Swimmer Stabbed By Possible Needlefish At Jersey Shore, Police Say

BARNEGAT LIGHT, NJ — A swimmer was hospitalized after he was stabbed in the leg possibly by a needlefish on Long Beach Island over the weekend, authorities said.

Long Beach Township police responded to the 19th Street beachfront at about 11:39 a.m. Saturday to help the Barnegat Light Beach Patrol with an injured swimmer, according to a news release.

The man had received a minor leg injury while swimming near the 9th Street beach, police said. He was taken to Southern Ocean Medical Center for treatment.

While rumors initially swirled of a shark bite, the Barnegat Light First Aid Squad updated that afternoon to say that the attack appeared to be from a needlefish.

Atlantic needlefish are found in coastal waters, bays and estuaries, according to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection. They feed on shrimp and small fish, spending a lot of time near the surface and jumping out of water to chase small fish.

They have a long, narrow body of up to 24 inches, and have elongated jaws with sharp teeth.

While people have been injured and even killed by needlefish before, this is rare. Needlefish are not aggressive, but their speed and tendency to jump out of water can be dangerous.