National Geographic: Yeah, Climate Change Part Of Reason For NC Shark Attacks

30 Jun, 2015 by William Teach

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Most experts on shark behavior are saying that it is hard to pinpoint the cause of the shark attacks here in North Carolina over the past few weeks. National Geographic knows exactly the reasons

North Carolina’s “Perfect Storm” for Shark Attacks

There have been six shark attacks in North Carolina this year, all of them in June.

This is already more than last year, when the state saw four attacks. In the previous decade, there were only 25 shark attacks in North Carolina. And there have been just 55 documented shark attacks in the state between 1905 and 2014.

So what’s going on this year?

They provide 5 reasons.

Warmer weather: they mean warmer water, which is something not unusual in NC, nor does it prove anthropogenic causation. Temps are up about 8F over average (remember, average is created by various temp levels)
Higher salinity: this yammers on about drought. The coastal region is not in drought, and the central part is only in mild drought. Doesn’t prove anthropogenic causation.
A bloom of bait fish: this makes a bit more sense. Also, add in more people chumming from the piers.
Fishing near swimmers: bingo.

Then

5. Global warming
Although Frank J. Schwartz, a shark biologist with the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, says there’s too much natural variability in weather cycles to blame the recent shark attacks on global warming, Burgess says the link is plausible.

“Clearly global climate change is a reality and it has resulted in warmer temperatures in certain places at certain times,” says Burgess.

As warming is expected to increase, it will likely bring more sharks farther north and entice more people to get into the water, which will lead to more bites.

So, all your people driving your fossil fueled vehicles to the beach are Responsible for the attacks, you are to blame. Of course, this doesn’t prove anthropogenic causation, either. But, hey, the Cult of Climastrology must always find a way to bring their pet political cause into almost any event.