Dr. Reese Halter Blames Shark Attacks on Man, Climate Change

ANCHOR: “Dr. Reese Halter is a conservation biologist and he has been working to safe the shark community, and he joins me now. So, Dr. Reese, tell us why is North Carolina seeing so many shark attacks this year?”

HALTER: “Good morning, [indecipherable], and Happy 4th. Look, the water is their home, right? And here’s what we know. The oceans have been terribly fished, overfished. The sharks, who are the doctors of the sea, are hungry. So they’re coming in, they’re following their bait, and we have conditions of unseasonably warm water. We have droughts and we have less fresh water going into the ocean, the Atlantic. It’s saltier. And so the bait fish are attracted. And we’ve got the perfect storm. It’s hot, it’s the 4th. People are going in the water. It’s a cocktail that has unfortunate outcomes.”

ANCHOR: “You are working to protect sharks. What kind of threats are they facing? Do they have anything to do with the uptick in shark bites in North Carolina?”

HALTER: “Well, globally this is a disaster. In the last 15 years, we’ve emptied the sea. We’re talking one and a half billion sharks we’ve taken out of the waters. And so the — just imagine this, [indecipherable] if we took 90 percent of the doctors away from America or Australia where I work, our economies would grind to a halt and our societies would collapse. This is a very delicate situation we’re dealing with. It’s got a terrible outcome because if the sharks die, we die.”

ANCHOR: “It’s not just the beach goers that are having an issue because North Carolina fisherman are complaining much of their catch is being eaten by sharks. Are there just too many sharks off the Carolina this year?”

HALTER: “No, I don’t think there is too many sharks. I think they are — the remaining sharks are starving. I think we’ve taken their food away. I think they are very much attracted to the recreational fishing which draws extra blood into the water and they sense it, they move in. And this is an indication that their populations are in great strife. And sadly, people, are in the way. But, you know, we say don’t be afraid, be aware. So when you go in the water today, and by the way, go in the water, be aware if you see a school of fish come through you, get out of the water.”

ANCHOR: “Good advice. Dr. Reese Halter, thanks so much for being here.”

HALTER: “Thank you.”