A shark sighting advisory sign. FILE
A shark sighting just north of Tamarack Beach in Carlsbad prompted a shark advisory on Friday, officials said.
The city of Carlsbad alerted the public of the 24-hour advisory just before 1 p.m. after a shark was spotted off the coast near Tower 37. Officials did not provide further details about the sighting or the shark species.
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WATCH HEREState and city beaches were still open Friday, but lifeguards advised people not to go into the water while the advisory was in effect. Shark advisory signs were posted in the area "out of an abundance of caution," according to the city.
⚠️There has been a confirmed shark sighting near Tower 37, just north of Tamarack Beach.🌊 @castateparkssd & city lifeguards are posting advisory signs out of abundance of caution. Advisory will remain in effect for 24 hours. #safetyfirst #carlsbad pic.twitter.com/90AzrJscJ8
— City of Carlsbad (@carlsbadcagov) April 25, 2025
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SIGN UP Shark sightings are not unusual in San Diego County, but encounters between sharks and humans are rare.
Research released from Cal State Long Beach's Shark Lab in 2023 found that most of the time, beachgoers are in shark-infested waters, even if they don't know it.
During a two-year study, Shark Lab researchers tracked the great whites with drones flying over 24 California beaches. They discovered that juvenile sharks between the ages of 1 and 5 were present 97% of the time near people off San Diego and Santa Barbara. They said drone footage regularly found sharks within 100 yards of people.
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While rare, shark bites do happen, although experts say the animal does not target humans specifically.
