Worldwide shark attack 2011 stats from International Shark Attack File say world fatalities doubled

FORT PIERCE, Fla. - While shark attack numbers have dropped in the United States over last year, worldwide fatalities have doubled, jumping to the highest number since 1993, according to statistics reported by the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File ( ISAF).

ISAF investigated 125 alleged incidents of shark-human interaction occurring worldwide in 2011. 75 of these incidents represented confirmed cases of unprovoked attacks.

Despite this yearly total of 75 unprovoked attacks in 2011 -- lower than the 81 unprovoked attacks recorded in 2010 -- the number of worldwide unprovoked shark attacks have grown at a steady pace since 1900, with each decade having more attacks than the previous, according to the report.

The report states that the growth in shark interactions most likely reflects an increasing amount of time people spend in the sea, which increases the opportunities for shark interaction with humans.

Most of the deadly attacks happened in places like Australia and South Africa and only four shark attacks happened off the coast of Florida in 2011 -- none of which were deadly.

According to the report, the spike in shark-attack fatalities -- all of which occurred outside of the United States -- suggests tourists are venturing to more remote places.

To read the full report, go to: http://bit.ly/wQj0kB