Several man-sized blue and thresher sharks were caught in Sheepshead Bay's third annual Stella Maris' shark catching tournament this past weekend.
The event, which gives local fishermen the opportunity to win cash prizes for their catches is usually held on the last Saturday in June, Sheepshead Bites first reported. Brooklyn fishermen caught 17 sharks, including three that weighed a little more than 200 pounds.
According to experts in a Brooklyn Daily post, sharks are becoming increasingly common around Brooklyn beaches, since the waters have a high population of bunker fish (otherwise known as shad) and they attract seals, who in turn attract the larger fish, like sharks.
A study published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2014, legislation against overfishing, federal protection for great white sharks and seals has also contributed to the increase in wildlife closer to the city's shores. Less pollution is also helping grow their numbers.
It's becoming easier for both species to thrive because the harbor is cleaner, naturalist Paul Sieswerda told Brooklyn Daily.
Though some species like thresher sharks can be harmful, they don't go out of their way to bite people. Jon Forrest Dohlin, the director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Coney Island Aquarium, told AM New York the shark sightings do not pose a safety hazard for beach goers.
