Surfer bitten by shark off Florida beach famous for shark attacks, experts say
.jpg "Many shark species migrate along the East Coast, often in pursuit of “prey such as mullet, sardines, menhaden, and other species of baitfish,” The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says.")
A surfer was bitten by a shark off a popular Florida beach that has lately earned a reputation for such attacks, experts say.
It happened around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, July 6, at New Smyrna Beach — “long known as the shark bite capital of the world,” according to a Florida Atlantic University report.
“A 40-year-old male from Winter Park sustained a shark bite to his right forearm while surfing,” Volusia County Beach Safety reported in a news release. “The individual was transported for medical treatment with non-life-threatening injuries.”
The man was identified as Matt Bender by WFTV, which reports he underwent “several hours of surgery.” His home in Winter Park is about a 50-mile drive southwest from New Smyrna Beach.
“I felt it clamp down like a bear trap out of nowhere,” Bender told WOFL. “By the time I looked down, it was already gone. I never saw the shark, but it bit really forcefully. It felt like electricity and like extreme pressure. And then I think it shook its head. I definitely felt that as it was letting go. It was also fast.”
Details of the species of shark involved were not released.
The incident comes about a week after another surfer “was hit in the face by a spinning shark” as it jumped from the Atlantic off New Smyrna Beach, CBS reports.
The beach, about a 55-mile drive northeast from Orlando, has been the site of more than 300 shark “incidents” over the past 140+ years, American Surf Magazine reports.
“In more recent years ... the average has remained somewhere between five to ten bites annually, with most taking place during the warmer months when more people are in the water,” the magazine says.
Many species of shark migrate seasonally along Florida’s Atlantic Coast, often to pursue “prey such as mullet, sardines, menhaden, and other species of baitfish,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports. The coastline is also a popular nursery ground for 13 species of sharks, the state says.
This story was originally published July 7, 2025 at 2:44 PM.