New York’s beaches are employing drone technology to monitor shark activity and safeguard swimmers amid an annual increase in shark presence along the coastline. From Rockaway Beach to Montauk, drones are deployed regularly to detect and track the marine predators, especially as summer holiday weekends approach.

Cary Epstein, a lifeguard supervisor who pilots drones at Jones Beach, explained that while the likelihood of a shark incident is very low, the technology aids in preventing accidents by providing early warnings. “People are entering the sharks’ natural habitat," Epstein noted, emphasizing the inherent but manageable risks of ocean swimming.

Shark bite incidents have declined sharply since the peak summers of 2022 and 2023, when 13 encounters were reported on Long Island’s south shore. That included a particularly intense three-week stretch with five bite cases. Last summer, only one minor incident was verified—a bite initially mistaken for a cut from a sharp shell was eventually attributed to a juvenile tiger shark after a thorough investigation, according to Epstein.

The downward trend may be linked to increased state efforts to enhance shark monitoring capabilities. This year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul expanded Long Island’s drone resources to 46 units operated by 67 trained personnel. Epstein and his team conduct drone flights a minimum of three times daily to scan coastal waters.

Rather than attempting to spot individual sharks directly—a challenge described as “looking for a needle in a haystack”—operators focus on locating large, swirling schools of bunker fish. These bait fish are a preferred food source for sharks and serve as an indirect indicator of predator presence near popular swimming areas.

When bait fish clusters are detected close to shore, lifeguards promptly clear swimmers from the affected zones to reduce the risk of close encounters during feeding activity. Epstein stressed the sharks’ movement is driven by natural feeding behavior rather than human presence. “If there’s a big pod of bunker near the swimming area, and you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, you could accidentally get in the way,” he said.

The drone monitoring initiative reflects ongoing efforts in New York to balance public beach access with wildlife safety through real-time surveillance and timely advisories.