The tagging of three great white sharks Wednesday off Cape Cod marked an early start to the 2020 research season.
The sharks were feeding on a whale carcass off Monomoy Island when they were tagged by Dr. Greg Skomal of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, in partnership with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
Great white sharks begin to arrive off Cape Cod in June, to prey on gray seals, but peak shark activity is late summer though early fall.
Last year, scientists tagged a record 50 white sharks, beginning with the tagging of 15 sharks in July and ending with the tagging of seven sharks in November.
RELATED: Baby great white shark grabs spotlight on whale-watching trip
The seasonal influx of white sharks coincides with the start of the Cape Cod tourism season, creating a dangerous situation. (Last summer, shark sightings prompted several temporary beach closures.)
The current research project, which began last year, focuses on white shark movements and behaviors off Cape Cod. Mass Live reports that scientists are hoping that data can be used to minimize potential shark-human encounters.
According to NBC Boston, another white shark was spotted from the air on Wednesday afternoon. The shark was estimated to measure about 15 feet.
–Images showing white sharks off Cape Cod on Wednesday are courtesy of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy
