Great white shark attacks on California sea otters are on the rise, according to the USGS.

California sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) appear to be experiencing an increase in mortality rates as a result of bites from white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias), according to a USGS press release. Tooth fragments and bite wound characteristics were used to identify white sharks as the species primarily responsible for the attacks on the otters.

USGS and DFG biologists and veterinarians have been documenting sea otter deaths since 1968. The data recorded indicates that shark bites accounted for about 8% in the 80s and early ’90s. However, that number rose to about 15% by the late 90s. Current estimates place the percentage of sea otter deaths caused by shark bites at approximately 30%.

Other natural causes of otter deaths recorded include mating trauma, starvation, infection, and heart disease. Additionally, boat strikes and gun-shot wounds were also among the reported causes of death for the federally listed threatened species.

For more information, check out the full report at USGS.gov.

San Diego’s CBS 8 recently interviewed Buck Elsmore, a stand-up paddle-boarder who was featured in a photo with the dorsal fin of white shark (Carcharodon carcharias). The photo was taken last fall off Encinitas’ Moonlight Beach.

Elsemore told Channel 8 that the shark swam near him at the surface for around a minute before descending back to deeper water.

The trailer for Halle Berry’s new shark horror flick, “Dark Tide,” showed up online today. The trailer features the typical shark attack movie fare, but it also features some of Guadalupe’s great white sharks, most notably Cal Ripfin (aka Shredder) who can be seen at 38 seconds in.

“Dark Tide” follows the story of a “shark expert” played by Berry who is involved in a shark attack but later returns to the water after a lucrative proposition from a wealthy thrill-seeker who wants to dive with white sharks outside of the cage. While some of the shark footage was shot at Guadalupe, it appears that the story mainly takes place in South Africa.

If you’re looking for a documentary about white sharks, this isn’t it. Rather it looks to be another horror/thriller with white sharks as the main antagonists (although the storm in the preview looked pretty threatening, too). So, don’t be surprised if your favorite Guadaupe white shark ends up being playing one of the villains in “Dark Tide.”

“Dark Tide” opens March 30, 2012, and is rated PG-13 for “bloody shark attacks and disturbing images” among other things.

Staff at China’s Yantai Haichang Whale and Shark Aquarium have caught the birth of a nurse shark pup on film. The staff at the aquarium were keeping an eye on the expectant shark round the clock in order to capture footage of the birthing event. The newborn shark was removed from the main aquarium area to protect it from other predators but will be returned when it’s older.

AfriOceans Conservation Alliance has produced another “Rethink the Shark” PSA. This one features cg animation and follows “Wilson” on his trip to the beach while highlighting the relative risk of a fatal shark. The PSA points out that you’re more likely to die from choking, automobile accidents, and bee stings than from a shark attack.

The video also points out that your more likely to die at the hands of another human being (not necessarily wielding a chainsaw and wearing a hockey mask) than you are in the jaws of shark.

The video ends with Wilson getting a little creepy while comparing generalized statistics about the number of sharks killed by humans versus the number of humans killed by sharks with the implication that sharks have more to fear from humans than humans have to fear from sharks.

The carcass of what is being reported as a 36-foot long whale shark (Rhincodon typus) has been making the news over the past couple of days. The shark was reportedly found “unconscious” offshore, according to several reports. Fishermen hauled the shark back to Karachi Harbor where it’s carcass was lifted out of the water by multiple cranes.

The dead shark reportedly sold for 1.7 million rupees (approximately $18,760), according to CBS.

Florida’s WPTV is reporting that in 2011 Florida saw its lowest number of shark attacks in over a decade. This figure is from a recent report on global shark attacks from the University of Florida’s ISAF.

While Florida saw no fatal shark attacks during 2011, the report indicates that the number of worldwide human fatalities due to shark attacks reached a two-decade high of 12 fatal attacks. The ISAF report recorded 75 instances of "unprovoked" attacks worldwide.

In addition to the interactions labelled as "unprovoked," there were 29 recorded "provoked" attacks. The "provoked" attacks included interactions such as a diver grabbing a shark, a fisherman being bitten while removing a shark from a net, and bites that occurred while a human was feeding a shark.

MD proposes shark fin ban.

Oceana reports that state representatives in Maryland have introduced bills that would ban the sale, trade, and possession of shark fins. HB 393 was introduced by Delegate Eric Luedtke in the House, and SB 465 was introduced by Senator Brian Frosh in the Senate.

If the bill becomes a law, violators could face fines ranging from $5,000 for the first offense up to $50,000 for repeat offenses, according to The Baltimore Sun.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports the Asian American Rights Committee of California has filed a lawsuit against the state, claiming that the “Shark Protection Act” (AB376) violates “Congress’ authority to regulate interstate trade.”

The “Shark Protection Act,” which was signed into law last October and went into effect on January 1, 2012, prohibits the sale and trade of shark fins in California.

According to the lawsuit, the shark fin ban effectively eliminates interstate trade of shark fins, which has been a legitimate local business for over 35 years. The Chronicle reports that local opponents of the shark fin ban plan to file a federal lawsuit, as well.