Watch as a Bull Shark Attacks Kayak, Steals Fisherman’s Prize Catch

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What would you do if an eight-foot-long bull shark rammed your kayak while you were fishing in the open ocean? Fisherman Quentin Turko managed to stay afloat during his frightening encounter off the Outer Banks in North Carolina. The video uploaded from Wild Sightings on YouTube shows how tenacious bull sharks can be when hunting their prey. This shark wasn’t at all shy about stealing the fisherman’s catch.

How Common Are Bull Sharks off the Coast of North Carolina?

Bull sharks have not always been as common in North Carolina waters as they are today. A study conducted in 2018 found that populations of juvenile bull sharks began to increase starting around 2011. Young bull sharks grow up in shallow coastal or estuarine nursery areas, called nursery habitats. Researchers believe increasing water temperatures and changes in salinity from climate change have created ideal conditions for the shark’s nursery areas.

Because bull sharks tolerate brackish and fresh water, you are likely to encounter bull sharks in any body of water that connects to the ocean around North Carolina. And though the juveniles may start out small, adult bull sharks can grow up to 11 feet long.

Why Are Sharks Stealing Fishermen’s Catch?

In the video above, Turko had the catch of the day with a 45-pound red drum fish. Red drum fish, also known as redfish, are a popular game fish for North Carolina fishermen. Turko must have been pleased with his catch until a hungry shark stole it off his line.

The Outer Banks is not the only location where sharks have been found to steal fish from humans. A news article out of West Palm Beach, Florida, from WPTV called it a “common annoyance.” Also, USA Today reported on a great white shark attempting to steal a black sea bass from fishermen on a charter boat off the waters of New Jersey.

It’s not just tourists and recreational fishermen that are battling it out with sharks. Commercial fishermen are losing gear and resources fighting off sharks for their catch. When a shark removes a hooked fish or partially eats it, it’s called shark depredation. It has become such a problem that researchers have been working hard to better understand it.

Reasons For Shark Depredation

Research has revealed there is an increase in shark depredation and it’s occurring for several possible reasons:

• Populations of shark species are recovering thanks to conservation efforts.
• More fishermen are in the waters when they release dead or injured fish, sharks are drawn to the area.
• Sharks are learning to associate boats with easy prey.

How Many Shark Attacks Are There Worldwide per Year?

Typically, sharks are not interested in attacking people. When they see boats in the water, they may come around to investigate, knowing there is a chance of an easy fish to catch. Most of the time, no matter how big and frightening the shark may be, they are after fish, not humans.

However, if people find themselves in between the shark and their prey, or if the sharks mistake a human for prey or feel threatened, they may attack. Experts differentiate between “provoked” and “unprovoked” shark attacks. Provoked attacks are defined as when a human interferes or initiates contact with a shark in its habitat.

Globally, there were 24 provoked bites and 47 unprovoked in 2024. Out of the 47 unprovoked bites, 28 of them were in the United States. While Florida led the way with 14 unprovoked attacks, North Carolina had only one for the year. In the U.S., there was one fatal unprovoked attack, which occurred in Hawaii.

What Should You Do if You Encounter a Shark?

Bull sharks are territorial and are known as one of the more aggressive shark species. They also live in shallow waters where they are more likely to run into humans. Because of this, they are one of the more dangerous species of sharks. While they do not prey on humans, they may be either curious or threatened when they see humans in the water and are best left alone.

Although sharks aren’t after people, encounters do happen. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has tips on how to avoid shark bites. While your risk is very low at being attacked by a shark, swimmers and waders suffered the most attacks.

Some of the tips include:

• Be careful in murky waters where you can’t see what’s there; sharks will have a hard time spotting you as well.
• Never swim alone.
• Only swim during the day (dusk, dawn, and night are times of high activity for sharks).
• Avoid wearing shiny jewelry in the water.
• Pay attention to shark warnings and don’t enter the water when you know sharks are present.
• Sandbars and near steep dropoffs are popular areas for sharks.
• Avoid swimming near anglers or when you see diving seabirds.
• Dolphins eat the same food as sharks, dolphins in the area do not mean there won’t be sharks.
• Don’t splash too much in the water. Sharks may investigate splashing to find prey.