Are shark bites happening more often? Experts weigh in

So far this year, 40 shark attacks have taken place worldwide. And just this week, another shark attack took place in South Florida.

But has there been an uptick in attacks? 

Experts at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science say it’s not believed that this year there will be more than we have seen in years past.

On Monday, a 37-year-old went spearfishing with a friend and his two kids. After getting a fish, he was bitten by a bull shark in the legs and torso.

As of Wednesday, he is still recovering in the hospital.

"You need to try to escape the shark, it's the only option,” Jose Angel Hernandez said in an interview Monday.

His attack is just one of a few this year. In Volusia County, Florida, four attacks took place the week of July 4.

The reason?

"Inevitably when people are recreating in the water and sharks are living in feeding in the water, sometimes there are these interactions, and the interactions are seemingly more frequent, and that really is exactly what's happening. We are seeing some species of sharks on the increase, absolutely,” said Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza, the executive director of Ocean First Institute.

But those increases in populations don’t necessarily mean more bites. Experts believe that today, more people are just reporting them.

"I don't think we are off the mark, I think we are just seeing a lot more attention on this and a lot more eyes out there sharing this information," Kobza said.

Globally, the average is 100 shark attacks a year. Last year, Florida saw 16 shark attacks.

"These instances are still extremely rare. Estimates range from one in 11.5 million to one in 200 million,” said John Hlavin, a fourth-year PhD student at the Rosenstiel School.

While Monday’s diver was bit by a bull shark, experts said that species is not responsible for Florida's most common bite.

“The majority of our bites come from smaller black tip sharks. That's why Florida, we have the most shark bites in the U.S., but our injuries tend to be less severe," said Yannis Papastamatiou, a professor at Florida International University.

While reports of attacks spike in the summer months, experts said there's no evidence to suggest it's due to one specific thing.

But is it a trend we are seeing? 

“The evidence so far states what we're actually seeing is more northward shifts as species are able to tolerate historically, temperate colder and temperate waters, so that actually might mean less sharks in our area," Hlavin said.

The experts NBC6 spoke to have shared five golden rules that you can follow to try to avoid a shark attack:

1. Always make sure you are swimming in a group
2. No jewelry while in the water
3. No splashing that could mimic bait fish on the water
4. Swim during the day when it’s nice and hot, not dawn or dusk
5. And don’t go where signs of fish are. Look for birds in the sky or bait fish down below. If you see that, it’s best to get out of the water