Sharks have been spotted off the Myrtle Beach coast. Here’s what to know

Shark sightings near Myrtle Beach have drawn attention as warmer water brings more species close to shore. South Carolina averages about four shark bites a year, and a state marine biologist says most are accidents, not aggressive encounters.

Here are key takeaways:

• South Carolina’s last recorded shark fatality was in the 1840s in Charleston Harbor, according to South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Marine Biologist Bryan Frazier. “We’re just not on the menu,” Frazier said. “If we were, a lot of people would get bit every day because there are a lot of sharks in the water.”

• More than 15 shark species are found in warm waters off the South Carolina coast. The most common near shore are smaller species like Atlantic sharpnose sharks, bonnetheads, finetooth and blacknose sharks, Frazier said. Larger sharks like great whites rarely come near shore and typically pass through in winter during seasonal migration.

• Most bites in South Carolina are cases of mistaken identity. “A shark is swimming through an area feeding and accidentally interacts with a person,” Frazier said. “So the bites that we have tend to not be aggressive in nature.”

• Heavy rain and murky water can increase risk. Rain runoff pushes dead animals and stream fish toward shore, drawing sharks closer, according to Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources. Cloudy water also makes it harder for sharks to distinguish people from prey.

• To reduce your risk, the International Shark Attack File recommends swimming with a buddy, staying close to shore, avoiding dawn and dusk swims, steering clear of schools of fish, and leaving reflective jewelry on the beach.

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The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full stories in the links were reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.