August 12, 2025 — Florida anglers say sharks are snatching their catches at unprecedented rates, calling it an “overwhelming problem” and blaming a boom in Gulf shark numbers.
But scientific research paints a more complicated picture.
Scientists who study sharks acknowledge that depredation — the act of fish being eaten by an underwater predator while on a fisherman’s line — is a growing concern in some areas, especially Florida. They cite several potential drivers of increased shark-human conflict, including climate change-related shifts in shark behavior and rebounding populations of some species.
But they note that changes in human behavior — such as more people fishing and heightened awareness of shark encounters through social media — may also play a role.
Now, researchers are working to learn when and why these encounters happen and how to prevent them.
Matt Ajemian, an associate research professor studying the issue at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, cautions against calling shark depredation a crisis, noting that historical accounts show similar encounters have long occurred.
“I don’t call it a problem,” he said. “I try to call it a challenge.”