California’s coastline is both a paradise for sun-seekers and a hub for marine life, including sharks. As people flock to its beaches, occasional encounters with these apex predators can occur, leading to shark attacks. We offer the most up-to-date details on shark attacks in California, updated weekly, to keep both residents and tourists informed. An understanding of these events can guide safety measures, ensuring that our shared spaces remain both enjoyable and secure. As the Golden State grapples with balancing tourism and marine conservation, knowledge becomes our best tool.
Recent Shark Attacks in California
| Date / Time | Country / Area | Activity | Name | Sex / Age | Injury | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-05-2023 11h30 | MeXICO ,Gulf of California | Diving with surface-supplied air | Manuel Nieblas López | M /53 | Fatal | |
| 11-04-2022 10h00 | USA ,California | Swimming | Lyn Jutronich | F /50 | Shallow punctures & lacerations to right thigh | Juvenile white shark |
| 10-31-2022 17h17 | USA ,California | Surfing | Jim Affinito | M | Minor inury from shark's fin | |
| 10-02-2022 15h30 | USA ,California | Surfing | Jared Trainor | M /31 | Thigh injured | White shark, 13' |
| 08-10-2022 11h30 | USA ,California | Paddleboarding | David Stickler & Brutus (dog) | M | No injury, board bitten | |
| 06-22-2022 10h40 | USA ,California | Swimming | Steve Breummer | M /62 | Stomach and leg injuries including a broken femur | White shark, 16' |
| 02-26-2022 11h24 | USA ,California | Boogie boarding | Tomas Butterfield | M /42 | FATAL | White shark |
| 10-03-2021 09h00 | USA ,California | Surfing | Eric Steinley | M /38 | Injury to posterior left thigh | |
| 07-21-2021 | USA ,California | Surfing | Jennifer Romney | F | No injury | |
| 06-30-2021 07h15 | USA ,California | Canoeing | Eddie Cahill | M /15 | Hand injured | |
| 06-26-2021 09h15 | USA ,California | Swimming | Nemaja Spasojevic | M /38 | Posterior right thigh bitten | White shark, 6' to 8' |
| 12-30-2020 Afternoon | USA ,California | Swimming | Phil Garn | M | No injury. Swim fin bittten | White shark |
| 08-28-2020 Afternoon | USA ,California | Kayak fishing | David Alexander | M | No injury, kayak damaged | White shark |
| 05-09-2020 13h30 | USA ,California | Surfing | Ben Kelly | M /26 | FATAL | White shark |
| 05-01-2020 14h30 | USA ,California | Swimming | Mandy Boyd | F /57 | 2 lacerations to foot | 5' to 6' shark |
| 04-29-2020 17h45 | USA ,California | Body Boarding | male | M /16 | Minor injury to ankle from stingray | |
| 03-27-2020 Evening | USA ,California | Stand-Up Paddleboarding | Austin Vera | M | No injury, paddleboard bitten | |
| 12-21-2019 16h15 | USA ,California | Surfing | Adam Coons | M /37 | Right leg bitten | |
| 11-06-2019 08h00 | USA ,California | Surfing | Michelle Doty | F | No inury, knocked from board | Juvenile white shark? |
| 10-25-2019 08h30 | USA ,California | Kayak fishing | David Zamora | M | No injury, kayak bitten | White shark |
| 10-05-2019 16h30 | USA ,California | Kayaking | Danny McDaniel | M /51 | No injury, shark bit kayak | White shark |
| 05-07-2019 | USA ,California | Surfing | Katie Wilson | F /28 | No injury, shark severed surfboard leash | White shark |
| 01-08-2019 10h00 | USA ,California | Surfing | Nick Wapner | M /19 | Cuts to both lower legs | White shark, 4.6m |
| 10-23-2018 Morning | USA ,California | Diving / Filming | Ron Elliott | M | Injury to right hand / wrist | White shark, 17' female |
