ONE IS TOO MANY: Shark attacks in Florida were down last year for the fourth straight year, from a decade average of 23 to 13, according to the recently released annual report by the University of Florida�s International Shark Attack File.
But Florida still led the nation in attacks last year and it takes just one to cause terrible tragedy, such as that which happened on the Treasure Coast. Last February, Stephen Howard Schafer, 38, of Stuart, died after being attacked by a bull shark while surfing south of Stuart Beach. His death was one of only six fatal shark attacks last year worldwide.
And while Florida was down to 13 overall attacks last year, the state with the next highest number was North Carolina with five. Worldwide, there were 70 attacks, the most in a decade.
George Burgess, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History, said in a news release announcing the survey results, "The reality is, going into the sea is a wilderness experience. You're visiting a foreign environment � it's not a situation where you're guaranteed success."
Certainly on the Treasure Coast, we are well aware of that truth.
