I live near New Smyrna and I think this is all media hype. There is a stretch of beach that has been know for years to have sharks; it is the Ponce Inlet area of the beach which is pretty far away from the approach most often used by tourists. Last I heard, we are running about average on shark bites this year---the majority of them happen to surfers near the inlet and most bites are minor. Also, by November, the water will be so cool, that sharks should be no problem anyway. By then , the water will have dropped to about 72 degrees. The chance of being bit are slim.
One thing to keep in mind if you come here, driving is allowed on the beach during times of low tide and is shut down about 1 hour before and after high tide.