Researchers Dive Into Cape Cod’s Waters to Explore Shark Behaviors

After close to two decades of research on white sharks along the outer edge of Cape Cod, scientists in Massachusetts are now honing their focus on shark behaviors in new, formerly unexplored areas.

A MassLive report noted that much of the present research has taken place in the Atlantic Ocean off the outer portion of Cape Cod, which includes Eastham, Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet. Greg Skomal, the senior fisheries scientist at the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, said that researchers are now refining their work.

“We're going to expand that work this year into Cape Cod Bay to take a look at how Cape Cod Bay sharks may be behaving a little differently from those on the Outer Cape,” Skomal said.

To date, their research has yielded some interesting findings.

“White sharks in Cape Cod Bay don't appear to be approaching shore because they're feeding on fish, like striped bass,” Skomal said. This finding contrasts that of the behavior of white sharks off the Outer Cape, which are most likely to feed on seals as the primary source of food in their diet.

Fewer sharks have been detected by recording devices, such as acoustic receivers, in the bayside. The ones that researchers have observed are “smaller, more juveniles than we see along the Outer Cape,” Skomal noted.

Although this summer has seen a few official shark sightings, these sightings are expected to increase toward the end of July and beginning of August. During that time, Skomal and other scientists will focus on their new area of interest for this year.