Shark sightings near US beaches have increased significantly, attributed to the rebound of shark populations from near extinction levels. Chris Fischer of OCEARCH emphasizes that these apex predators are crucial for maintaining oceanic ecosystems. Regulatory efforts have reduced practices harmful to sharks and their food sources, resulting in heightened shark activity not observed since the 1950s. An estimated 50 to 70 shark species, including white sharks, are commonly found off US coasts during the summer as they migrate to breeding grounds and hunt in warmer waters.
"Scientists came to us in 2006 and said, 'We have an issue here, Chris, we're down to nine percent of our large sharks worldwide.'"
"We're seeing ecosystems kind of collapse when we lose the sharks because the sharks are the apex predator, the balance keepers of these systems."
"I think there are far more white sharks... off our coast than people think there are... you're looking at tens of thousands of them, certainly 10,000 of them most of the time."
"Overall, there are between 50 and 70 different kinds of sharks that are regularly seen around the US coastlines, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)."
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