New Jersey beach patrol says man who suffered in-water injury likely encountered a skate
VENTNOR, N.J. (CBS) -- Ventnor City Beach Patrol restricted swimming at its beaches to knee-deep water Sunday after a man was injured during an interaction with a marine animal.
According to VCBP, a man received medical treatment for a hand injury he suffered while swimming along Surrey Avenue beach Sunday around 9:30 a.m.
However, if you're going down the shore for Labor Day weekend and getting the eerie sense this sounds like a shark bite, the answer is no.
VCBP believes the man likely encountered a skate, a marine animal with barbs on its tail, and not a shark. The life-saving group said an uptick in marine activity is typical for late summer warm waters.
"We have warm waters, there's a lot of bait fish swimming around. We also have a large population of stingrays... swimming out inside the surf zone, chasing the bait -- chasing the baitfish," Funk said. "So the likelihood that the interaction that the swimmer had yesterday was with something other than a shark is very likely. "
However, Steven Nagiewicz, an adjunct professor of marine science at Stockton University, had a different theory.
"It wouldn't be a skate, they really are pretty harmless. Could be a ray, probably a shark," Nagiewicz said. "It's likely the case it was some animal with teeth -- not a ray. And certainly not a skate because skates are relatively harmless to people."
What is a skate?
According to the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife, a skate is a cartilaginous fish or a fish with no bones. Skates prefer temperate or tropical water temperatures, including bays and areas close to shorelines, so one could have been swimming in Ventnor's waters.
There's no need to worry — skates aren't after humans. According to the Division of Fish & Wildlife, skates prefer mollusks, crabs, small fish and worms as their food.
The Division of Fish & Wildlife said some of the most common species of skates off the New Jersey coast are clearnose skates, little skates, rosette skates, barndoor skates and winter skates.
VCBP reminds swimmers to only swim while a lifeguard is on duty from 10-6 p.m. every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Even with Labor Day a matter of days away, VCBP is reminding beachgoers that summer isn't over just yet.
"We'll have four beaches open post-Labor Day at least up until that next weekend," Funk said. "Usually ... two weeks after Labor Day, are some of the nicest weather and the beach is still inviting to people so we try to maintain some level of protection if we can."