Ten Years at Sea — and Never This Close to Death: Florida Fisherman Mauled by Aggressive Shark

A veteran Florida fisherman says he came within seconds of losing his life after being violently attacked by a shark during a routine fishing trip off the Gulf Coast earlier this week. The 48-year-old, who has spent more than a decade working the waters near Key Largo, described the terrifying encounter as “the most aggressive and unnatural behavior” he has ever seen from a shark.

The incident occurred early Tuesday morning, roughly six miles offshore, as Michael Torres, a commercial fisherman from Naples, was reeling in a net filled with grouper. The sea was calm, the skies clear — a typical day on the Gulf. But that calm shattered when, without warning, a massive bull shark lunged at the side of his small boat.

“It came out of nowhere,” Torres recalled. “One second I was pulling the net, and the next, the whole boat rocked. I looked down and saw its head — wide, gray, and full of teeth — slamming against the hull.”

The impact nearly knocked him overboard. When Torres leaned to stabilize the net, the shark burst upward, clamping its jaws onto the rim of the vessel. The force tore a section of fiberglass loose, and the fisherman was thrown partially into the water. “It grabbed the side and pulled like it was trying to roll the boat,” he said. “I thought, ‘This is it — this is how I go.’”

In the struggle that followed, Torres kicked at the shark and managed to grab a gaff hook, striking the animal repeatedly until it released its grip. “I don’t know how I had the strength,” he said. “Adrenaline, maybe. I just knew if I didn’t fight, I’d never see my family again.”

Bleeding from deep cuts on his arm and thigh, Torres radioed for help. Within twenty minutes, a Coast Guard patrol reached the scene and escorted him back to shore. He was treated at a local hospital, where doctors confirmed no major arteries were damaged. “He’s lucky to be alive,” said Paramedic Laura Jensen, one of the first responders. “Another few inches and that bite could’ve been fatal.”

An Unusual Attack

While shark encounters are not uncommon along Florida’s coastline, experts say the intensity of this attack is highly unusual. According to Dr. Steven Marks, a marine biologist at the University of Miami, bull sharks are known for their aggression, but they rarely display prolonged, targeted violence against boats or humans.

“Bull sharks are territorial and highly reactive, especially when food is nearby,” Marks explained. “But this level of hostility — attacking a vessel repeatedly — is not typical. It suggests something deeper may have provoked the animal.”

Preliminary investigations by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) found signs that local fishing activity had increased significantly in the area over the past month. Waste from cleaning stations and discarded bait might have altered the sharks’ feeding behavior, making them bolder and more unpredictable.

“We may be seeing the effects of ecological stress,” said Marks. “Climate shifts are changing water temperatures, driving prey away and forcing sharks to venture closer to boats in search of food. It’s not malice — it’s survival gone wrong.”

A Survivor’s Perspective

Torres, who has fished these waters since his twenties, said he has always respected sharks but never feared them — until now. “They’re part of the ocean,” he said. “You see them from a distance, they see you, and you move on. But this one… it wasn’t acting like a normal shark. It was angry.”

After the attack, he returned to his damaged vessel the next day with local authorities to retrieve his gear. “The bite marks were massive — you could fit your whole hand inside,” he said. “Seeing that made me realize just how close I came to dying.”

Despite the trauma, Torres insists he’ll continue fishing. “The sea’s my life,” he said. “You don’t quit because of one monster. You just stay smarter next time.”

Experts Warn of Rising Encounters

Shark experts note that 2025 has already seen a 15% increase in reported shark encounters along U.S. coastal waters, with Florida accounting for nearly half of those incidents. While most are minor — often just curious bumps or bites on surfboards — the rise is concerning.

“Humans are spending more time in the water than ever,” said Dr. Emily Carter, a marine ecologist with the Oceanic Research Institute. “At the same time, fish stocks are declining. It’s a perfect recipe for conflict.”

The Florida Keys and Gulf Coast are home to multiple shark species — including bull, tiger, and hammerhead sharks — all of which are powerful predators. However, scientists emphasize that attacks remain exceedingly rare compared to the millions of people who enter the ocean every year.

Still, Carter warns that changes in behavior like the one seen in Torres’s encounter must be taken seriously. “If sharks are becoming more aggressive or less fearful of humans, that’s a red flag. It means something in their environment is shifting dramatically.”

A Call for Caution

Local authorities have issued temporary advisories for fishermen and divers in the Key Largo region, urging them to avoid discarding fish waste at sea and to report any abnormal shark behavior. The FWC also plans to deploy underwater drones to study the area’s shark population.

Meanwhile, Torres’s story has become a viral sensation across social media, with many calling him “the luckiest man on the Gulf.” He says he’s grateful — but not eager for fame. “I’m no hero,” he said. “Just a guy who got way too close to nature’s power.”

As he recovers from his injuries, Torres says he’s been reflecting on what happened — not with anger, but with awe. “That shark wasn’t evil,” he said quietly. “It was wild. It reminded me that out there, we’re not in charge — we’re guests.”

For now, his boat remains in repair, the bite marks still visible — a permanent reminder of the day the sea turned against him. But when asked if he’ll ever go back, Torres doesn’t hesitate.

“Oh, I’ll be back,” he said with a half-smile. “The ocean tried to scare me off. It almost did. But you can’t live in fear of the water — not if it’s part of who you are.”