Great white shark sightings in northern New England waters have ramped up in recent months. Here’s why that’s a bad thing.
What’s happening?
Due to increased seal populations, great white shark sightings in the Cape Cod area of the northern Atlantic have risen in recent years.
However, new research is showing that the infamous shark species is moving even further north into New Hampshire, Maine, and Canadian waters.
The number of great whites detected off Canadian coasts has more than doubled from 2018 to 2022, according to a paper published by researchers in the Marine Ecology Progress Series.
Greg Skomal, a senior fisheries biologist with the Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries and a veteran white shark researcher, told the Associated Press: “It could be a function of a growing prey base, and that would be seals.”
Locals in the area have noticed the shift as well. “It’s crazy that they are around, as fishermen and surfers, and something we have to accept,” a local surfer told the AP. “It’s in the back of your head, but you have to accept it.”
Why is this shift dangerous?
Experts warn that, while rare, the general public in these northeastern states should be cautious about shark attacks.
Because locals typically don’t have to worry about great whites when they visit their local beaches, many aren’t aware of the rising danger.
The first recorded shark fatality in Maine happened in 2020 when a great white killed a 63-year-old off Bailey Island.
Ashleigh Novak, research coordinator with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, told the AP: “It’s an exceedingly rare event. But we’re providing all of this information to mitigate human behavior and hopefully reduce any negative encounters between humans and sharks.”
Another reason to be concerned about this shift is that it may indicate a broader environmental issue. Many experts caution that rising ocean temperatures have pushed traditional nursery grounds northward.
What’s being done about it?
Government agencies, researchers, and conservation groups are taking steps to both protect sharks and safeguard people.
Nonprofits are working to track shark movements and share real-time data with the public. Tools like the Sharktivity app allow spotters to log sightings, helping swimmers and surfers know when sharks are nearby.
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