How common are shark attacks in Florida?

That is lower than Florida's most recent five-year average of 19 a year. Volusia County had 6 of the 11, or 54 percent of the state's total. Broward and Lee counties had 2 each and Miami-Dade had 1. Florida's 11 cases were 44 percent of the U.S. total of 25, which included 1 death, and 17 percent of the 65 unprovoked bites counted worldwide in 2025.

"Unprovoked" means the person did not start the contact with the shark. Bites that happen during spearfishing or while letting go of a hooked or netted shark are not part of that count. In the worldwide 2025 report, swimmers and waders were 46 percent of the cases, and surfers and others on boards were 32 percent.

The Shark Attack File's quick tips for lowering the risk are: swim with a buddy, stay close to shore, do not swim at dawn or dusk, do not swim around schools of fish or where people are fishing, do not wear jewelry, and avoid splashing a lot.

The International Shark Attack File is a record of all known shark attacks. It is run by the Florida Museum of Natural History and the American Elasmobranch Society, a group of shark, skate and ray scientists, and it has been kept at the Florida Museum at the University of Florida in Gainesville since 1988. Its phone number is 352-392-2360.

Where to go from here.