Great white shark bites seal in first sighting of the season off Massachusetts
It's time for beachgoers in Massachusetts to start thinking about sharks again, the New England Aquarium says. The first great white shark of the season was spotted off Nantucket on Sunday.
The shark went after a seal off Smith's Point in Madaket, which is on the western end of the island. A witness saw a pool of blood in the water, then a seal swimming to the beach with a shark right behind.
The Nantucket Current shared video of the bloody predation on social media. Massachusetts shark biologist John Chisholm looked at photos of the seal's wounds and confirmed that the bite was from a great white.
"This is the time of year when we like to remind people to be 'shark smart' as white sharks return to the inshore waters of New England, where they'll hunt seals and other prey through the summer and into the fall," Chisholm said in a statement.
Shark season in Massachusetts
Chisholm also said that Cape Cod Bay is "full of basking sharks right now." According to the aquarium, basking sharks "might appear menacing" but they are harmless and only feed on plankton.
Both white sharks and basking sharks are off Massachusetts now. Here's a cheat sheet on how to tell them apart. Remember, if you see a white shark please use the @sharktivity app to report it. pic.twitter.com/p3fRZuZ1iH — MA Sharks 🦈 (@MA_Sharks) May 12, 2025
Beachgoers are encouraged to be aware of the potential presence of sharks in shallow waters. They should avoid going in the ocean if seals or schools of fish are around, and always stay close to shore so emergency responders can reach them if needed.
"Increased shark sightings can be a positive sign of a recovering marine ecosystem, but this recovery also means that people should take even more care while swimming or surfing," aquarium senior scientist Nick Whitney said.
Shark sightings can be reported to the Sharktivity app. Last year, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy installed acoustic shark receivers along the Outer Cape to detect great whites and get the word out to beachgoers.
While sharks are returning to Massachusetts now, their numbers in the state tend to peak in late summer and early fall when the water is the warmest.
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