Posted on 06/05/2021 11:21:33 AM PDT by Capt. Tom
The population of Atlantic great white sharks around Massachusetts ’ Cape Cod peninsula has increased significantly, researchers say.
A total of 118 individual great white sharks were detected in 2020 off the coast by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy , up from only 11 in 2013.
And the total number of recorded shark detections in the same period has jumped from 10,803 to 134,631.
Scientists say that back in 2010 only three acoustic receivers were used, compared to 65 last year.
“It’s important to remember that the receivers can only detect sharks tagged with acoustic transmitters, and there are still a lot of white sharks out there that haven’t been tagged,” Megan Winton, research scientist with the AWSC, told the Boston Herald .
“As scientists, we use the data collected from tagged sharks to give us an idea of what the population is doing as a whole.
“People should think of the data provided by the logbook the same way – as a proxy for shark activity off the coast.”
A total of 231 individual great white sharks have been tagged with transmitters since 2010.
But Ms Winton said that researchers have documented more than 500 of the sharks in the area. Using underwater video footage.
The average length of the tagged sharks is 11.6ft long and shark activity is greatest where seal density is at its highest.
“When you look at the detection data, there are two immediately clear takeaways: white shark activity is highest along Cape Cod, and the Outer Cape in particular, where seal densities are highest, and white sharks have been detected all along the coast of Massachusetts,” Ms Winton said.
“They don’t occur exclusively off of Cape Cod.”
Over the last four years the most shark detections have been in the month of August and the shark season extends until October,
In 2020 a total of 10 people around the world were killed by sharks, with just three in the United States, according to the International Shark Attack File.
Its a seal infestation. Not a white shark infestation. I noticed you took the time to declare your pov. Why not. Or maybe it’s a tourist infestation. Either way, the most opportune predators are the ones turning it into a money making scheme.
I grew up on that beach. I know the water we’re talking about.
Sort of like we know of some illegals but most aren’t documented and tagged.
You got it; and have hit on an aspect that will be more forthcoming this summer of 2021.
"Dr.Greg Skomal Mass. Div. Marine Fisheries ,who has probably tagged more white sharks than anyone else says that, to date, 230 animals have been tagged."
"DR. Skomal estimates that is about 20 percent of the total Massachusetts white-shark population have been tagged, mostly around Cape Cod."
What does that mean? Well, to Capt. Tom, if you are at a Massachusetts beach, and you are in the water and have a white shark "encounter", chances are 4-1 the shark is untagged since it can’t, and didn’t ping any buoy to give you a warning.
But relax there will be more eyes on the water looking for fins this summer.
Yes, but what happens when ....? Those problems will be worked out in the future.-Tom
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