In Scarborough, Maine, Rick Clough, a seasoned fisherman with four decades of experience, was taken aback by a recent sighting of a great white shark off the coast. The approximately 8-foot (2.4-meter) predator, observed in July, did not instill fear in Clough, although he admitted it made him hesitant about diving for urchins. The presence of great white sharks, famously depicted in the 1975 film "Jaws," is becoming more common in New England and Atlantic Canada, regions where such sightings were once rare.
Experts attribute the increased sightings to a rise in the seal population, which serve as a primary food source for great white sharks. Although they can grow up to 20 feet (6 meters) long, most don't reach those sizes, and scientists emphasize that beachgoers remain generally safe from shark attacks. David Lancaster, a commercial clam digger in Scarborough, recently used a drone to observe a 12-foot (3.6-meter) shark and described it as "magnificent." He acknowledged that the existence of these sharks serves as a reminder for swimmers to remain vigilant.
Over recent years, shark sightings off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, have surged, with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy documenting hundreds of sightings. New data indicates that great whites are now venturing even further north into New Hampshire, Maine, and beyond, according to Greg Skomal, a senior fisheries biologist. The number of white sharks detected off Halifax, Nova Scotia, has increased about 2.5 times from 2018 to 2022, and a nearly fourfold rise was noted in the Cabot Strait between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Skomal's research shows the average residency of white sharks in these northern waters also grew from 48 to 70 days, indicating their increasing comfort in these regions.
The ongoing recovery of seal populations due to conservation efforts, such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act, is a primary catalyst for this shift, as seals provide a robust food source for the predators. Great white sharks also benefit from protections, including a fishing ban in U.S. federal waters since 1997, though they remain classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In Massachusetts, the marine fisheries department has reinforced fishing laws amid concerns from local fishermen about targeting white sharks, particularly from beaches where such practices could endanger both the sharks and public safety.
While great whites are formidable, actual encounters with humans are extremely rare. The International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History reports fewer than 60 fatal attacks in recorded history. The first recorded fatal shark attack in Maine occurred in 2020 when Julie Dimperio Holowach lost her life to a great white off Bailey Island. Despite this tragic incident, experts like Ashleigh Novak from the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy stress the importance of disseminating information to mitigate risks and reduce negative interactions between humans and sharks.
The influence of social media has contributed to viral shark sightings, with a smartphone app called "Sharktivity" allowing users to report sightings in real time. Local surfers and fishermen, like Lancaster, acknowledge the need to adapt to the presence of great whites in New England waters. He noted the phenomenon is startling but something residents must accept, suggesting the coexistence of humans and sharks is now part of life along the Maine coast.
