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Shark Attacks in Scotland

The Global Shark Attack File records 8 shark attacks in Scotland between 1864 and 2012. Of those, 0 were fatal (0.0%). The species most often involved is the basking shark.

Last recorded shark attack in ScotlandAugust 30, 2012 · Off the Isle of IslayView details →

Total recorded

8

Fatal

0

Fatality rate

0.0%

Global avg 21.2%

Years covered

1864–2012

Recorded incidents by year

Peak 3 (1937)Avg 1.3
1864: 11937: 32008: 12009: 12011: 12012: 1Average: 1.3 per year
186420092012
6 years of data, 1864–2012
Shark attacks in Scotland per year, 1864–2012
YearAttacks
18641
19373
20081
20091
20111
20121

Species most often involved in Scotland

SpeciesRecorded incidents
Basking Shark4
Porbeagle1
Angel 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

  • Fishing2
  • Rowing1
  • Surfing1
  • Shark fishing1
  • Pleasure boating1

Recent recorded incidents in Scotland

Frequently Asked Questions

How many shark attacks have been recorded in Scotland?
The Global Shark Attack File records 8 shark attacks in Scotland, of which 0 were fatal.
What is the shark attack fatality rate in Scotland?
0.0% of recorded shark attacks in Scotland are fatal, compared with a global average of 21.2%.
Which shark species are most often involved in attacks in Scotland?
Based on incident records, the species most frequently identified in Scotland attacks are Basking Shark, Porbeagle, Angel Shark.
What activities are most associated with shark attacks in Scotland?
Fishing accounts for the largest share of recorded incidents in Scotland, with 2 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.