A man was injured in the ocean at the Jersey Shore, but it was probably not a shark

A man injured his hand while swimming at the Jersey Shore on Sunday morning, leading to speculation about a possible shark bite. However, local officials believe the injury was more likely caused by a barbed fish known as a skate.

The man was swimming in the ocean at Surrey Avenue Beach in Ventnor around 9:30 a.m. when he was cut on his hand and required first aid, said Ventnor Mayor Tim Kriebel and Ventnor City Beach Patrol. He was transported to a hospital and is expected to recover, reported Action 6 News.

Earlier news reports, citing the local beach patrol, said it was from a possible shark bite. Kriebel, however, said that no sharks were sighted at the time of the incident.

“The cause is not confirmed to be a shark bite. It’s more likely that the bather may have encountered a skate, which has barbs on its tail,” Kriebel said. “We’ve noticed an increase in marine activity of all kinds in the area, which is normal for late summer warm water.”

As a precaution, Ventnor restricted swimming in the ocean to ankle-deep water while officials monitored the situation on Sunday. By Monday morning, restrictions were lifted, said Ventnor City Beach Patrol. Beachgoers are advised to swim only at lifeguarded beaches between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Shark attacks in New Jersey are rare. There have been no confirmed shark attacks in the state in 2024. The first shark bite at the Jersey Shore in nearly a decade occurred last year when a 15-year-old from Pennsylvania was bitten in Stone Harbor.

Over the past two centuries, New Jersey has seen 16 unprovoked shark attacks, according to Florida State University’s International Shark Attack File. In comparison, Florida, which has the highest number of shark attacks in the country, has recorded more than 900 since 1837.

Despite the rarity of shark attacks, there has been an increase in shark sightings at the Jersey Shore, particularly of basking sharks, according to NJ.com. Multiple shark sightings have been reported this year, including one near Cape May Point.

Local researchers say cooler waters due to “upswelling” — when deep cold water rises to the ocean’s surface, causing sudden temperature changes — affect various species differently. For basking sharks and others, their presence increases in cold water, combined with “plentiful food” along the coast.

Humans, however, are not part of their diet.