Shark attack unlikely in Laguna

Mary A. Castillo

A spear fisherman got quite a scare when he was allegedly attacked

by a shark at Crystal Cove Beach.

“An unknown object bit his fin,” said Ken Kramer, supervising

lifeguard at Crystal Cove. The incident occurred two weeks ago.

The fisherman, of Huntington Beach, was not injured and swam back

to shore where he immediately reported the incident to a lifeguard.

Although he initially stated that something bit him, he later told

the lifeguard he had been attacked by a shark, Kramer said.

Officials at Crystal Cove immediately consulted with the

Department of Fish and Game and monitored the waters. The incident is

a puzzling one given the types of sharks that live in nearby waters.

Mako and thresher sharks are native to the deep waters off the

Southern California coast but do not pose a danger to people because

of their distance, Kramer said. However, there have been sporadic

sightings of great whites that are passing through or, as in a case

two years ago, arrived to feed off a whale carcass.

According to Chief Mark Klosterman with Laguna Beach Marine

Safety, there has never been a shark attack reported off the Laguna

coastline.

“Some have been spotted over the years, but we’ve never had

problems with sharks attacking swimmers or divers,” he said.

Most people who are injured by marine life are the victim of sea

urchins, sting rays or jellyfish, Klosterman said. In the last two

years there have been 20 reported sting ray incidents.

If lifeguards see a potentially dangerous shark cruise into the

surf zone, they will immediately notify swimmers and divers. The

Department of Fishing and Game typically impose non-injurious methods

to encourage it to swim into deeper waters.

Both Klosterman and Kramer agree that with the number of swimmers

and divers that use the beaches throughout the year, the percentage

of those who are injured by marine life are relatively small.

Nonetheless people need to be aware of the dangers.

“When people enter the water they’re entering the realm of marine

life,” Kramer said. “You either embrace it or chose not to go in.”

* MARY A. CASTILLO is a news assistant for the Coastline Pilot.

She covers education, public safety and City Hall. She can be reached

at mary.castillo@latimes.com.