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Shark Attacks in Portugal

The Global Shark Attack File records 9 shark attacks in Portugal between 1872 and 2023. Of those, 2 were fatal (22.2%). The species most often involved is the white shark.

Last recorded shark attack in PortugalAugust 16, 2023 · 9 nm off Vila do CondeView details →

Total recorded

9

Fatal

2

Fatality rate

22.2%

Global avg 21.2%

Years covered

1872–2023

Recorded incidents by year

Peak 1 (1872)Avg 1.0
1872: 11930: 11943: 11956: 11959: 11979: 12009: 12010: 12023: 1Average: 1.0 per year
187219592023
9 years of data, 1872–2023
Shark attacks in Portugal per year, 1872–2023
YearAttacks
18721
19301
19431
19561
19591
19791
20091
20101
20231

Species most often involved in Portugal

SpeciesRecorded incidents
White Shark2
Blue Shark1

Counts based on the species field in the Global Shark Attack File. Species identification in incident reports is not always reliable.

Activities most associated with incidents

  • Fishing4
  • Spearfishing1
  • Longling fishing1
  • Fishing for mackerel1

Recent recorded incidents in Portugal

Frequently Asked Questions

How many shark attacks have been recorded in Portugal?
The Global Shark Attack File records 9 shark attacks in Portugal, of which 2 were fatal.
What is the shark attack fatality rate in Portugal?
22.2% of recorded shark attacks in Portugal are fatal, compared with a global average of 21.2%.
Which shark species are most often involved in attacks in Portugal?
Based on incident records, the species most frequently identified in Portugal attacks are White Shark, Blue Shark.
What activities are most associated with shark attacks in Portugal?
Fishing accounts for the largest share of recorded incidents in Portugal, with 4 cases logged.
Where does this shark attack data come from?
All figures are derived from the Global Shark Attack File (GSAF), a non-profit database of shark-human incident records. Shark Data Lab cleans, geocodes, and aggregates the GSAF dataset for analysis.