Shark sightings spike near America's beaches as July 4 crowds head to shore for weekend

As millions of Americans head to the beach for the Fourth of July weekend, shark experts say there's little reason to stay out of the water — though people need to stay alert. 

Marine biologist Mike Heithaus, Ph.D., of Florida International University told Fox News Digital that shark bites remain extremely uncommon, even during the busy summer beach season.

"Shark attacks are still extremely rare," Heithaus said.

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"People should always be aware of local conditions and listen to lifeguards, but shark bites are very rare," he emphasized.

He recommended avoiding murky water, staying away from areas where large schools of fish are visible and avoiding places where people are actively fishing.

People should also stay alert to local water conditions, including rip currents and the presence of other marine animals such as jellyfish.

Certain stretches of the East Coast, however, are more likely than others to see shark activity.

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New Smyrna Beach in Florida, as well as North Carolina's Outer Banks, Cape Cod and parts of Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine are among the East Coast regions where people are more likely to encounter sharks. That's due to seasonal migration patterns, warming waters and abundant prey, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report.

More great white sharks have been spending time near Cape Cod as seal populations have rebounded, while warming ocean temperatures and recovering shark populations have contributed to increasing shark activity farther north along the East Coast, the publication noted. 

Florida remains one of the country's best-known shark hot spots because of its combination of warm waters, abundant marine life and the presence of millions of swimmers and surfers each year.

Even in areas where sharks are commonly found, encounters with people rarely end in bites, Heithaus said.

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"Even when big sharks do encounter people, they almost always ignore us," he said.

Sharks play a vital role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems, he added.

"It's important for people to know sharks are important for healthy oceans," Heithaus said.

"We have decades of research that shows that sharks contribute to ocean health in a wide variety of ways, some small and some quite significant. So we need to make sure we have plenty of sharks while also making sure people are safe."

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As beach crowds grow over the holiday weekend, experts recommend swimming near lifeguards, staying close to shore, avoiding the water at dawn or dusk when sharks are generally more active, and always paying attention to local beach conditions and posted advisories.

On Friday afternoon at Jones Beach, a swimmer was bitten by a shark, Fox 5 reported. It happened after swimming was red-flagged at Point Lookout and nearby beaches Thursday after lifeguards spotted a 9-foot shark in the water, according to the Town of Hempstead.

Fox News Digital previously reported that several sharks were spotted near New York City beaches over the Fourth of July holiday last year, temporarily prompting officials to close a stretch of shoreline in Queens as a precaution.

The sightings occurred off Far Rockaway, where multiple sharks were spotted swimming near beachgoers. Authorities temporarily closed Beach 30 before reopening it about an hour later after determining conditions were safe.

City officials credited drone technology, lifeguards and emergency management teams with helping monitor shark activity and quickly alert swimmers.

Louis Casiano of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.