Overview
- Lifeguards confirmed an estimated 8-foot great white circling a surfer near 35th Street in Newport Beach, following Thursday's midday sighting.
- Crews cleared nearby waters as a precaution, reopened the area by 5:45 p.m., and added patrols with a surveillance boat and a helicopter after notifying police and sheriff units.
- Scientists at Cal State Long Beach’s Shark Lab expect more encounters this summer, citing unusually warm seas tied to a building El Niño that draw juvenile whites closer to shore.
- State records show shark bites are rare compared with ocean use, with 202 incidents in California from 1950 to 2022 and far fewer fatalities over that span.
- Officials urge basic precautions such as swimming in groups, choosing lifeguarded beaches, avoiding dawn and dusk, and watching wildlife behavior that can signal a nearby predator.