800 great white sharks have visited Cape Cod in recent years

A recent population study conducted off Cape Cod reveals that the region is a significant hotspot for great white sharks. These apex predators gather at the Cape in search of seals to prey upon.

Local researchers focusing on sharks discovered that approximately 800 individual white sharks frequented the waters off the Cape between 2015 and 2018. This estimation marks the first-ever measurement of white shark abundance in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series, the study provides valuable insights into the population dynamics of white sharks in this region.

Megan Winton, the lead author of the study and a staff scientist for the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, previously shared this population estimate during a Sharkfest special by National Geographic.

“Cape Cod is the only area in the region where researchers can realistically monitor the population, and our estimates indicate that the Cape is among the largest white shark hotspots worldwide. This is encouraging news from a conservation perspective,” Winton stated.

The research team discovered that the number of white sharks along Cape Cod peaks during the late summer and early fall when the water temperatures are highest. As winter approaches, the sharks migrate out of the area, leading to a decline in their numbers.

Over the course of the survey, the researchers observed an increase in the number of white sharks visiting the site. They estimated that approximately 800 individuals visited the waters off Cape Cod between 2015 and 2018.

The scientists from the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology, and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries conducted an intensive mark-recapture survey for this population study.

Utilizing mark-recapture methods, which involve tracking uniquely marked animals, the researchers identified and cataloged 393 individual white sharks from almost 3,000 videos collected during 137 research trips off Cape Cod’s beaches.

“By comparing the number of previously identified individuals with newly encountered individuals over time, we were able to estimate the number of sharks visiting the site each month during the survey, as well as for the four-year duration,” Winton explained.

While the risk of negative encounters with sharks is low, the increasing presence and population of white sharks off Cape Cod emphasize the need for ongoing research, public safety initiatives, and educational programs in the region, according to the researchers.

Greg Skomal, who leads the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries’ Shark Research Program, highlights the importance of public understanding that there are not hundreds of sharks swimming off Cape beaches simultaneously.

“Their movements are highly dynamic, with sharks trickling in and out. Some white sharks simply pass by on their way north, while others spend more time along the Cape, likely due to successful feeding on seals,” Skomal clarified.

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