Does Punta Cana have sharks

Wherever there is water, there will be marine life and therefore sharks, in
Punta Cana, the beaches of hotels and resorts are safe areas, since they
have buoys and wave breakers that do not allow any marine species as well
as large waves to reach public spaces.
If you want to swim with sharks and get to know the marine life in Punta
Cana, there are many different diving options in Punta Cana, guided by
friendly people with a lot of experience and knowledge on the subject.

Punta Cana shark species

The most common species are catsharks, reef sharks, lemon sharks, nurse
sharks, bull sharks, silky sharks, tiger sharks, blue sharks, and whale sharks.
Although these are the most common species in the Caribbean area, it does
not mean that they have large populations here. I have friends who have
dived for 15 years in the Dominican Republic and have never seen a shark.
That's serious!

Are there great white sharks in Punta Cana?

Some small sharks have been seen on around some beaches, very rarely,
but so far there has been no case of the great white shark in Punta Cana,
Great white sharks spend most of their time in the open ocean, since 2017 in
the Dominican Republic shark fishing is prohibited. The beaches of hotels
and resorts that have buoys and wave breakers are very safe.

Punta Cana shark attacks

According to the Shark attack Data page that collects information on
reported cases of shark attacks in different parts of the world, in the
Dominican Republic, only 4 shark attacks have been reported since 1963 to
date, the most recent incident was reported on 12 February 2016 at Bávaro
Beach Punta Cana.
Narrative: Sandra Harris and Patricia Howe were staying at Club Hotel Riu
Bambu and were directly opposite the hotel’s pool, but shoreward of white
buoys that may have been marking the safe swimming zone. Several other
people were in the water. When the two women saw a large wave
approaching, they turned their backs to it. As the wave struck, both women
were knocked down in the water, and Patricia’s leg was bitten.

The most insecure beaches of Punta Cana

The two most insecure beaches of Punta Cana are public beaches, these are
the beach of Uvero Alto and Macao, these beaches do not have a wave
breaker and also lack signs.
The public areas, both on the beach of Uvero Alto and Macao, do not have
signs that tell visitors about the possible existence of sharks in that area.
Macao beach only has some signs that specify its high waves, and that it is a
beach of surfers, so bathers must be very careful. In addition to this, there
are the lifeguards placed in a tower for the best sighting of those in danger.
The lack of buoys and wave breakers allow any marine species as well as
large waves to reach the maritime spaces that are supposed to be enabled
for the use of vacationers. The only measures taken in this regard is the alert
voice given by the sellers of the beach of Uvero Alto, who, seeing the shark
fins from afar, immediately warns visitors not to enter the beach to bathe.

Punta Cana shark fishing

Previously there were no laws in the Dominican Republic for protection
against shark fishing, but since 2017, shark fishing is prohibited due to an
incident with a blue shark in Punta Cana.
Through Resolution No. 023/2017, the Ministry of Environment and Natural
Resources ordered the ban on the capture and commercialization of all
species of sharks, rays, parrotfish, and hedgehogs that inhabit the
jurisdictional waters of the Dominican Republic and the commercialization of
its derivative products throughout the national territory, including its export
or import.
It is established that the shark ban is for an indefinite period. Concerning the
"parrot fish" and "doctor fish", a two-year ban was imposed for fishing or
commercial exploitation throughout the national territory, and retention
when they have been accidentally caught.
Eating Shark meat in Dominican Republic
In some places of the Dominican Republic, shark fin soup can be consumed,
what most people don’t know is that eating shark meat is extremely harmful
to health. They are predators that are at the top of the food chain. They eat
fish that at the same time have eaten smaller fish, have eaten smaller
organisms, and so on. Heavy metals and toxins accumulate in all the
organisms in the chain thanks to the pollution of the seas. Sharks are large
receptors for these heavy metals and toxins - their meat is saturated with
mercury, among other things. The accumulation of mercury in humans
causes infertility, neurological disorders, autism, and coronary heart disease.

The blue shark incident in Punta Cana

A blue shark died on the beach after being dragged out of the water by
tourists and alleged lifeguards to take pictures with him. The incident
occurred at the Arena Gorda beach in Bávaro, Punta Cana. A group of nine
Dominicans were responsible for removing it from the water and then
accommodating it on the sand to be photographed next to the animal.
This incident of much outrage at the international level prompted the
establishment of the ban on shark hunting in the Dominican Republic.

The importance of sharks in the maritime ecosystem

Shark species that live in the Caribbean play a very important role in the
marine ecosystem. They feed on weak, sick or old fish, so they spread their
genes. These keep the populations of these fish healthy and strong.
So, seeing sharks in a marine ecosystem is a sign of balance and the health
of it. Unfortunately, in recent years, indiscriminate shark fishing to meet the
demand for “shark fin soup” in the East has caused the populations of these
fish worldwide to disperse to the point that there are already certain species
that are about disappearing.
It is estimated that annual shark fishing is around 273 million. This is totally
unsustainable and the consequences on ecosystems can be tragic, those
consequences affect us too.
trauma and the bad press with the sharks began with the book and the
movie "Jaws". Since then the media, lack of education and ignorance have
been responsible for perpetuating the bad image of the shark. There are
species that can be a little more ‘daring’, but most shark species do not pose
a threat to man.