Video shows great white shark off Block Island
Video shows great white shark off Block Island
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A special type of camera captured clear video of a great white shark looking for food off the coast of New England.
The Atlantic Shark Institute said “Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems” less than three miles off Block Island spotted a young great white. Researchers called the find a “needle in the haystack,” and a first for Rhode Island waters using this technology.
“These small white sharks can be so elusive we didn’t know if it would ever happen,” Atlantic Shark Institute executive director Jon Dodd said in a statement. “This is likely the first time anyone has seen this shark and, based on its size, it is likely a juvenile and perhaps even a young-of-the-year white shark.”
The camera system situated on the ocean floor uses bait to attract underwater creatures. It’s been operated by the institute for years and they’ve seen sea turtles, tuna and other species of sharks, but never a great white.
“It’s a beautiful video and it was so wonderful to document this majestic shark cruising the waters near Block Island and investigating our BRUVs,” Dodd said.
Earlier this year, video of a 20-foot shark swimming around Block Island’s Great Salt Pond on Memorial Day went viral and invited “Jaws” comparisons.
There were multiple great white shark sightings off Cape Cod this weekend. Massachusetts shark biologist John Chisholm told swimmers “it’s peak white shark season so stay vigilant if you’re going in the water.”
Researchers say great white sharks are spending more time in New England waters, even as far north as Maine and up to Canada.
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