Nantucket Fisherman Bitten by Sandbar Shark During Catch-and-Release

During the July Fourth weekend, a 21-year-old man in Nantucket was bitten on the leg by a sandbar shark while attempting to release it back into the ocean after catching it on shore. The injury was serious enough to require airlifting to a mainland hospital for treatment. This incident highlights the risks of shore-based shark fishing, which has been growing in popularity along the U.S. coasts, including Cape Cod. Experts from the New England Aquarium emphasize that while sandbar sharks are resilient and catch-and-release fishing can be done safely, anglers must prioritize both their own safety and the shark's well-being. The sandbar shark population, once heavily overfished, is now rebounding due to conservation measures, but handling these apex predators still carries inherent dangers. Additional shark bite incidents have been reported recently in Florida and South Carolina, underscoring the ongoing interaction risks between humans and sharks during the busy summer season.