Overview
- The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and Massachusetts state scientists launched their 2026 season with plans for satellite tagging, acoustic monitoring, and public updates through the Sharktivity app.
- A gray seal found on Martha's Vineyard with a great white bite confirmed the start of the season earlier this month, according to the New England Aquarium.
- Massachusetts now hosts more than 100 underwater acoustic receivers, and select real-time stations feed detections straight to Sharktivity for researchers, lifeguards, and town officials.
- Cape Cod has become a predictable summer and fall hotspot as sharks hunt local seals, so officials urge swimmers to avoid seal areas, stay near shore, and report sightings in the app.
- Researchers will also study dusky sharks off Nantucket that prey on seals in very shallow water, using camera and acoustic tags to better understand behavior and guide safety advice.