THERE have reportedly been eight deaths and 74 attacks caused by sharksin 2021.

Here's all the latest information as of November 8, 2021.

How many stabbings shark attacks have there been this year?

As of November 7, there have been 74 shark attack bites in 2021, according to Tracing Sharks.

There have eight fatal shark attacks, which included:

November 6 – British dad, Paul Millachip, 57, was attacked while swimming at Port Beach near Perth, Australia and just his goggles were recovered.

September 5 – Dad-to-be Timothy Thompson, 31, died after the ferocious beast ripped his arm off in front of horrified onlookers off Emerald Beach in Coffs Harbour, Australia.

May 11 – A man in his 50s was killed after being attacked and suffering critical injuries to his upper right thigh in Tuncurry Beach in New South Wales.

April 13 – Robert Frauenstein, 38, who was due to be married the next month was body boarding alone when it was suspected he was attacked. His body was never recovered, but his board was found with teeth marks believed to be from a great white in Chintsa, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

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April 24 – A 53-year-old paddle boarder was discovered by a fisherman with evidence of shark bites near a beach in Noumea, New Caledonia, Australia.

January 8 – 19-year-old Kaelah Marlow, from Hamilton, New Zealand died in a rare attack in Waihi Beach on North Island, the first fatality in the country since 2013.

Other none-fatal attacks this year have included when a swimmer fought off a massive shark that mauled his leg after he jumped into the water during a boat party, also lifeguards dragged a blood-soaked teenager out of the sea after he had his penis ripped off by a shark.

And an eight-foot shark sank its teeth into a spear fisherman's leg and ripped open an artery in the US. And Australian medics described a man "lucky to be alive" after he was hauling himself back onto his boat via a ladder when the sea beast repeatedly sunk its powerful jaws into his left leg.

Are shark attacks on the rise?

Experts have warned the number of attacks will rise thanks to environmental initiatives to protect seals – a key part of a shark's diet

However, some people feel seals are now proving a real danger to humans as they are attracting record number of sharks closer to shore.

James Sulikowski, a researcher of Northeastern sharks based at Arizona State University, said: “They’re not looking for us. We’re not on the menu.

“But as these predator-prey relationships continue, and because they are so coastal, there’s potential for interaction with humans to increase.”

Robert Hueter, senior scientist and director at Mote Marine Laboratory’s Center for Shark Research, also warned swimmers to beware.

Sharks will follow their meal, he said adding wherever seals, dolphins and other prey go sharks will follow.

He said: “This is a natural predator-prey relationship going back eons.

“It’s not surprising that with a restored seal population we see the predator of the seal there.”

Shark attacks are very rare but marine biologists say swimmers should still avoid wearing dark clothing and should not swim alone.

Sharks are also far more under threat from humans than vice versa and every year millions are killed for or sport.

And nearly one in five shark species are said to be endangered or vulnerable.

Hueter said: “People should always remember that the ocean is a wild place. It’s like going for a walk in the deep woods and you have to know how to prevent encounters with bears.”

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