Shark alert posted off North Kona

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HONOKOHAU, Hawai'i — State and federal officials are advising swimmers and snorkelers that tiger sharks may be on the prowl in the waters off North Kona after reports of shark sightings and the discovery of the partial remains of a green sea turtle.

	Information
•	To report sightings of large or aggressive sharks, call the state's Shark Line at 587-4275.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources' Shark Task Force reported that tiger sharks up to 12 feet long have been spotted since last Friday in a 15-mile zone along the Kona Coast from Keauhou to Honokohau.

"We don't know if it is just one shark. There is no way to tell," said the task force's Randy Honebrink. He urged "appropriate caution" in a warning issued late Wednesday.

Rangers at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park posted eight shark-alert signs in response to finding a partially devoured 80-pound green sea turtle. About two-thirds of the animal had been chewed up, presumably by a shark. Officials believe the turtle was attacked close to land because it was still alive when it crawled onto the shore.

Signs were posted at beaches on the north and south ends of the 1,100-acre park, said resource manager Stan Bonds. "We are trying to be proactive," he said. Shark sightings are not unusual, he added, but finding the turtle remains was.

The Big Island had gone 25 years without a shark attack before three incidents in 1999. The first occurred July 21 when a 43-year-old man was gnawed on the leg by a shark while surfing off Honoli'i near Hilo. Then on Oct. 1, a 16-year-old surfer was bitten on his right arm by a shark just north of Kailua, Kona. On Nov. 23, a Rhode Island woman was bitten on the right buttock while swimming 300 yards from shore at the Kona Village Resort.

All three victims recovered, and in each cases, the culprit was a shark estimated at between 6 and 8 feet in length.

In March of this year, a kayaker reported a shark bit her kayak in Honaunau Bay in South Kona.

Honebrink said the current scare began when a tiger shark was spotted in Keauhou Bay.

Terri Leicher, part owner of Jack's Diving, said she is concerned about the shark warnings, but doesn't think it will affect business. She said patrons are being told to dive and snorkel in clusters and stay close to the boat.

The Shark Task Force suggests swimmers stay out of the water during the early morning and late evening when sharks tend to feed.

Users of Honokohau harbor, home of Kona's sport-fishing fleet, are being urged to refrain from cleaning fish or dumping their remains either inside the harbor or in near the shore.

Reach Hugh Clark at hclark@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 935-3916.