About the Shark Research Committee


Guest Speaker
         and
Media Consultant

Pacific Coast
Shark News

Sharks of the Pacific Coast

White Shark Biosketch

Distribution and Diet of Pacific Coast White Sharks

Predatory Behavior of Pacific Coast White Sharks

Shark/Human Interactions Along the Pacific Coast

Pacific Coast
Shark Attack
Statistics


Fatal Pacific Coast Shark Attacks
1900  —  Present

Shark Attacks Along the Pacific Coast - 2000 —

Shark Attacks Along the Pacific Coast - 1990s

Case Histories of Unprovoked White Shark Attacks:

  Divers
  Kayakers
  Surfers
  Swimmers

White Shark Interactions with Inanimate Objects

Publications

Shark Encounters:

White Shark Encounters Along the Pacific Coast

Soupfin Shark Encounter

Reporting Forms:

  Shark Attack

  Shark Encounter

  Shark Predation

Shark Web Sites:

Recommended Links

'Save the Sharks — Save the Oceans' ™


Authenticated Fatal Shark Attacks Along the
Pacific Coast 1900 - Present


From 1900 to 2012 there were 180 authenticated unprovoked shark attacks reported from the Pacific Coast of North America. The breakdown by state is; Washington 1, Oregon 25, and California 154. There have been 13 fatal shark attacks reported from California. The White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias, was either positively identified or highly suspect in all 13 fatalities. The White Shark was implicated in 139 (90%) of the 154 attacks reported from California during this period..

Date

Victim

Activity

Location

7 Dec 1952

B. W.

Swimming

Pt. Aulone, Pacific Grove, CA

28 Apr 1957

P. S.

Swimming

Atascadero Beach, Morro Bay, CA

7 May 1959

A. K.

Swimming

Baker Beach, CA

14 Jun 1959

R. P.

Swimming

Alligator Head, La Jolla Cove, CA

19 Dec 1981

L. B.

Surfing

South Moss Beach, Spanish Bay, CA

15 Sep 1984

O. C.

Diving

Pigeon Point, CA

26 Jan 1989

T. M.

Kayaking

Malibu/Paradise Cove, CA

9 Dec 1994

J. R.

Diving

Castle Rock, San Miguel Island, CA

19 Aug 2003

D. F.

Swimming

Avila, CA

15 Aug 2004

R. F.

Diving

Ten Mile River Beach, Ft. Bragg, CA

25 Apr 2008 D. M. Swimming Fletcher Cove, Solana Beach, CA
22 Oct 2010 L. R. Boogie Brdg Surf Beach, Vandenberg AFB, CA
23 Oct 2012 F. S. Surfing Surf Beach, Vandenberg AFB, CA
9 May 2020 B. K. Surfing Sand Dollar Beach, CA
24 Dec 2021 T. B. Boogie Brdg Morro Bay, CA

* As noted in “Shark Attacks of the Twentieth Century” the forensic evidence and circumstances surrounding the death of Michelle Von Emster, April 15, 1994 do not support the conclusion that a shark, more specifically a White Shark, was responsible.


The material contained on this website is shared as a public service and to further the scientific goals of the Shark Research Committee.  All text and images on this website are the exclusive property of the Shark Research Committee.  Information on this website may be used for private study, but may not otherwise be published, duplicated, or modified in any way without the prior written permission of Ralph S. Collier.