Several shark sightings reported at Jersey Shore

Several shark sightings at the Jersey Shore have some visitors anxious, but experts say that there is nothing to worry about. Visitors at Island Beach State Park filmed video of a small shark at the

News 12 Staff

Jun 28, 2016, 3:36 AM

Updated 3,005 days ago

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Several shark sightings at the Jersey Shore have some visitors anxious, but experts say that there is nothing to worry about.
Visitors at Island Beach State Park filmed video of a small shark at the coastline on Sunday and more were spotted at Sandy Hook as well.
The type of shark spotted is known as a dogfish shark, which are smaller in size. Many fishermen tell News 12 New Jersey that they have been seeing them a lot lately as well.
Marine experts say that the warmer waters that have moved into the area are likely the cause for so many sightings lately.
Jenkinson's Aquariums' Connor Gibbons says that there are a lot of species of sharks that live off the New Jersey coast, including sand tiger sharks and sandbar sharks.
"This is their home and you're in it. If you leave them alone, they're not going to bother you," Gibbons says.
Gibbons also says that it is not wise to handle small sharks. Dogfish sharks possess a mild venom and can sting with their fins.
"They generally will not harm people too much," Gibbons says. "This is strictly a defensive mechanism, so you would only encounter this if you were invading their space, picking them up or handling them incorrectly."
Experts say that a good common sense rule is to swim by lifeguards and avoid swimming at dusk and dawn, when sharks are most active.