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Scientists Confirm First Great White Shark in Woods Hole Since 2004

The sighting, logged via the Sharktivity app, has prompted scientists to closely monitor local waters.

Photos from the encounter show two college students reacting with shock and horror as the ocean predator swims by.
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Overview

  • Two teenage paddleboarders encountered an eight-inch dorsal fin off Stony Beach on July 4 and returned safely to shore without injuries.
  • They reported the sighting through the Sharktivity app, enabling rapid expert review and identification.
  • John Chisholm of the New England Aquarium verified the shark as a great white, marking the first confirmed local appearance in more than two decades.
  • Experts note that fewer seals and warmer Buzzards Bay temperatures explain why great whites rarely venture into Woods Hole.
  • Massachusetts marine authorities are now intensifying real-time monitoring of Buzzards Bay to track any future shark movements.