Is It Safe to Go Back in the Water?

David Martin's son and his family, who grew up in and around these local waters, went surfing again in the spot where Martin was killed just days after the attack. What was your reaction when you heard this?
My thoughts and prayers go out to Dr. Martin's family. I think that going back out there is a very intelligent thing to do. If you've grown up in a family that has enjoyed the water your whole life, if this is part of your life, you should not close that off because of this tragic event. Frankly, you are at greater risk driving from your home to the beach than you are in the water.

What did you think of the local officials' decision to warn the public not to enter that 13-mile stretch of beach for four days?
It's the type of decision public agencies make, something they felt was necessary. But most sharks are not sedentary; generally, they don't stay very long in one area. That doesn't mean this shark isn't still out there somewhere, but in my opinion this decision doesn't really matter.

Just how rare are shark attacks off the Pacific Coast of the United States?
Very rare. From 1900 to the present we've had total of 147 shark attacks along the Pacific Coast of North America, including California, Oregon and Washington, and there have been 11 fatalities confirmed, including this latest one.

Still, it's likely this attack will again stir up the public obsession with shark mythology and generate more fear. What do you think of pop culture's take on sharks, from "Jaws" to various documentaries?
I think the documentaries produced by Discovery and by National Geographic, and independent companies as well, have overall been a positive. Not only have they answered questions that the public might have had, they have raised awareness that these animals are not mindless killing machines and that they serve a valuable function in the marine environment. Their removal and our overfishing is of critical concern. "Jaws" initially had a negative impact, especially when attacks occurred after the release of the film. It led to the feeling that the only good shark was a dead shark. After Discovery and others started doing documentaries, it changed that perception. Today fewer people have a "hang 'em high" attitude toward sharks.

When I first moved to California and learned to surf 30 years ago, a friend who was a lifelong Californian and surfer told me, "As soon as you step into the ocean, you become a part of the food chain." Is that a fair statement?
Yes, absolutely. Just like when we venture to the mountains, we place ourselves into the food chain. We might be the apex predator as far as intellect—although, between you and me, I sometimes question that—but as far as common sense is concerned, sometimes we are lacking. Once you get out of your residence and go back to nature, you now have become a part of that ecosystem. A mountain lion or bear is capable of capturing large prey. Same thing goes in the ocean. I personally have observed at San Onofre [a Southern California beach] white sharks swimming between surfers, and they were never even aware of it. Two surfers sitting there and a dorsal fin right there between them; the sharks were hanging around there because of a dead whale buried on the beach, but the surfers paid no attention.

Is there any validity to the old beachcomber adage that if a shark attacks you, punch him right in the nose?
Yes. If a shark is biting me, I'll do whatever I can, and striking a shark is a natural reflex. In some cases sharks have actually released and backed off when struck. However, in other cases it accelerates their aggressive behavior and they return and bite again. In Dr. Martin's case, this was a very forceful bite, a violent attack. The majority of cases on the Pacific Coast are single bites. We do have cases where victims have been bitten multiple times, but most attacks are investigation-oriented: the shark comes toward the surfer or diver or kayaker, takes the object, holds it in its mouth, releases it and swims off.