Home / Shark Attacks / 1983 Shark Attacks in 1983 In 1983, the Global Shark Attack File logged 50 shark attacks worldwide — 83.3% above the historical annual average. 4 were fatal (8.0%). United States accounted for the most incidents that year, with 22.
Fatality rate
8.0%
Global avg 21.2%
vs. annual avg
83% above
Hist. avg 27.3/yr
Countries with the most incidents in 1983 Species most often involved in 1983 Counts based on the species field in the Global Shark Attack File. Species identification in incident reports is not always reliable.
Notable incidents in 1983 Greece Non-fatal
1983-12-29 · Spearfishing · Invalid
Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County, United States Non-fatal
1983-12-24 · Surfing
Dangerous Reef, South Neptune Island, Australia Non-fatal
1983-12-23 · Scuba diving for abalone · 12' white shark
Great Fish River, South Africa Non-fatal
1983-12-21 · Swimming
Nahoon, South Africa Non-fatal
1983-12-20 · Swimming · Raggedtooth shark, >1 m
LaMercy, South Africa Non-fatal
1983-12-06 · Invalid
Philippines Non-fatal
1983-11-20 · Ferry boat sank · .5 m shark
Tongaat, South Africa Non-fatal
1983-11-09 · Swimming · Shark involvement prior to death was not confirmed
Melbourne Beach, Brevard County, United States Non-fatal
1983-11-09 · Surfing · Tiger shark
Stuart Beach, Martin County, United States Non-fatal
1983-10-16 · Surfing · 1.5 m [5'] shark
Frequently Asked Questions How many shark attacks were there in 1983? ▾ The Global Shark Attack File records 50 shark attacks worldwide in 1983, with 4 fatalities.
What was the shark attack fatality rate in 1983? ▾ 8.0% of shark attacks recorded in 1983 were fatal.
Which countries had the most shark attacks in 1983? ▾ The countries with the most recorded incidents in 1983 were United States (22), South Africa (14), Australia (4).
Which shark species were most often involved in 1983 attacks? ▾ Based on incident records, the most frequently identified species in 1983 were Tiger Shark, White Shark, Bull Shark.
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