FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 19 (UPI) -- In a sign spring is on the way, blacktip and spinner sharks are gathering off the Atlantic coast of Florida, a wildlife biologist says.

The two species migrate up the east coast from the Caribbean, getting as far north as Chesapeake Bay. They showed up off Palm Beach this week, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.


While blacktips and spinners get no longer than 6 feet -- not big enough to be man-eaters -- they get the blame for a third of Florida's shark bites, Brent Winner of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said. In most cases, sharks apparently think a hand or foot is a fish and let go once the mistake becomes clear.

"These are not really aggressive species," Winner said. "But if the water is murky and you see hundreds of sharks, you probably should stay out of the water. Even though they don't eat people, the chance of being bitten is there."