The big attraction for the white sharks is that when they get around 12 long they start feeding on marine mammals.
Seals in Mass. had a bounty on them until 1962, then it was the Federal Govt. who protected them in the Marine Mammal Protection act in 1972.
There was an insignificant amount of seals around then, but the population has exploded to the point some fisheries are being depleted by the seals on Cape Cod.
Seals are still protected, and the Fed Govt. doesn't seem inclined to cull them to reasonable numbers. -Tom
Food for sharks!