In what marked the third reported incident of its kind so far this year in California,a sharkreportedly attacked a man in waters off the state's northern coast.
The encounter took place the morning of Friday, Dec. 12, at North Salmon Creek in Sonoma County about 70 miles northwest of San Francisco, local law enforcement reported.
According to theSonoma County Sheriff's Office,a surfer was bitten on the hand by a shark in the water.
The agency's Marine Unit, already in the area at the time of the incident on another call, located the surfer on shore after they had gotten out of the water, the agency wrote in a social media post.
The surfer declined medical treatment at the scene, deputies reported, but he later transported himself to a hospital. Authorities did not identify the victim.
It was not immediately known what type of shark bit the surfer.
Officials did not announce any beach closures on their social media pages.
'I'm really glad I didn't paddle out'
Alex Valentin toldThe San Francisco Standardhe watched the surfer enter the ocean before the attack about 8 a.m. local time and when he left to check another surfing location and returned 30 minutes later, he saw paramedics treating the victim in an ambulance.
"I'm really glad I didn't paddle out. I'm praying for the guy, hoping it was just a nibble and he's back in the water soon," Valentin told the outlet.
Shark attacks in California so far this year
The bite marks the third reported shark attack on a person in California so far this year.
The first incident took place on May 31 at Montara State Beach in San Mateo County, about an 85-mile drive south of North Salmon Creek.
According to data fromTracking Sharks, a 10-foot-long great white shark knocked tossed surfer Jens Heller off his board when it attacked.
Heller toldThe San Francisco Chroniclehe was not seriously harmed after being thrown fom his board.
A third incident involving a shark in California was also reported on Oct. 1, when a 54-year-old man swimming near Catalina Island was "nipped by shark on the foot and leg," the shark data site shows.
The type of shark involved was not immediately known.
How many people die from shark attacks every year?
According todata from theInternational Shark Attack File, run by theFlorida Museum of Natural History, the world averages65 documented shark attackseach year.
On average,six fatal attacksare reported annually, the data shows.
Last year, 47 people were bitten in unprovoked attacks.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Shark attacks man surfing at North Salmon Creek in Sonoma County