| 09-29-2018 06h55 | USA ,California | Diving | Keane Hayes | M /13 | Traumatic injuries to upper torso | White shark, 11' |
| 09-27-2018 15h00 | USA ,California | Fishing | Kayak fishing, Eric Kaai | M /55 | No injury, shark nicked kayak | White shark |
| 08-24-2018 20h00 | USA ,California | Swimming | male | M /14 | Shark bumped chest but no injury | 5' to 8' shark |
| 07-14-2018 14h11 | USA ,California | Wading | female | F /58 | Surf washed the dying shark against her foot PROVOKED INCIDENT | Salmon shark, juvenile |
| 06-25-2018 18h00 | USA ,California | Paddling | Julie Wolfe | F /57 | No injury to occupant, outrigger canoe and paddle damaged | White shark |
| 02-18-2018 08h15 | USA ,California | Surfing | Joel Smith | M | No injury, shark bumped leg | 6' to 7' shark |
| 12-30-2017 12h00 | USA ,California | Surfing | Natalie Jones | F /35 | Foot bitten | |
| 11-24-2017 13h45 | USA ,California | Spearfishing | Grigor Azatian | M /25 | Right leg bitten | White shark, 4.6 m |
| 08-01-2017 10h45 | USA ,California | Fishing | Kayak Fishing, Patrick Conroy | M | No injury, bow of kayak bitten | White shark, 10' |
| 07-20-2017 07h45 | USA ,California | SUP | Rolf Geyling | M /50 | No injury, shark bit paddleboard | White shark, 8' to 10' |
| 07-20-2017 11h20 | USA ,California | Kayaking | Bret Jackson | M /40 | No injury, kayak bitten | White shark, 11' to 13' |
| 07-11-2017 11h00 | USA ,California | Kayaking | Steve Lawson | M | No injury, kayak bitten | White shark |
| 05-05-2017 17h00 | MEXICO ,Baja California Sur | Snorkeling | Andres Rozada | M /33 | FATAL | |
| 05-03-2017 14h30 | USA ,California | Surfing | Sophia Raab | F /18 | Laceration to thigh, likely caused by surfboard fin | Shark involvement highly doubtful |
| 04-29-2017 17h34 | USA ,California | Swimming | Leeanne Ericson | F | Major injury to posterior thigh | |
| 03-18-2017 14h30 | USA ,California | Kayaking | Brian Correira | M | No injury, kayak bitten | White shark |
| 09-17-2016 After noon | USA ,California | Surfing | Yuma | M /43 | No injury, board bitten | |
| 09-01-2016 | USA ,California | Spearfishing | Tyler McQuillen | M /22 | Two toes broken & lacerated | White shark, 8' to 10' |
| 07-15-2016 17h00 | USA ,California | Kite surfing | Lee Frees | M /61 | No injury, board damaged | White shark, 10' to 12' |
| 07-08-2016 | USA ,California | Fishing | Fishing for squid, Mark Davis | M | No injury. Hull bitten, tooth fragment recovered | White shark |
| 07-07-2016 | USA ,California | Fishing | 24' boat Shark Tagger Occupant Keith Poe | M | No injury. Hull bitten, tooth fragment recovered | White shark |
| 05-29-2016 16h00 | USA ,California | Swimming | Maria Korcsmaros | F /52 | Injuries to arm and shoulder | |
| 03-13-2016 Morning | USA ,California | Surfing | unknown | Board reportedly bumped by shark. No injury | Shark involvement not confirmed | |
| 10-13-2015 11h00 | USA ,California | Fishing | Kayak fishing, Jordan Pavacich | M | No injury, shark rammed kayak repeatedly | Hammerhead sp. |
| 09-24-2015 10h45-11h15 | USA ,California | Kayak fishing | Darren Kenney | M | No injury, kayak damaged | White shark, 19' |
| 09-19-2015 | USA ,California | Kayak Fishing | Mark McCracken | M | No injury | Hammerhead shark |
| 09-06-2015 17h30 | USA ,California | Stand-Up Paddleboarding | Caterina Gennaro | F /50 | No injury, shark struck board, tossing her into the sea | White shark, 11' to 12' |
