Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the New England Aquarium is warning beachgoers to be wary of increased shark activity off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.
There hasn't yet been a direct great white shark sighting yet this season, but the aquarium is warning that multiple marine mammals have been found with white shark bites recently. The New England Aquarium responds to mammal strandings in the region and participates in conservation research.
"Although we haven't seen a white shark just yet this season, we know they're here. With beach weather in the forecast and Memorial Day Weekend approaching, this is a good reminder for people to review shark safety guidelines and be shark smart," John Chisholm, an adjunct scientist in the Aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, said in a statement.
Chisholm recently captured images of a seal with fresh bite marks off the coast of Plymouth, and advised swimmers to avoid areas where seals or schools of fish are visible in shallow waters, where the sharks search for their next meal. Swimmers should also stay close to shore, where first responders can reach them if necessary.
Members of the public can report shark sightings and check for nearby sightings in the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy's Sharktivity app. The app provides information and push notifications about shark activity.
As part of a partnership between the New England Aquarium and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, Chisholm verifies shark sighting reports and identifies verified sightings to be posted on Sharktivity.
"One of the Aquarium's core values is to balance ocean use with preservation, and a big part of that is finding ways to minimize conflict between humans and wildlife," said Nick Whitney, senior scientist and chair of the Anderson Cabot Center's Fisheries Science and Emerging Technologies program. "This partnership with the Conservancy has been a great way for us to lend our expertise to their efforts to increase public awareness and safety around sharks, and we look forward to another year of assisting in those efforts."
Along with great white sharks, more than 15 shark species can be found in New England waters at various times of the year. Scientists at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life monitor them using satellite, acoustic, accelerometer, and camera tags.
-With reporting from TMX.
