Shark Spotted In Shinnecock Bay: Video

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — A shark spotted in the Shinnecock Bay near the commercial fishing dock at Shinnecock Inlet in Hampton Bays has caused a stir on social media (see the video below).

The shark, which many say is either a blue shark or a mako shark, was seen Tuesday near the commercial fishing pier, sparking a sea of comments about the unexpected occurrence.

According to Chris Fischer, founder of OCEARCH, which has led expeditions off Montauk to tag sharks found in a nursery in the Atlantic Ocean in recent years, it's "unusual for a blue shark to be inshore like that." The sharks, he said, are typically found offshore, as they are pelagic fish.

If the shark was "tight to the beach" or to a dock, "there was likely something wrong with it," Fischer said, adding that there was no cause for concern. "They are harmless small fish eaters."

Many commented on social media that the shark likely traveled from the ocean to the bay through the Shinnecock Inlet, following food.

Author and charter boat Capt. Tom Mikoleski, of Grand Slam Charters in Montauk, said shark sightings are not at all out of the norm on the East End this summer. "We're seeing a lot of sharks here right now," he said. Just Wednesday morning, Mikoleski said he saw a thresher shark in Montauk right off the Lighthouse. The blue shark in Hampton Bays, some say, might have followed a fisherman cleaning his catch into the inlet.

"There's just a lot of bait in the water — and sharks like to eat," Mikoleski said.

Photo courtesy Google maps.