North Coast shark encounter not reported to authorities

A close encounter involving a shark at Moonstone Beach near Trinidad was not reported to California wildlife authorities, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. A spokesperson said a local bodysurfer may have shared the incident with beachgoers on Sunday, but nothing was communicated to the agency. The report was first published by Lost Coast Outpost’s Dezmond Remington, based on a second-hand account claiming a 10-foot juvenile great white shark bit the surfer’s board and reportedly pierced the surfer’s wetsuit during a “fight.” Peter Tira of CDFW said encounters like these should be reported immediately so authorities can issue public safety precautions and collect evidence, including DNA samples to confirm the species. CDFW maintains a white shark encounter database. The Times-Standard also contacted the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and state parks’ North Coast Redwood Region, but neither had a confirmed incident report. CDFW officials said shark-related injuries are extremely rare off California’s coast.