Hawaiʻi Sharks

Incidents by Year – 1980-2023

This graphic depicts only confirmed unprovoked incidents, defined by the International Shark Attack File as “incidents where an attack on a live human by a shark occurs in its natural habitat without human provocation of the shark. Incidents involving…shark-inflicted scavenge damage to already dead humans (most often drowning victims), attacks on boats, and provoked incidents occurring in or out of the water are not considered unprovoked attacks.”

Please feel free to use only with citing the source as:
Courtesy of Division of Aquatic Resources, Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources

Incidents by Month – 1980-2023

This graphic depicts only confirmed unprovoked incidents, defined by the International Shark Attack File as “incidents where an attack on a live human by a shark occurs in its natural habitat without human provocation of the shark. Incidents involving…shark-inflicted scavenge damage to already dead humans (most often drowning victims), attacks on boats, and provoked incidents occurring in or out of the water are not considered unprovoked attacks.”

Please feel free to use only with citing the source as:
Courtesy of Division of Aquatic Resources, Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources

Incidents by Activity – 1950-2023

This graphic includes both provoked and unprovoked incidents in which shark involvement was confirmed.
Provoked incidents are defined by the International Shark Attack File as occurring “when a human initiates physical contact with a shark, e.g. a diver bit after grabbing a shark, a fisher bit while removing a shark from a net, and attacks on spearfishers and those feeding sharks.”
Unprovoked incidents are those “where an attack on a live human by a shark occurs in its natural habitat without human provocation of the shark. Incidents involving…shark-inflicted scavenge damage to already dead humans (most often drowning victims), attacks on boats, and provoked incidents occurring in or out of the water are not considered unprovoked attacks.”

Please feel free to use only with citing the source as:
Courtesy of Division of Aquatic Resources, Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources

Incidents vs. People in Water

Number in water based on O’ahu swimmer and surfer counts, monthly averages 1998-99, Honolulu Ocean Safety Division data. Number of incidents based on statewide shark data 1950-2023.

The relationship between number of people in the water and number of shark bites is not always as expected. There appears to be an increased risk of being bitten by a shark during certain months, in particular October through December. Early Hawaiians recognized this, and cautioned against going in the water at that time. Although fewer people are in the water from Nov-Dec, some of Hawaii’s most serious shark attacks took place during those months. Analysis of weather/ocean conditions and tiger shark life history is beginning to shed some light on the patterns shown in this graph.

Please feel free to use only with citing the source as:
Courtesy of Division of Aquatic Resources, Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources