Use these data with caution, remembering that scientific and media coverage of shark attack during the early part of this century was far less inclusive than that today. The apparent drop in number of attacks in the 1970’s and 1980’s is in part reflective of the largely inactive state of the ISAF during those decades.

The ISAF welcomes unsolicited documentation of attacks from this time period.

Worldwide Unprovoked Shark Attacks and Rate of Fatality

1900-Present

JavaScript chart by amCharts 3.21.1239468280971472271572265006617991900-19091910-19191920-19291930-19391940-19491950-19591960-19691970-19791980-19891990-19992000-20092010-2019Decade05001,000Number of Attacks050100Percent Fatal
JavaScript chart by amCharts 3.21.12Unprovoked Shark Attacks Percent Fatal Linear (1/2 Fatal)