Law enforcement is urging beachgoers to be cautious in the water, as several white sharks have been spotted on camera. According to researchers, white shark sightings are up this year, but it may be due to good beach weather and more people actively seeking them out.
SCARBOROUGH, Maine – Shark sightings are on the rise this summer in southern Maine, with local law enforcement urging beachgoers to be cautious in the water as several white sharks have been caught on camera.
Researchers say reported white shark sightings are up this year, though the increase may partly reflect favorable beach weather and more people actively looking for the predators.
"I would say there’s no question that there’s been a lot more sightings this year. Does that translate into a higher number of sharks is a little bit of a nuanced question. There’s a lot of things to consider in there," said Dr. Walt Golet, assistant professor of marine sciences at the University of Maine.
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A sign warning beachgoers of shark sightings at Pine Point Beach, Maine. (Amy Galo)
"While sighting reports are very helpful, the number of sightings reported to us is often influenced by nice weather and the number of people at the beach," said Matt Davis, marine resource scientist at the Maine Department of Marine Resources. "We've had great weather this year for beach tourism, and we also have a number of people with drones actively looking for sharks, so sightings are high."
Daryen Granata, harbor master and marine resource officer for the town of Scarborough, said the police department began receiving numerous shark sighting reports in early July. Several were captured on video.
MULTIPLE VIDEOS REVEAL SHARKS SWIMMING NEAR SHORE AS SIGHTINGS RISE IN MAINE BEACH TOWN
"They were off of Pine Point Beach for a substantial amount of time," said Granata. "They've kind of migrated now. They're more off the Scarborough Beach State Park and Higgins Beach area at this point. We're still seeing them on a daily basis. Still to this day, and it's been, you know, three weeks at this point."
People walk along the shore at a beach in Scarborough, Maine. (Amy Galo)
Granata, who has lived in Scarborough for more than 30 years, said shark sightings have become much more common in recent years, especially sightings of juvenile sharks. But whether that means there are actually more sharks in the Gulf of Maine is less clear.
"We have all this drone technology. We have all the cell phone videos. We've got a lot of higher-grade technology than we did, you know, 10 or 15, 20 years ago. So we're seeing them," said Granata.
Granata said the police department captures its own drone footage of sharks, as do independent photographers and beachgoers. Social media has added another stream of reported sightings, all of which can contribute to the perception that there are more sharks in the area.
"Previously, people weren't looking for sharks with the same intensity or aerial equipment," said Davis.
