If you're planning a beach trip this summer, here's a number worth knowing: Florida accounted for 11 of the 25 unprovoked shark bites recorded in the United States in 2025 — that's 44% of the national total, and 17% of unprovoked bites recorded worldwide. The data comes from the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), a globally recognized database maintained by the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville.
Within Florida, Volusia County led the state with six bites in 2025, accounting for more than half of Florida's total. Broward and Lee counties each recorded two bites, and Miami-Dade County had one. For beachgoers looking for relatively lower-risk stretches of coastline, ISAF historical data shows counties like Santa Rosa, Charlotte, and Walton have each recorded just one shark bite since 1882.
Shark activity in Florida waters peaks between April and October, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — the same window when beaches see their heaviest crowds. More than 13 shark species use Florida's nearshore waters and bays as nursery grounds, and many migrate inshore and northward in spring and summer before heading offshore and south in the cooler months.
All of this makes for well-timed television: Shark Week 2026 premieres Sunday, July 26, at 8 p.m. ET on the Discovery Channel and runs through Saturday, August 1. Three shows will air nightly at 8, 9, and 10 p.m. each evening except the final night. The full lineup includes titles such as "Bull Shark Dinner Bell," "Jurassic Sharks," and "How to Train a Great White." Programming will also be available to stream on Discovery+ and HBO Max.
This story originally appeared in the Boca Raton Tribune.
