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Dominicans are being urged to exercise vigilance, following an increase in shark sightings in Eastern Caribbean waters.
The warning comes on the heels of recent shark attacks in St. Martin and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Dominica’s government says some of the sightings include species which are rarely found in the region.
The Fisheries Division has appealed to the public, especially those who use the marine environment for water sports and other recreational activities to be vigilant.
It has cautioned the public to be alert when venturing into the sea, and that individuals should not go out alone.
Fishermen have been told to ensure that all required navigation and communication devices are available and functional during fishing expeditions.
Last month, a 38 year old French tourist died following an extremely rare shark attack off the coast of St. Martin.
She had her leg torn off in the attack, which happened about 500 feet from shore.
St. Martin government spokesman Alain Rioual said it was the first report of a fatal shark attack in the territory’s recent history.
After the incident, the government announced a 48-hour ban on swimming and any kind of water sports at the island’s beaches.
There was also a non-fatal shark attack near Booby Island in the channel between St. Kitts and Nevis a few days ago.
The victim, a female student attending Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts, had to undergo emergency surgery after being attacked while swimming and kayaking.
Director of St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Resources Marc Williams said the department has asked doctors attending to the injured student to take a DNA swab from her injured leg in order to identify the type of shark that bit her, to see if it was the same species that killed the female tourist in December.
Sir Godfrey Gregg
