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8h ago

OCEARCH’s Largest Tagged Great White 'Contender' Pings Off Nantucket

Researchers detected the 1,653-pound shark roughly 50 miles southeast of Nantucket using a SPOT transmitter that will relay movement and physiological data for up to five years.

Great White Shark Spotted At Nantucket Harbor
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Overview

  • The SPOT transmitter registered the shark’s presence between Nantucket Shoals and Georges Bank from July 17 to July 21.
  • Contender measures 13 feet 9 inches in length and weighs 1,653 pounds, making it the heaviest great white tracked by OCEARCH in the western North Atlantic.
  • Tagged in January 2025 off the Georgia–Florida border, the shark resumed pinging after a silent period during intensive feeding in May.
  • Collected biological samples, including urogenital material, will aid research into great white reproductive biology and overall health.
  • A partnership with Contender Boats underpins the expedition by providing vessels and sponsorship for OCEARCH’s long-term shark monitoring.