ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A surfer in his 60s was taken to a trauma center after St. Lucie County Fire District crews Friday went to a report of a shark bite, officials said.

At 9:29 a.m., Fire District rescue workers went to the incident in the 900 block of Shorewinds Drive, according to Brenda Stokes, Fire District spokeswoman.

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Erick Gill, St. Lucie County spokesman, said the incident occurred as the man was surfing at Fort Pierce Inlet State Park. He said it was a sizable bite, between the knee and ankle.

Gill said a lifeguard from Pepper Park went to the scene, but Fire District crews already were there.

“He thought it was a significant size bite,” Gill said. “Because of the size of the bite it appeared to be a definite shark bite.”

The area in the ocean where the bite occurred, Gill said, is popular with surfers. He said it is shallow and has a “consistent break.”

“The lifeguard said they have been seeing a lot of baitfish and black tips,“ Gill said.

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Stokes said the man was taken by ambulance to a local trauma hospital in serious condition. His name was not available.

Charles Williams, 62, said Friday he’s surfed at Fort Pierce Inlet State Park for 40 years.

“It’s a real user-friendly wave,” Williams said. “There’s a nice sand bar there. It’s pretty shallow and it’s very consistent.”

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Williams, maker of Impact surfboards in Fort Pierce since the mid-1970s, said he surfed there earlier in the week.

“There were sharks everywhere,” Williams said. “All the locals have been commenting on how many sharks there have been lately.”

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Williams said in the summer the surf is small and the waves have been lapping on the beach.

“I was surfing the other day and I looked underneath me the water was real clear and there’s a shark underneath me following me,” Williams said. “I don’t mind sharing the wave with them, but if you fall into one of them they’re going to turn around and bite you.”

He said you never really get used to sharks.

“A lot of times the sharks are attacking schools of baitfish and if you’re in the middle of that, you’re going to get bit,” Williams said. “Sometimes they just get aggressive. You see ‘em and you just better get out of the water when that starts.”

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