Fisherman feared killed by shark off Trelawny coast

A cloud of fear and sadness has gripped sections of Falmouth, Trelawny, after a veteran fisherman is feared to have been killed by a shark while fishing off the coast.

Missing is 55-year-old fisherman Dennis Clarke of Falmouth.

Fritz Christie, president of the Trelawny Fishermen’s Association, told The STAR that hopes of finding Clarke alive have faded after a week-long search at sea.

“When he did not arrive back at the village a search was launched. Yesterday his fish gun was found but no trace of the body,” Christie said.

The chilling development has sent shockwaves through the fishing community, especially amid claims that sharks have become increasingly common near the Falmouth coastline.

According to Christie, the predators are often drawn into the area by cruise ships entering the port.

“Other fishermen encounter sharks from time to time but if you are wearing a Shark Ban they stay away. The Shark Ban gives off a certain vibration which keeps the shark at bay. I urge all fishermen to purchase a Shark Ban for their own safety,” he said.

If confirmed, Clarke would become the second fisherman since 2024 suspected to have fallen victim to a shark attack in Jamaican waters.

In August 2024, 16-year-old William Knibb Memorial High School student Jamaree Reid was also feared killed by a shark after he went missing at sea.

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