1,400-Pound Great White Shark Pings Off FL Coast Multiple Days

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA — A 1,400-pound great white shark has pinged off Florida’s East Coast multiple times in January, data from OCEARCH, a nonprofit organization that tracks sharks and other marine life, shows.

Breton, a 13-foot-long shark, last pinged Saturday around 4 p.m. near Blake Plateau, just off the coast between Daytona Beach and St. Augustine.

On Jan. 9, the shark pinged four times that day off Daytona Beach, its tracker shows.

The adult male shark traveled 56 miles in the last three days, according to OCEARCH.

Over the past month, between Dec. 14 and Saturday, Breton has traveled from waters off Newfoundland in Canada through the Atlantic Ocean to Florida.

Breton is the first shark tagged during OCEARCH’s Expedition Nova Scotia 2020 and is named for the community of Cape Breton, where he was tagged.

He is also the fifth shark OCEARCH tagged at Scatarie Island in two years of working there. This provides “evidence that the region could offer predictable access to white sharks,” the organization said.

What To Know About Shark Bites

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, shark bites in Florida waters are "extremely unlikely."

The commission offered these tips for minimizing the odds of shark bites:

• Always stay in groups, since sharks are more likely to bite a solitary individual.
• Do not wander too far from shore — this isolates an individual and places him or her far away from assistance.
• Avoid being in the water during darkness or twilight hours when sharks are most active.
• Do not enter the water if bleeding from an open wound or if menstruating — a shark's ability to smell blood is acute.
• Wearing shiny jewelry is discouraged. When light reflects off shiny jewelry, it resembles the sheen of fish scales.
• Avoid waters with known discharges or sewage and waters used for any type of fishing-especially if there are signs of baitfishes or feeding activity. Diving seabirds, which frequently feed on baitfishes, are good indicators of such activity.
• While there are myths and anecdotes about dolphins saving humans from shark bites, the presence of dolphins does not indicate the absence of sharks-both often eat the same foods.
• Use extra caution when waters are murky.
• Remember that sharks see contrast particularly well. Uneven tans and bright colored clothing may draw a shark's attention.
• Refrain from excess splashing, as this may draw a shark's attention.
• Do not allow pets in the water: their erratic movements may draw a shark’s attention.
• Be careful when occupying the area between sandbars or near steep drop-offs-these are favorite hangouts for sharks.
• Swim only in areas tended by lifeguards.
• Do not enter the water if sharks are known to be present, and get out of the water if sharks are sighted.
• Never harass a shark.