Tauranga shark sightings

The story so far

Tay Street, Ōmanu and Papamoa beaches in Tauranga were evacuated on 9 January 2025 after a shark was spotted in the water.^{9 Jan 2025} Safeswim issued red flag warnings for the area and advised people to stay out of the water, but it was unclear how many sharks were seen or what species they were.^{9, 10 Jan 2025} A marine scientist advised swimmers to avoid entering the water where people are fishing, to reduce the risk of encounters.^{10 Jan 2025}

Latest

Surf Lifesaving's general manager, Zac Franich, urged anyone who sees a shark to exit the water immediately.^{11 Jan 2025}

Key moments

1. 9 Jan 2025Tay Street, Ōmanu and Papamoa beaches evacuated after shark sighting
2. 10 Jan 2025Safeswim issues red flag warnings for three Tauranga beaches
3. 11 Jan 2025Surf Lifesaving warns of sharks after multiple east coast sightings

Written from the stories below; each sentence links to its sources.