Long Island officials said they will increase efforts to search the waters for sharks offshore after a woman was believed to be bitten by a small sand tiger shark last week at Jones Beach.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced "heightened security measures" Monday at Nickerson Beach, including scanning the waters using watercraft and drones for sharks, which have become more prevalent in recent years.

Nassau County police will use drones, helicopters and marine boats to scan the waters off Long Island to look for sharks or other hazards, such as riptides, to keep swimmers safe, Blakeman said.

Blakeman said police and lifeguards will use more drones than previous years and keep helicopters up and boats out on the water longer.

"We want to make sure that everybody's safe, and I think that if you do that, we'll get a good indication if there are any issues on the water, whether it be rip currents, whether they be sharks or other issues that could affect the safety of people who are going to the beach and swimming in the ocean," Blakeman said. 

The Jones Beach shark bite reported Wednesday by state park officials was the first incident of the year.

Officials said the 20-year-old woman suffered minor cuts to her left foot and leg while standing in waist-deep water. She was treated and released for her injuries.

Biologists used photographs of her injuries to indicate the bite likely came from a "juvenile sand tiger shark." The woman was standing in murky water and experts believe "in all likelihood, the shark thought it was feeding on bunker fish" when it bit her, but quickly released, said George Gorman, New York State Parks regional director for Long Island.

"Sand sharks have always been in the water and this appears to have been a mistake," Gorman said. "Experts believe the bite was an accident. There are more patrols over state park beaches watching for dangerous marine life than there ever have been."

There have been 24 shark attacks recorded off New York Beaches since 1837, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File, which tracks shark bites worldwide.

An Island Park fisherman reported a bite last year and there were five shark bites reported in 2023 off Long Island.

A great white shark was also reported in May off Montauk through drone footage, but the species are less common off Long Island, especially during the summer months.

State Park lifeguards and police are using drones to search the waters, not only for sharks, but for large schools of bait fish. Lifeguards also use personal watercraft and boats to canvass the waters, Gorman said. So far, officials have not seen any increase in schools of fish or any sharks in the water, he said.

Hempstead Town lifeguards, which patrol South Shore beaches at Point Lookout, Lido Beach, Nickerson and East Atlantic Beach, have not had any shark sightings yet this summer, town officials said.

The town has used its "Shark Patrol" in recent years to survey the water daily on jet skis. If a shark is reported, the town deploys drones and can limit swimming.

There were no swimming restrictions at any beaches Monday, town officials said.

Blakeman, flanked by a police helicopter and marine patrol boat in the water off Nickerson Beach, swam in the water Monday to demonstrate the water is safe for swimming.

Nassau County works with neighboring communities including Hempstead, Long Beach and the Village of Atlantic Beach, along with state parks, to notify if a shark is spotted. Blakeman said if there is a sighting, swimming will be suspended for one hour until it's deemed safe to resume swimming. 

Long Beach city officials said they have not had any shark sightings this year, but lifeguards patrol the water daily on jet skis searching for sharks. Lifeguards will deploy drones and pull swimmers from the water if there are any sightings.