Maui shark attack victim known as passionate fisherman

The victim of Monday’s fatal shark attack off Maui was passionate about fishing, whether in freshwater streams and lakes or in the rugged and vast Pacific Ocean.

"He was just an avid fisherman. He loved fishing," said Washington friend Tina Van Pelt.

Van Pelt said Patrick A. Briney would smoke the fish he caught and share it with neighbors and friends.

Briney, 57, of Stevenson, Wash., lived near the Columbia River after retiring as an experimental preflight engineer for Boeing and loved fishing in fresh and salt water.

Authorities said Briney was dangling his legs off a kayak about a half-mile offshore in 100-foot-deep water, trying to catch baitfish, when a shark fatally bit his right leg and took off his foot.

Van Pelt said Briney and his wife, Kathryn, had built a house near the Columbia River a couple of summers ago.

"She called us last night (Monday night) about what happened," Van Pelt said.

Maui ocean safety officials reopened coastal waters off Little Beach on Tuesday.

Because many sharks frequent the area off Maui where Briney was bitten, it would be difficult to find the one responsible, fishermen say.

"There’s sharks everywhere," said kayak fisherman John Meri­ales, who was fishing in nearby waters Monday.

Meriales said Tuesday that on the day of the attack in waters off Makena, a friend saw a shark leap out of the water chasing baitfish. He said his friend also saw two tiger sharks swimming in the area.

State officials are baffled by the spike in shark attacks off Maui — the one on Briney was the eighth this year and the 13th in the state. Another fatal attack off Maui occurred Aug. 14 on German visitor Jana Lutteropp at Keawa­kapu, less than three miles north of the attack on Briney.

The state is conducting a study to determine the movement of transmitter-tagged sharks.

During the last 20 years, Hawaii has averaged about four shark incidents a year, according to the state.

John Naughton, a retired marine biologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said there’s no doubt there are more sharks in Maui County waters, since the last shark cullings were 40 to 50 years ago.

But he said there also has been an increase in the number of visitors, as well as a rise in visitors involved in ocean activities.

Naughton said the jump in the number of sharks and oceangoers increases the likelihood of more encounters, but he doesn’t know why Maui shark attacks have increased.

Naughton advised that kayak fisherman go into the ocean with another kayaker and have safety gear, including a life vest and VHF radio.