The Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) has renewed its warning against diving and snorkeling near sharks gathering off the coast of Hadera, as the marine predators return to the waters surrounding the city’s power plant for their annual winter aggregation.
The authority emphasized that swimming is prohibited in the area and that entering the water poses significant risks due to strong currents and whirlpools created by the power plant’s warm-water discharge. Fishing equipment, including loose hooks and fishing lines, also presents a danger to divers and swimmers.
Dozens of sharks gather near Hadera power plant each winter
Sharks gather near the Hadera power plant annually between November and May, with the group typically numbering several dozen individuals.
However, the INPA stressed that the sharks are not confined to the power plant area and have also been observed at other beaches along Israel’s coast.
The public has therefore been urged to avoid approaching sharks while diving or snorkeling at other beaches.
The authority warned that shark encounters are unpredictable and cannot be controlled. In April 2025, an encounter between a shark and a person who entered the water near Hadera ended in a fatality.
Sharks are protected species under Israeli law
The INPA reminded the public that sharks are protected wildlife in Israel and that harming, harassing, or feeding them is prohibited by law.
Violations of these restrictions can result in criminal penalties.
Two shark species are known to gather off Israel’s coast: dusky sharks and sandbar sharks.
In Israeli waters, dusky sharks can reach about three meters in length and weigh up to 150 kilograms, while sandbar sharks typically reach about two meters and weigh about 70 kilograms.
Sandbar sharks are endangered in the Mediterranean Sea, while insufficient data are available to determine the conservation status of the region’s dusky shark population.
Researchers examine why sharks gather in Hadera’s warm waters
So far, research findings suggest that sharks travel to Hadera to rest and warm themselves in the water discharged by the power plant.
The warmer temperatures may help accelerate physiological processes, including digestion and reproductive functions.
“Shark populations in the Mediterranean Sea have declined significantly due to overfishing and accidental capture in fishing operations,” said Yigal Ben Ari, head of the INPA’s Marine Unit.
“Sometimes sharks that are accidentally caught are thrown back into the sea dying or already dead,” he explained.
Ben Ari emphasized that sharks are protected in Israel and play a crucial role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems.
“As predators, they reduce the number of weaker and slower animals in the ecosystem, thereby strengthening other species and the marine environment as a whole,” he said.
