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Shark Sightings Resume at Long Island Beaches

shark patrols
Nassau County police Marine Bureau officers performing shark patrols in 2020.
Photo by Kevin Kane

Sharks once again prompted temporary bans on swimming at some ocean beaches on the South Shore of Nassau County in recent days.

A fisherman reportedly caught a shark Saturday at Jones Beach, Town of Hempstead officials said another angler caught a shark off Atlantic Beach on Sunday, and a newly implemented shark patrol spotted a third shark off Nickerson Beach on Tuesday, Nassau County officials said.

“This is the 17th confirmed shark sighting in Nassau this summer,” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran tweeted Tuesday, when ocean beaches along Long Beach were closed to swimming once again.

The latest sightings and catches come after a week of consecutive shark sightings along Nassau’s ocean beaches two weeks ago. Sightings dropped off last week when Tropical Storm Isaias brought weather not fit for the beach and forced temporary park closures due to ensuing power outages. But once beach weather returned last weekend, so did the shark sightings.

Hempstead town and Nassau authorities say they are continuing to operate shark patrols via boats and helicopters to alert lifeguards of any sightings.

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