Shark behaviour this summer is not abnormal, the author of "Jaws" told members the Society of American Travel Writers yesterday.

Peter Benchley spoke at a breakfast held before the official opening of the society's 46th annual convention at the Fairmont Southampton Princess.

Mr. Benchley told the 450 delegates and guests: "No, this is not the summer of the shark. It is the summer of hype about sharks and shark attacks."

He said although the shark attack incidents were unfortunate, it was not an extraordinary year for such attacks.

"What is awry is the damage being done to sharks by the commercial fishing industry.

"In fact roughly 25 million sharks are killed every year, mostly for their fins. Some species are endangered," he said.

Mr. Benchley's book became a best-seller when it was released in 1974. It was followed the next year by the movie of the same title which has become a classic.

He said the story showed that shark attacks were not false, and that at the time it was "OK to demonise a shark".

But Mr. Bentley said that a lot had been learned about the subject since that time.

"In the last 25 years we've learned a lot about the oceans. About the delicacy and fragility of the ocean and having respect for the creatures of the ocean,'' he explained.

He commented on Bermuda saying it was "a mountain in the middle of the Atlantic in which the entire maritime food chain either lives or passes by".

"Everything from the tiniest to the biggest creature can be found."