| 09-05-2015 14h40 | USA ,California | Kayak Fishing | Dylan Marks | M /29 | Laceration to dorsum of foot by hooked shark PROVOKED INCIDENT | Hammerhead shark. |
| 08-29-2015 10h25 | USA ,California | Surfing | Elinor Dempsey | F /54 | No injury, surfboard bitten | White shark, 11' to 12' |
| 08-29-2015 10h00 | USA ,California | Surfing | Daniel Phillips | M /21 | No injury, shark struk sufer's leg and his board | White shark, 10' to 12' |
| 08-18-2015 07h30 | USA ,California | Kayak Fishing | Connor Lyon | M /22 | No injury, kayak bitten | White shark, 13' |
| 08-10-2015 08h00 | USA ,California | Spearfishing | Richard Shafer | M /57 | Right hand bitten PROVOKED INCIDENT | Hammerhead shark. 6' to 7' |
| 07-23-2015 | USA ,California | Kayak Fishing | Austin Lorber | M /31 | No injury to occupant. Kayak bitten by gaffed shark. PROVOKED INCIDENT | Mako shark, 100-lb |
| 07-10-2015 08h45 | USA ,California | Surfing | Danny Miskin | M /38 | No injury, shark bumped & damaged board | White shark, 7' |
| 07-08-2015 | USA ,California | Treading water | Eugene Finney | M /39 | Laceration to back | Shark involvement not cofirmed |
| 06-13-2015 | USA ,California | Elke Specker | F | Severe laceration to leg | Mako shark | |
| 12-28-2014 11h30 | USA ,California | Surfing | Kevin Swanson | M /50 | Injury to hip/leg | White shark, 8' to 10' |
| 11-17-2014 | USA ,California | Boat: occupants: Matt Mitchell & 2 other people | Shark bumped boat, no injury to occupants | White shark | ||
| 10-19-2014 | USA ,California | Canoeing | Tara Burnley | F | No injury to occupant, canoe bitten | |
| 10-03-2014 11h30 | USA ,California | Kayaking | Raul Armenta | M | No injury to occupant, shark/s holded kayak | White shark |
| 10-03-2014 14h00 | USA ,California | Kayaking | Ryan Howell | M | No injury to occupant, shark/s holded kayak | White shark, 18' to 20' |
| 10-02-2014 17h30 | USA ,California | Surfing | M.M. | M /28 | Lacerations to knee | 8' to 10' shark |
| 09-13-2014 18h45 | USA ,California | Surfing | Beau Browning | M | A hoax, no shark involvement | No shark involvement |
| 07-05-2014 07h00 - 08h00 | USA ,California | Surfing | R.J. | M | No injury, surboard bitten | |
| 07-05-2014 09h30 | USA ,California | Swimming | Steve Robles | M | PROVOKED INCIDENT Torso bitten by shark hooked by an angler | White shark, 7' |
| 10-06-2013 08h45 | USA ,California | Surfing | Jay Scrivner | M /45 | Laceration to thigh | White shark, 8' to 10' |
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What can surfers do to reduce the risk of shark attacks in California?
Surfers in California can mitigate the risk of shark attacks by steering clear of known shark habitats and avoiding surfing alone. It’s also recommended not to wear bright colors or shiny jewelry that could attract sharks, and to always heed local warnings about shark activity.
How can I help someone who has been attacked by a shark in California?
If you encounter someone who has been attacked by a shark in California, the immediate response should be to ensure the victim’s safety by getting them out of the water. Then promptly dial 911 to notify the local authorities and medical services.
How does California monitor shark activity?
In California, shark activity is meticulously monitored using a variety of methods. These include aerial surveys, tagging programs, and public sighting reports which collectively help in tracking the movement and behavior of sharks in California waters.
