Nearly 30 dead sharks wash up on NJ beach, but DEP won’t investigate

☑️ Nearly 30 dead dogfish sharks were found on a Sea Isle City beach

☑️ A marine scientist said he has never seen as many dead sharks in one place

☑️ The DEP says it will not investigate the incident

SEA ISLE CITY — Nearly 30 small dogfish sharks were found dead on a Jersey Shore beach Wednesday morning, but the DEP says it will not investigate because the discovery does not appear to be an unusual occurrence.

Stephen Nagiewicz, an adjunct professor of marine science at Stockton University, said a resident found the sharks during an early morning walk along the beach between 29th and 39th streets.

It was the largest number of dead sharks Nagiewicz has seen in one place in his 50 years studying the ocean.

DEP spokesman Larry Hajna said it is not unusual during the summer for fish to forage near the shore and sometimes get caught by sandbars as the tide goes out. It is also possible the sharks were discarded after being accidentally caught during a commercial or recreational fishing trip.

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Why did so many sharks wash up in Sea Isle City

One reason for the large number of sharks may be that they were taking advantage of the warm water close to shore, according to Nagiewicz. Another possibility is that they were following other fish for food.

"The sharks like fish, so they come close to shore. And I think one of the possible outcomes could have been that these schools of dogfish got too close to the beach and probably got hit on a sandbar at low tide and got stuck there," Nagiewicz said.

Another possibility, he said, is that they may have been dumped after being caught by fishermen.

Dogfish are common in the waters off the Jersey Shore, but because they swim near the bottom of the ocean, most people do not see them.

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Could beach replenishment make dogfish more visible

Dogfish sharks could become more visible in the future as beach replenishment projects stir up sand, which can make it harder to differentiate between food and people, according to Nagiewicz.

"They see as much as they smell, and if the water's turbid because there's sand and surf and all the other things, they can misinterpret a poor kid on a surfboard for a school of fish," Nagiewicz said.

Nagiewicz is a supporter of beach replenishment projects and said that if they are not done, the ocean will take back the beaches.

The DEP agrees with Nagiewicz's theories and said these events are not uncommon. Hajna said the agency is not investigating because it does not appear to be an unusual event.

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