Great White Sightings off SC
Great White Sightings off SC
Finding shark in the ocean isn’t news, but Great Whites off the coast of Myrtle Beach and Georgetown is worth noting, especially with shark attacks on the rise. Two sharks tagged by shark-tracking organization OCEARCH have both been tracked this week close to Myrtle Beach.
Eight-foot White Shark Savannah pinged Tuesday off the coast of Myrtle Beach. The 460-pound female shark had previously been tracking toward Myrtle Beach from Charleston. Also Tuesday, the 12-foot male White Shark named Hilton pinged near Georgetown. The 1,326-pound shark is currently just off the coast between Georgetown and McClellanville. See More
According to trackingsharks.com, worldwide, 2016 saw a record number of shark attacks and bites (107) which surpassed the previous record of 98 set in 2015 by nine. This record can be explained in part due to record temperatures making the ocean more appealing, while cheaper oil prices made traveling to the beach more affordable. The total number of fatalities, however, is down from nine worldwide in 2015 to eight in 2016.
OCEARCH is a recognized world leader in generating critical scientific data related to tracking (telemetry) and biological studies of keystone marine species such as great white and tiger sharks, in conjunction with conservation outreach and education at a measurable global scale.
In a collaborative environment established by Founding Chairman and Expedition Leader Chris Fischer, OCEARCH shares real-time data through OCEARCH’s Global Shark Tracker, inspires current and future generations of explorers, scientists, and stewards of the ocean, and enables leading researchers and institutions to generate previously unattainable data. OCEARCH has completed 27 expeditions, worldwide, as of December 2016.
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