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First Great White of Season Confirmed After Shark‑Bitten Seal Washes Up on Martha’s Vineyard

Experts say the finding signals the start of New England’s white shark season.

Overview

  • The dead gray seal found Sunday on Lucy Vincent Beach in Chilmark showed a bite consistent with a great white, according to New England Aquarium scientists.
  • Andrew Jacobs from the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe’s natural resources team inspected the carcass Monday and estimated a 12 to 14 inch bite diameter.
  • State biologist Greg Skomal said the wound was not fresh and likely proved fatal after it opened the abdominal cavity.
  • Officials labeled the case the first confirmed white shark of the year off Massachusetts and urged people to stay shark smart near seals and visible schools of fish.
  • The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s Sharktivity app now lists the case and invites public reports to trigger safety alerts and track shark movements.