ENVIRONMENTALISTS are urging Islanders to rethink their perception of sharks, saying they should be celebrated rather than feared after St Ouen’s Bay was closed following a reported sighting at the weekend.
Following Jersey’s first-ever beach closure prompted by a suspected shark sighting, Ocean Culture Life co-founder and chief executive officer Tamsin Raine said the incident should be seen as a positive sign of a healthy marine environment.
“Sightings like this are genuinely exciting,” she said. “They’re a sign of a healthy, thriving marine environment around Jersey.
“The Channel Islands are also home to a number of shark species, including porbeagle, basking, blue and tope sharks, and their presence is something to be celebrated, not feared.”
Ms Raine said the sharks found around Jersey posed “virtually no risk” to swimmers.
“Basking sharks, despite being one of the largest fish in our waters, are gentle filter feeders that only eat plankton,” she said. “In fact, you’re at far greater risk from everyday things like sunburn or a rip tide than you are from a shark.
“Shark attacks on humans are extremely rare globally, and there’s no reason for anyone in Jersey to feel anxious about swimming in our waters because of this sighting.
“If anything, it should be reassuring, it tells us our marine ecosystem is healthy and functioning exactly as it should.
“Unfortunately, decades of films like Jaws have left sharks with an unfair reputation.”
Pride of Jersey Environmentalist of the Year 2025 Dylan Boothman echoed those sentiments, saying the incident should be used as an opportunity to educate the public rather than reinforce fears about sharks.
He said there was “no evidence to suggest” any shark species found in Jersey waters posed a threat to swimmers and argued that sightings should be welcomed rather than feared.
Dylan added: “Jersey waters see more than 30 species of sharks living here and passing through. They belong here. Automatically treating every sighting as an emergency only reinforces the false narrative that sharks should be feared.”
Dylan urged Islanders to treat sharks “with respect and admiration”, describing them as vital to healthy marine ecosystems despite millions being killed by humans every year.
He added that anyone wishing to learn more about sharks in Jersey waters or support conservation efforts should visit the Shark Trust.
A spokesperson for Marine Resources confirmed officers were investigating reports of a possible shark sighting in St Ouen’s Bay at the weekend.
They said sharks were a natural part of Jersey’s marine environment and that the species regularly found around the Island did not pose a risk to swimmers.
“The shark most commonly encountered in Jersey waters is the lesser-spotted catshark, often known as a dogfish,” the spokesperson said.
“Larger sharks such as porbeagle, tope and blue sharks have been sighted in Jersey waters over recent years. These species are also not known to be a risk to swimmers.”
Addressing speculation that warmer seas could be responsible for increased sightings, the spokesperson added: “Recent sightings are not necessarily unusual. While warmer sea temperatures can influence the movements of marine species, it is difficult to link any individual sighting directly to temperature changes.”
