Unprecedented number of young great white sharks seen in Monterey Bay

MONTEREY – A new study shows a population boom for young great white sharks in the Monterey Bay.

Researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and California State University Long Beach say the shark population began during an El Niño weather event in 2014 and the population has increased every year since.

“The Monterey Bay is getting warmer. Progressively warmer. Since then, there have been nurseries of juvenile great white sharks in Santa Cruz, that has just never been documented before. We attribute that to climate change because the bay is getting warmer,” said researcher Chris Lowe, PhD. 

The new study is a concern for surfers and swimmers.  It’s also a confirmation of what they have already been seeing.

“It’s shocking and then you go: okay, a shark. I guess I’ll go in now,” said Julie Malcolm, who has been surfing around Santa Cruz for year.

She said she’s never seen as many sharks in the water as she has just recently.

“They’re kind of smallish. They’ll breach. Like, fully breach right out of the water. I’ve had them swim right underneath me, do aggressive tail flips,” Malcolm said.

The juvenile sharks are 4 to 9 feet in length and usually don’t pose much of a threat to humans.

“When those sharks are using those nurseries, they’re ignoring people.  As long as people aren’t bothering them, they aren’t bothering people,” Lowe said.

What isn’t known is what happens when they reach maturity.

“The larger sharks which prey on marine mammals, are more likely to mistake a human,” Lowe said.

Overall, the population of white sharks is increasing.

Although attacks are rare, in 2020, a surfer was killed in a shark attack off Aptos.

Some surfers are now using a type of magnet repellent strapped to their ankles.

“Supposedly, the magnetic field repels sharks. It’s just a little step I take to possibly prevent an attack, but life is a risk,” said surfer Joe McCroskey.

And at least on Manresa Beach Friday, many appeared to be willing to take the risk.

“We just go out there and have fun and don’t worry about the risks,” said surfer Jade Newkirk.