Long Island's beach season sparks renewed shark warning

Swimmers who set out this summer from one of Long Island's vast selection of Atlantic-facing beaches will, as always, have company. 

Dolphins, seals and endless schools of fish make their livings in and out of the shoreline waters. So do sharks.

In fact, state environmental officials said Wednesday, sharks, from plankton-eating baskings to the most ravenous of predators, like great whites, tigers and hammerheads, are on their annual summer migration. All the more reason to be alert, officials said, whether its bathers, body surfers or the people whose job it is to keep everyone safe.

"The lifeguards are always on the lookout making sure if they see anything," George Gorman, Long Island regional director of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, told Newsday. " ... Any kind of issues within the water, they’re scanning for, and they will direct people to different areas that are safe or direct them out of the water if need be."

So far this summer, Gorman said, there have been no reported shark sightings off Long Island beaches.

In 2025, there were 10 shark sightings. On June 25 last year, a 20-year-old woman in the waters off Jones Beach suffered lacerations to her left foot and leg, likely from a bite by what officials suspected was a juvenile sand tiger shark, Newsday reported at the time.

Gorman said being on the alert for sharks takes many forms.

"We have our drone patrols, we have lifeguards, New York State park police and park staff that are constantly monitoring the waters," he said.

His office has the help of 16 additional drones this summer, augmenting a fleet of 30. The number of drone operators was expected to grow from 47 to 67, Gov. Kathy Hochul's office announced in May, Newsday previously reported.

On Wednesday, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued a list of tips aimed at protecting people when they enter the ocean, and sharks and other marine life already there.

"Human-shark interactions are rare ... but DEC urges beachgoers and water enthusiasts to follow shark safety guidelines to reduce risk and help keep New Yorkers safe this summer," Martin Gary, the DEC's director of marine resources, said in a news release.

"Our region’s renowned ocean beaches and coastal waters are home to rich marine ecosystems that support a wide variety of wildlife, including sharks," Gary said. "Respect the ocean, stay aware of your surroundings, and follow safety guidelines for being shark smart and enjoying the ocean responsibly."

To reduce risk and minimize potential interactions with sharks, the DEC is encouraging New Yorkers to take the following steps:

• Avoid areas with seals
• Avoid areas with schools of fish, splashing fish or diving seabirds
• Avoid swimming at dusk, night and dawn
• Avoid murky water
• Swim, paddle and surf in groups
• Stay close to shore, where feet can touch the bottom 
• Always follow the instructions of lifeguards and park staff