Shark bites man as he reels it in at Island Park pier, Hempstead Town says

A man was bitten on the arm by a shark Tuesday afternoon as he attempted to reel it in at an Island Park pier, officials said.

The Island Park Fire Department responded to a call about the incident at 2:22 p.m. The man, whose identity was not immediately released, was transported to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries, officials said.

He had been fishing off a pier at Shell Creek Park when he hooked the small shark, said Brian Devine, director of communications for the Town of Hempstead. When the man tried to remove the shark from the fishhook, it bit him on the arm.

Officials could not immediately say the type of shark, its size or age. The shark appears to be small in relation to others typically swimming off Long Island, according to a photograph provided by the Town of Hempstead. Its small size could be due to its young age or breed, among other potential factors.

The shark bite was the first of the summer off Long Island beaches. There were five last summer and a sixth off Rockaway Beach.

"It’s certainly no cause for alarm for people. This was a fishing accident," Devine said. "I think this was a simple mistake on this guy’s part and he probably feels a little bit foolish. Hopefully he takes greater care next time."

Swimming is prohibited at the park, where there is no direct access to the water for swimmers — the shoreline is mainly bulkhead, Devine said.