Despite whatever fears you may still harbor thanks to Jaws, Jaws - The Revenge, Jaws 2, or Jaws 3-D, chances are, you won't be attacked by a shark during while on vacation.

This past year sharks killed only 4 people and bit 58 others around the world. According to George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida, "The reality is, as a biologist, this is a non-problem. It's a minor, minor thing."

While no matter where you travel, shark attacks are highly unlikely, arguably your worst bet is Florida, which accounted for two-thirds of the 38 sharkbites in the United States. However, this is probably only due to the year-round swimming weather, and the subsequently high-number of people that use these waters for recreation. The four shark-related deaths were in the waters off Australia, Brazil, Reunion Island (in the Indian Ocean) and Tonga (in the South Pacific).

The research didn't include what they considered to be provoked attacks -- such as when fishermen catch sharks. But if you're provoking a shark, you're pretty much asking for it -- right?

Filed under: Scuba Diving, Surfing