Seven shark attacks recorded in U.S. waters so far in 2026

Seven shark attacks, one of them fatal, have been recorded in U.S. waters through early July 2026. The incidents span the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and include a death in the U.S. Virgin Islands and injuries in Florida and New York. A 56-year-old Minnesota woman died in January after a shark bit off her arm while she was vacationing in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Last Friday, a swimmer at Jones Beach on Long Island suffered a foot injury that exposed bone; lifeguards attributed the bite to a tiger shark.

A nine-foot shark was observed at Point Lookout in Hempstead over the holiday weekend, prompting a beach closure. Rockaway Beach was also closed after a group of bull sharks was detected during the July 4th period. Two non-fatal bites occurred earlier this year off the coast of California north of San Francisco.

Additional sightings have been reported in Texas, Georgia, and New England, where blacktip sharks have appeared in waters normally too cold for the species.

A source told the outlet that recovering seal and sea lion populations are providing more prey, which in turn supports larger shark numbers. Seals that bask near shore bring sharks into shallower water. Warming ocean temperatures linked to a predicted super El Niño are expected to increase sightings along the West Coast, potentially bringing species such as hammerheads, tiger sharks, and whale sharks closer to beaches in California, Oregon, and Washington.

Experts advise swimmers to avoid dawn and dusk, stay away from areas where fish are being cleaned, and keep distance from seal or sea lion colonies. Removing jewelry and swimming near lifeguards are also recommended. Officials have deployed drones to monitor waters farther offshore and issue timely closures when sharks approach swimming areas.