Experts Issue Shark Warning for Popular U.S. Beach Ahead of Memorial Day
As tourists are gearing up to flock to beaches across the United States for Memorial Day weekend, sharks will also be out in full force. And in Cape Cod, which has seen an uptick in shark activity in recent years, experts are issuing a warning to beachgoers to stay vigilant of the apex predators.
On Thursday, researchers with the New England Aquarium issued an advisory for the upcoming holiday weekend. Although sightings have yet to be made, experts are certain that sharks are out there, as several marine mammals have been found with shark bites inflicted in the waters off the Massachusetts coast.
"Although we haven’t seen a white shark just yet this season, we know they’re here," John Chisholm, an adjunct scientist at the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, told the New York Post. "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."
Chisholm said that researchers recently obtained photos of a seal with fresh bite marks in Plymouth, as well as a report of a minke whale spotted with a shark bite on May 21 by a fishing charter company sailing off the coast near Chatham.
As of last summer, Cape Cod was believed to have had the highest concentration of great white sharks in the world, as well as being the first documented hotspot in the North Atlantic. Experts have theorized that the growing shark population is likely due to a soaring population of grey seals, which were almost completely eradicated from New England due to commercial fishing in the early 1960s, but have since recovered as a result of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.
Though it's taken decades for the population to bounce back, by 2017 Cape Cod was home to an estimated 30,000 seals.
As a result, Chisholm, along with the aquarium, are stressing the importance of being aware of the presence of sharks in shallow waters and avoiding areas where seals are present or have visible schools of fish. They also recommend that swimmers stay close to the shore where they can be reached by emergency responders in the event of an attack. And of course, shark attacks remain exceedingly rare worldwide, even when they come in close contact with people on a regular basis.
Those heading to Cape Cod this summer can also download the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s Sharktivity app, which can be used to report sightings and stay informed of shark activity.