Maine's Great White Sharks And What We Know So Far
Over the past 13 years, great white sharks have increasingly made their presence known off Maine's coast. More than 100 individual sharks have been detected, with the majority of sightings occurring in recent years and notably in shallow waters. This shift in behavior has prompted researchers to dive deeper into understanding what these sharks are doing in Maine's waters, and their latest findings have just been published in Frontiers in Marine Science. The research is the result of collaboration between the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, and several other organizations.
'We are excited to have this study published and continue to expand our understanding of white sharks in the western North Atlantic and the coastal waters in Maine,' said Matt Davis, the lead author of the study and a scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources. 'This work could not have been done without the collaboration of many researchers and organizations, and we thank everyone involved.'
This study is particularly significant because it marks the first time that researchers have been able to track the movements of white sharks over time in the region. The effort started in 2020, following a tragic event when a swimmer was killed by a white shark off the coast of Harpswell, marking Maine's first recorded fatal shark bite. In response to this incident, officials at the Maine DMR worked closely with other groups to expand the study of white sharks and their behavior in Maine's coastal waters. The team used an array of receivers placed along Maine's coastline, from York and Ogunquit to Kennebunk and Reid State Park. These receivers were designed to detect sharks that had been tagged off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Hilton Head, South Carolina.
'We are excited to have this study published and continue to expand our understanding of white ... More sharks in the western North Atlantic and the coastal waters in Maine,' said Matt Davis, the lead author of the study and a scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources. 'This work could not have been done without the collaboration of many researchers and organizations, and we thank everyone involved.'
With the data collected over the years, researchers were able to develop a clearer picture of the sharks' movements and behavior patterns in the area. The findings show that these sharks are spending time in waters less than 50 meters (164 feet) deep off Maine, with peak sightings occurring between July and September; this aligns with previous observations of white sharks using similar habitats in other regions. But what stands out in this recent study is how often these sharks are detected during daylight hours. Half of the shark detections occurred during the day, a time when beaches are typically busy with human activity. This was particularly true along areas like Ogunquit, Kennebunk, and Head Beach in Phippsburg, which had some of the highest numbers of shark detections.
Despite the uptick in shark sightings, the team also found that the frequency of white shark detections along Maine's beaches was still relatively low compared to other regions where these sharks are known to frequent. For example, areas off Cape Cod, which has long been known as a hotspot for white sharks, saw far more frequent detections. The team emphasized that while the presence of sharks in Maine waters is notable, there is no reason to believe that humans are at significant risk. While sharks are often feared, they are a vital part of the marine ecosystem, playing an important role in regulating the populations of other marine species. Their presence in Maine's waters suggests a healthy marine environment, which could be beneficial for the overall ecosystem.
The scientists hope the findings of this study will help inform future management strategies in Maine. By understanding where and when white sharks are most likely to be detected, researchers and policymakers can better communicate with the public about how to safely enjoy Maine's beaches without unnecessary fear. As Maine continues to see more shark detections in its waters, studies like this will be crucial in ensuring that shark conservation efforts continue while also keeping human safety a priority.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
12-08-2025
Scientists standing by to rescue rare manatee sighted in cold New England waters
BOSTON -- A manatee was recently spotted off the coast of Massachusetts for the first time in almost a decade and scientists want to monitor its condition to see if a rescue is necessary before it succumbs to the cold water or lack of food, they said Friday. The threatened species, which makes its habitat in warmer southern Gulf waters in places like Florida, was first seen July 26 off the southwestern coast of Cape Cod in the area of Nantucket Sound. Mashpee resident Jennifer Sullivan took a video of it swimming alongside paddle boarders in an inlet behind a marina surrounded by sea grass. She said on Monday that she found the manatee, which was as long and wide as her paddleboard, 'just lazing around there in the grass going as slowly as possible.' 'It was completely unfazed by us," said Sullivan, who went on to say she felt 'just in awe of how graceful the creature was and to be so close in the wild to it.' A few days later, the animal was seen stranded on the tidal flats in Mattapoisett. Bystanders who found the manatee beached on the flats around sunrise pushed it back into the water, said Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Protected Species Program Manager Erin Burke. It hasn't been spotted since, Burke said, but a team with the International Fund for Animal Welfare is standing by to rescue the animal if it becomes necessary. The species prefers swimming in warmer waters, usually traveling only as far north as the Carolinas. If the manatee stays in water that is too cold for too long, it could suffer severe illness or death, said New England Aquarium Research Scientist Dr. Nadine Lysiak. Additionally, manatees are herbivores that sustain themselves on extensive seagrass beds and mangroves not typically found in New England. 'Even if it doesn't experience cold stunning, it may have some health declines associated with not having enough food, not having enough water,' she said. 'So it's important to intervene as soon as it's sighted again to prevent health declines.' Lysiak said it's unclear how and why the manatee found its way so far north. It may have followed the warm water Gulf Stream current system from Florida up past the Carolinas and eventually found its way to New England, she said. 'We have kind of an average understanding of what a wild population does in terms of their range, or their habitat range, and some individuals will go beyond that and maybe wander or seek out other habitats or other food sources," she said. "It's hard to know exactly why this manatee came to Cape Cod.' Manatee sightings are uncommon in New England, but not unheard of. In 2008 and 2009, different manatees were sighted in Cape Cod Bay — the furthest north the animals have ever been identified. Both were eventually rescued, with one dying on the trip to Florida for rehabilitation. The other survived the trip south, living until 2018. In 2016, a manatee was spotted off the coast of Falmouth. In 2023, one of the animals was seen in Rhode Island. Anyone who sees the manatee is asked to document their GPS position and call the stranding network hotline, (508) 743-9548. Sullivan said she feels 'blessed that I could be in the right place and the right time to see the creature," and she's hoping it's healthy and safe. 'I pray he just turned right around and went back south," she said.
