Malibu Kayaker Suffers 2 Shark Bites While Releasing Caught Mako

Q: Why did officials suddenly downgrade a terrifying double shark bite in Malibu to a mere fishing accident?

Officials downgraded it because the evidence showed the man was bitten while handling a shark he had already hooked, not during an unprovoked attack on a swimmer or kayaker. According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department and multiple witness accounts, the kayaker was fishing off Paradise Cove when he caught what was believed to be a shortfin mako shark and tried to release it. During that process, the shark bit him, knocked him into the water, and bit him again. That sequence led authorities to reclassify the event as a fishing accident rather than a typical shark attack. The distinction matters because it changes how the risk is interpreted. An unprovoked shark attack suggests a broader danger to the public in the water. A bite during catch-and-release fishing points to a specific hazard created by close contact with a stressed, hooked animal. Lifeguards also said the suspected mako likely came from deeper water, reducing concern for people swimming near shore. That is also why the beach remained open. Officials did not treat the incident as evidence of a shark actively targeting beachgoers, but as a mishap tied to fishing activity offshore. Witnesses and rescuers still described the injuries as serious, with bite wounds to the lower leg and above the knee, but the reclassification reflected the circumstances of the encounter, not the severity of the injuries.

Q: What critical mistake did the Malibu kayaker make while trying to release the hooked mako shark?

The critical mistake appears to have been trying to physically handle or bring the hooked mako too close while releasing it from a kayak. Accounts differ slightly, but they point to the same problem: authorities and witnesses said the man had hooked what was believed to be a shortfin mako and was trying to release it when it bit him. One report said he may have brought the shark onto or against the kayak; others said he was handling it close enough for it to strike, knock him into the water, and bite him again. That is why Los Angeles County officials later reclassified the event from a “shark attack” to a “fishing accident.” The shark was not described as approaching him unprovoked; it bit during the release of a live, hooked animal known to be fast and aggressive. In practical terms, the error was attempting a close-quarters release of a dangerous shark from a small, unstable craft instead of keeping clear of the animal’s mouth and body or using safer release methods and distance.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 5

A fisherman kayaking near Paradise Cove in Malibu was hospitalized Sunday after a shark bit him twice, leaving wounds on his lower leg and above the knee.
Witnesses told local outlets he had reeled in what was believed to be a mako shark and was trying to release it when it bit him, knocking him into the water before biting again.
A nearby fisherman pulled him onto a boat and brought him ashore, where his girlfriend — a retired lifeguard — helped him and called emergency responders.
Los Angeles County Fire Department first described the incident as a shark attack, then later called it a fishing accident; the beach stayed open.
October brings higher shark-encounter odds in Southern California as warmer coastal waters draw prey and juvenile sharks into shallower areas.