12.25.2025
For ocean goers in California, encountering a white sharks is a possibility we face when undertaking swimming, diving, surfing in the ocean. Although white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias aka “Great White Sharks”) swim our in ocean year round, a period of higher risk of encountering an adult white shark occurs in the fall months we call “Sharktober”. This is the period between September and November is when peak white shark encounters occur along the Coast of California. It is the period when mature white sharks return from their annual miogration from the area between the west coast and Hawaii called the White shark Cafe, or Shared Offshore Foraging Area. Attracted to rocky headlands, beaches and islands where seals and sea lions haul out, this is also the period when shark- human encounters- (not attacks) occur along our coastline.
Early white shark researchers McCosker and Lea evaluated human- shark “attacks” (now referred to as incidents*) along the west coast between 1993 and 2003. The authors data indicated that the area bounded by Bodega Bay, Big Sur and the Farallon Islands, had nearly half of the recorded white shark encounters with humans during the study period. This area became called the Red Triangle for the concentration of white shark attacks, particularly the apex, the Farallon Islands. Located 26 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge, these islands are a major seal and sea lion pupping site, and four divers had been recoded bitten by white sharks at SE Farallon Island by 2003. Adult white sharkʻs favored prey are marine mammals, and the islands and promontories like Point Reyes and off Monterey provide ideal haul out sites for the seals and seal lions, in turn attracting their predators. However, since that paperʻs publication, more data and analysis have revealed a wider distribution of human white shark encounters, and removed the curse of The Red Triangle.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, there have been about 230 recorded and examined shark incidents along the west coast since 1950. *Incidents are defined as unprovoked bump or bite involving a human and a shark. Of the 231 incidents recoded over 75 years, only 17 were fatal as of this date. The last incident and fatality occurred on swimmer Erica Felix at Lovers Point, Monterey December 22nd
In this analysis, 200 of the 230 sharks were identified as white sharks. A study by Ugoretz et al (2022) indicates that slightly more than 30% of all shark incidents in California have occured in area called the Red Triangle. The authors note that Southern California, from Santa Barbara to San Diego County, also accounts for 30% of all incidents. The greatest number of shark incidents reported by CADFW was recorded in San Diego County (26), thus dispelling the old concept of The Red Triangle being ground zero for California white shark attacks.
Like the white sharks, human- white shark encounters are dispersed along the coast. Hot spots of higher encounters do exist however, including the Farallon Islands, San Miguel Island, Salmon Creek and Dillon Beach/Drakes Bay. Yet even in the areas and months of peak white shark activity, shark attacks are rare, much more rare than drowning. When compared to fatal shark incidents over the last decade, the likelihood of drowning at California beaches is more than 125 times greater than being killed by a shark, with an average of 38 drowning deaths per year in California according to Ugoretz et al (2022). Survival odds of a white shark attack are also very high at 90% along our coastline, and can be increased following sensible behavior.
White sharks are intriguing to many, and a fact of life if you enjoy the ocean off the west coast between Washington and Baja California. Once heavily overfished, the protected white shark population is recovering along the west coast. White sharks are little understood and often unfairly maligned. Along with the successful return of northern elephant seals, sea lion and fur seal populations, the return of these natural predators should be considered a sign of marine ecosystem health and balance returning to our coastal waters.
During Sharktober, and at any time, we can avoid incident and a shark encounter by following the suggestions below so that both humans and sharks can swim unharrassed.
See a shark? Send out a tweet or instagram tagging SharkStewards #SharkWatch and we will record the observation and share. Learn more about sharks at Shark Stewards.org
Tips to Avoid a Dangerous Encounter
- Avoid areas with high activity of seals in the water or where they haul out.
- Don’t enter the water in areas of known shark activity, especially near months of peak shark activity. Known hot spots include Dillon Beach, Ano Nuevo and Pt Conception.
- Pay attention to Nature’s signs. Circling birds, splashing water, feeding seals and dolphins may also indicate a shark is near.
- Use the buddy system. Most shark attack survivors lived because they had immediate aid.
- Don’t look like shark food. A dark silhouette may resemble shark prey. Long boarders have lowest risk with swimmers and divers the highest. Patterned wetsuits and surfboards are available with some favorable results, but not tested by time. Similarly, shark deterrents have mixed results with shite sharks.
- Low light may add to a mistaken predation. White sharks may mistake swimmers or surfers as a seal or sea lion during evening, dawn and dusk. However, most white shark encounters are during periods of high day light.
- River mouths or areas of water obscurity can increase risk. White sharks also frequent areas with deep channels and drop offs or canyons.
- Don’t bleed in the water. If you have a cut get out. (The evidence on menstrual blood or urine attracting sharks is inconclusive.)
- If you see a shark, alert others around you, stay calm, point your board toward the shark or watch it. When safe, swim or paddle away avoiding jerky, splashing motions and exit the water. Warn authorities when safe.
- Observe the signs. Our beaches are posted if a large shark is sighted. Some like Stinson Beach have permanent signage. Drone footage and alerts on social media often outstrip the news and can alert ocean goers where high shark activity may be occurring.
- Final Resort? Shark survivors have described striking the nose, eyes or gills as a successful (and last ditch) approach towards inducing the shark to release them. Return attacks with white sharks are extremely rare and the odds of survival are high with immediate stabilization and care.
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*The California Department of Fish and Wildlife define a shark incident as any documented case where a shark approached and touched a person in the water or a person’s kayak, surfboard, paddleboard, etc. The CADFW summary does not include shark sightings where no contact occurred, incidents where sharks approached boats, or cases where hooked sharks caused injury or damage.
Citations
McCosker J. E., Lea R. N. (1996). “White shark attacks in the eastern pacific ocean: an update and analysis,” in Great white sharks: The biology of carcharodon carcharias. Eds. Klimley A. P., Ainley D. G. (California, USA: Academic Press, San Diego), 419–434.
John Ugoretz, Elizabeth A. Hellme, ulia H. Coates Shark incidents in California 1950-2021; frequency and trends Front. Mar. Sci., 14 December 2022 Sec. Marine Megafauna, Volume 9 – 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.10201
Summary of Documented California Shark Incidents California Department of Fish and Wildlife 1950 – 2025 Updated Dec 23, 2025