CBS News
12-08-2025
- CBS News
Orca known as "Old Thom" seen in rare killer whale sighting off Massachusetts coast
Old Thom has been spotted again. A lone killer whale was seen this weekend in a rare orca sighting off the coast of Massachusetts. Donna Piraino was fishing for tuna Sunday afternoon in the Stellwagen Bank marine sanctuary, about 14 miles southeast of Gloucester. She captured video of a giant killer whale swimming among a pod of dolphins. Piraino told WBZ-TV it was an "amazing experience." "There he is, it's an orca!" she can be heard saying on video. "That's crazy." The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy confirmed it was a sighting of Old Thom, the only orca regularly seen in North Atlantic waters. The New England Aquarium says the large male killer whale, recognizable by an indent on his tall dorsal fin, is known to swim alone or with dolphins even though orcas typically travel in pods. "Any sighting of an orca in the Gulf of Maine is rare and very exciting," the aquarium's website says. "Lots of researchers, fishermen, and boaters who spend most of their lives on the water in New England have never seen an orca." Old Thom was also spotted last summer about 7 miles off Chatham. Seeing a killer whale in New England waters is "always unusual," an aquarium scientist previously told WBZ-TV. Their population is believed to be very small in western North Atlantic waters. In 2023, four killer whales were seen swimming 40 miles south of Nantucket during an aquarium aerial survey. Killer whales are the largest member of the dolphin family and wildlife experts say they typically work as a team to catch their prey.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
Probiotics can help heal ravaged coral reefs
Probiotics are everywhere, claiming to help us poop, restore gut health, and more. They can also be used to help threatened coral reefs. A bacterial probiotic has helped slow the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) in wild corals in Florida that were already infected with the disease. The findings are detailed in a study published June 5 in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science and show that applying this new probiotic treatment across coral colines helped prevent further tissue loss. SCTLD first emerged in Florida in 2014. In the 11 years since, it has rapidly spread throughout the Caribbean. This mysterious ailment has been confirmed in at least 20 other countries and territories. Other coral pathogens typically target specific species. SCTLD infects more than 30 different species of stony corals, including pillar corals and brain corals. The disease causes the soft tissue in the corals to slough off, leaving behind white patches of exposed skeleton. The disease can devastate an entire coral colony in only a few weeks to months. The exact cause of SCTLD is still unknown, but it appears to be linked to some kind of harmful bacteria. Currently, the most common treatment for SCTLD is using a paste that contains the antibiotic amoxicillin on diseased corals. However, antibiotics are not a silver bullet. This amoxicillin balm can temporarily halt SCTLD's spread, but it needs to be frequently reapplied to the lesions on the corals. This takes time and resources, while increasing the likelihood that the microbes causing SCTLD might develop resistance to amoxicillin and related antibiotics. 'Antibiotics do not stop future outbreaks,' Valerie Paul, a study co-author and the head scientist at the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, Florida, said in a statement. 'The disease can quickly come back, even on the same coral colonies that have been treated.' Paul and her colleagues have spent over six years investigating whether beneficial microorganisms (aka probiotics) could be a longer lasting alternative to combat this pathogen. Just like humans, corals are host to communities known as microbiomes that are bustling with all different types of bacteria. Some of these miniscule organisms produce antioxidants and vitamins that can help keep their coral hosts healthy. [ Related: Caribbean coral is getting sick and dying. A probiotic could help. ] First, the team looked at the microbiomes of corals that are impervious to SCTLD to try and harvest probiotics from these disease-resistant species. In theory, these could be used to strengthen the microbiomes of susceptible corals. They tested over 200 strains of bacteria from disease-resistant corals and published a study in 2023 about the probiotic Pseudoalteromonas sp. McH1-7 (or McH1-7 for short). Taken from the great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa), this probiotic produces several antibacterial compounds. Having such a stacked antibacterial toolbox made McH1-7 an ideal candidate to combat a pathogen like SCTLD. They initially tested McH1-7 on live pieces of M. cavernosa and found that the probiotic reliably prevented the spread of SCTLD in the lab. After these successful lab tests, the wild ocean called next. The team conducted several field tests on a shallow reef near Fort Lauderdale, focusing on 40 M. cavernosa colonies that showed signs of SCTLD. Some of the corals in these colonies received a paste containing the probiotic McH1-7 that was applied directly to the disease lesions. They treated the other corals with a solution of seawater containing McH1-7 and covered them using weighted plastic bags. The probiotics were administered inside the bag in order to cover the entire coral colony. 'This created a little mini-aquarium that kept the probiotics around each coral colony,' Paul said. For two and a half years, they monitored the colonies, taking multiple rounds of tissue and mucus samples to see how the corals' microbiomes were changing over time. They found that the McH1-7 probiotic successfully slowed the spread of SCTLD when it was delivered to the entire colony using the bag and solution method. According to the samples, the probiotic was effective without dominating the corals' natural microbes. While using this probiotic appears to be an effective treatment for SCTLD among the reefs of northern Florida, additional work is needed to see how it could work in other regions. Similar tests on reefs in the Florida Keys have been conducted, with mixed preliminary results, likely due to regional differences in SCTLD. The team believes that probiotics still could become a crucial tool for combatting SCTLD across the Caribbean, especially as scientists fine tune how to administer them. Importantly, these beneficial bacteria support what corals already do naturally. 'Corals are naturally rich with bacteria and it's not surprising that the bacterial composition is important for their health,' Paul said. 'We're trying to figure out which bacteria can make these vibrant microbiomes even stronger.'
