches north of San Diego were closed today after a man was fatally injured by a shark, the Union-Tribune reports. While witnesses could identify “the culprit” only as a “big gray shark,” an expert contacted by the Los Angeles Times said, “This almost certainly was a great white shark.” Attacks in the area are “unheard of.” More»