Suffolk adds drones, watercraft to shark-sighting fleet

A surge in shark bites and sightings off Suffolk South Shore beaches, so far in 2023 and in summers of the recent past, has spurred the county this week to add two drones and a pair of personal watercraft.

The goal, county officials said, is keeping swimmers safe and shark-bite free, with the idea that more sharks off South Shore beaches are for the most part here to stay.

Suffolk spent more than $130,000 on the drones and personal watercraft to add to its existing fleet for patrol of Smith Point County Park in Shirley and Cupsogue Beach in Westhampton Beach, said County Executive Steve Bellone on Thursday.

Officials hope to have the two new drones available by the end of the summer, Bellone said. In the meantime, the county fire rescue has made drones available at beaches if needed. The county previously had a fleet of two watercraft and two drones operated by Suffolk Fire Rescue and Emergency Services.

The new drones, each costing $47,000, can be flown over the beach and ocean with high-definition cameras to zoom in on the water in pursuit of dangerous marine life or large schools of fish where sharks may feed close to shore.

Unofficial shark season in the waters off Long Island typically lasts until October, according to marine experts.

Eight confirmed shark bites off Long Island were recorded last year. So far in 2023, five people have been the victims of apparent shark bites.

Of the five reported bites off Long Island since Monday, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has so far confirmed only one, Tuesday off Quogue. Officials said the man's puncture wounds appeared to be from a sand tiger shark.

State officials are still investigating two reported bites Monday off Robert Moses State Park and Kismet Beach on Fire Island as well as bites reported Tuesday at Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove. The New York State PBA on Thursday called on the DEC to boost funding for patrol boats and drones, and restore overtime for DEC and State Park police responding to the increased shark activity.

And as if rattled swimmers and parks officials needed a reminder, a 10-foot shark was spotted Thursday afternoon off Field 5 at Robert Moses, leading lifeguards to clear people from the water and declare swimming off limits.

Bellone noted that a Smith Point lifeguard bitten by a shark last summer marked the first incident at county beaches in their history of more than 50 years. He said it was also the first time in the county’s history that swimming was closed due to a shark bite.

“Now, one year later over this Fourth of July weekend, we've had five shark-related incidents. And this makes it clear that last summer was not an aberration,” Bellone said. “What we're looking at is likely a new normal. And that shark bites and shark incidents are something that we're going to have to be addressing on a regular basis and it is simply going to be a part of the routine of what we do out here every day."

DEC officials investigate reported shark bites by examining photos of wounds and interviewing first responders and victims to determine if one occurred.

Before last year, there had been only about a dozen confirmed shark bites off New York State waters since 1837.

State officials said the recent presumed bites were likely caused by sharks misidentifying prey. Sharks have been swimming near surf zones where large numbers of bait fish, rip currents and water visibility may affect the presence and ability to detect shark activity, officials said.

The state allocated $145,000 this year for Long Island state parks to purchase 10 new drones and personal watercraft to patrol parks including Jones Beach, Robert Moses and Montauk. 

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.