CHILMARK, Mass. — They’re back! Great white shark season in New England is officially underway.
In a pre-Memorial Day warning to the public, New England Aquarium adjunct scientist John Chisholm announced Wednesday that a dead gray seal found at Lucy Vincent Beach on Martha’s Vineyard on Sunday had suffered a bite wound consistent with that of a white shark.
Chisholm, of the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, says he made the determination after examining photos taken by Andrew Jacobs from the Natural Resource Department of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head.
“This is just the beginning of white shark season in New England, and it serves as a good reminder to be mindful of the presence of these sharks in inshore waters. Their numbers will continue to increase throughout the summer with peak activity occurring in the fall,” Chisholm said in a statement.
Chisholm has been researching white sharks for nearly 40 years. He emphasized the importance of being “shark smart” by being aware of their presence in shallow waters, avoiding areas where seals are present, or schools of fish are visible, and staying close to shore where emergency responders can reach you if needed.
Chisholm also reminded beachgoers and boaters that they can stay informed through the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s Sharktivity app, which provides information and push notifications on white shark sightings, detections, and movements to raise awareness and help people and sharks co-exist.
The Conservancy previously shared this interactive map with Boston 25. The blue fin logo documents this season’s first sighting.
All of the icons that typically appear on the map during shark season indicate the following:
- Red alert icon: A white shark sighting is confirmed close to a public beach
- Blue shark fin icon: A confirmed white shark sighting
- Orange shark fin icon: An unconfirmed white shark sighting
- Yellow icon: A receiver that detects white sharks tagged with acoustic tags and transmits the data in real-time
- Purple icon: A real-time detection of a shark tagged with an acoustic tag that is less than an hour old
- Orange icon: Detections of sharks tagged with acoustic transmitters
- Green icon: The shark’s dorsal fin breaks the surface, and the tag transmits to overhead satellites
Over 15 shark species reside in New England waters, depending on the time of year, according to researchers.
Last year, there were many shark sightings in Massachusetts waters.
Whale watchers in Gloucester encountered two great whites, the largest tagged great white shark pinged off Nantucket, and Ipswich’s Crane Beach rolled out new shark safety protocols.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2026 Cox Media Group
