KIHEI, Hawaii -- Maui County officials closed beaches in Kihei Monday after a tiger shark bit a surfer.

The incident happened shortly after 6 a.m.

A 54-year-old man surfing at an area of Kalama Beach Park known as "Kalama Bowls" when a shark bit him in the upper right thigh and lower part of the ankle, officials said.

The shark also took a chunk out of the man's surfboard, officials said.

Maui County police, paramedics and Ocean Safety personnel all responded to the attack.

Paramedics treated the man and took him to Maui Memorial Medical Center, according to county officials. He was treated and released, officials said.

Earlier, Department of Land and Natural Resource officials ruled out that it was a tiger shark and thought it was some type of reef shark -- possibly a sand bar, black tip, white tip -- that is 6 feet to 8 feet in length because of witness accounts. However, after taking a closer look at the victim' s injury, they determined that it was a tiger shark.

"We're not quite sure, but it looks like it could have been a tiger shark," said Archie Kalepa, of Maui's Ocean Safety Division.

Swimmers were taking no chances. They were staying out of the water.

"I swim here every day, but today the signs are up. I won't go in. Mr. Shark says no," beachgoer Jeff Dugan said.

Throughout the day lifeguards and DLNR officers patrolled the ocean in jet skis and on land using all-terrain vehicles to warn people away from the water.

Authorities closed beaches from Kamaole 1 Beach Park to Waiohuli Road.