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Shark Reeled in Off Far Rockaway Beach

By Katie Honan | August 18, 2015 8:52am
 A fisherman caught it around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, a lifeguard said. 
A fisherman caught it around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, a lifeguard said. 
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DNAinfo

A shark was reeled in by surfcasters fishing off Far Rockaway Monday afternoon, two days after lifeguards across the peninsula temporarily pulled swimmers out of the ocean due to sharks. 

The shark was reeled in near Beach 32nd Street around 3:30 p.m, according to a lifeguard. 

It happened on a closed beach popular for fishermen, so it didn't impact ocean swimming, a lifeguard said. She said it may be a brown shark, although it also resembles a dogfish shark. 

The shark later died. 

Sharks have been spotted multiple times off beaches around the city and Long Island — because it's where they live. But it hasn't freaked out beachgoers any less. 

Experts have attributed the increase in sea life closer to shore to the conservation efforts of humans. As the waters around New York City get less polluted, sharks, dolphins and whales will swim closer to shore for food. 

This weekend, lifeguards across the Rockaway peninsula pulled swimmers out of the ocean after potential shark sightings. Hours later, a possible whale was seen off Riis Park.

A whale, killed by a boat propeller that got too close, washed up at Coney Island in June. 

And last summer, a brave fisherman reeled in a Great White shark just a mile off of Rockaway Beach.