Shark Activity Increase Off New Jersey & Atlantic City: Here’s Why

It’s not anecdotal, it’s true there is a noticeable increase in shark activity in New Jersey (overall), as well as Southern New Jersey and the Atlantic City region.

Don’t take my word for it.

OCEARCH is a well-respected organization that meticulously charts shark activity.

In the past 9 years, OCEARCH tagged 83 sharks along the East Coast.

It’s not complicated. The reason there has been a number of shark sightings off Atlantic City, Toms River, and numerous other waters in South Jersey is because the temperature of the ocean is warming.

This has brought sharks closer than ever before because the warming waters cause the sharks to migrate northward.

In late April, 2022, OCEARCH tagged a 1,000-pound Great White shark off of the New Jersey Coast.

We wrote recently about Freya, an 880-pound shark spotted off of both Atlantic City and Toms River, New Jersey.

If you missed it, here’s a link to our coverage about Freya.

Read More: 880-Pound Shark Pings Off The Coast Of Toms River, New Jersey

Many oceanic scientists have concluded that if the ocean water continues its present warming pattern, shark sightings in once rare areas, will become commonplace going forward.

It appears inevitable that we will see more of this increased shark activity in the Southern New Jersey region now and into the foreseeable future.

This is specifically a comment about large, 11 to 12 feet, 800-1,000 pound sharks.

SOURCE: OCEARCH