A Summer of Shark Sightings in Maine Law enforcement officials are urging swimmers to be careful in the water as several great white sharks have been seen on camera. White shark sightings have increased this year, researchers say, but it may be due to good beach weather and more people actively searching for them. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! SCARBOROUGH, Maine – Shark sightings are increasing this summer in southern Maine, and local authorities are urging beachgoers to be careful in the water as several great white sharks have been caught on camera. Researchers say reported white shark sightings have increased this year, although the increase may partly reflect favorable beach weather and more people actively seeking out the predators. “I would say there is no doubt that there have been many more sightings this year. Does that translate into greater numbers of sharks? “It’s a bit of a nuanced question. There are a lot of things to consider,” said Dr. Walt Golet, assistant professor of marine sciences at the University of Maine. MULTIPLE SHARKS SEEN AT POPULAR BEACH THAT SAW A DEADLY ATTACK 5 YEARS AGO A sign warning beachgoers of shark sightings at Pine Point Beach, Maine. (Amy Galo) “While sighting reports are very helpful, the number of sightings we are missing “We’ve had great weather this year for beach tourism, and we also have several people with drones actively looking for sharks, so sightings are high.” Daryen Granata, harbor master and marine resources officer for the town of Scarborough, said the police department began receiving numerous reports of shark sightings early in the year. July. Several were captured on video. MULTIPLE VIDEOS REVEAL SHARKS SWIMMING CLOSE TO SHORE AS SIGHTINGS INCREASE IN MAINE BEACH TOWN “They have been away from Pine Point Beach for a considerable amount of time,” Granata said “They have already migrated. They are furthest from the Scarborough Beach State Park and Higgins Beach area at this time. We still see them daily. Until today, and it’s been, you know, three weeks to this point.” People walk along the shore of a beach in Scarborough, Maine. (Amy Galo)Granata, who has lived in Scarborough for more than 30 years, said shark sightings have become much more common in recent years, especially sightings of juvenile sharks. But it’s less clear if that means there are actually more sharks in the Gulf of Maine. “We have all this drone technology. We have all the cell phone videos. We have a lot of higher quality technology than we had, you know, 10 or 15, 20 years ago. So we’re seeing them,” Granata said. Granata said the police department captures its own shark images with drones, as do independent photographers and beachgoers. Social media has added another stream of reported sightings, all of which may contribute to the perception that there are more sharks in the area. “Previously, people didn’t search for sharks with the same intensity or aerial equipment,” Davis said. Researchers say white shark populations have been slowly recovering for decades after the federal government implemented protections in the 1990s. Maine’s seal population has also grown, providing a key food source for white sharks. “It’s quite possible that the number of white sharks we see now more reflects their natural population size, or at least the closest it has been to the natural population size in several decades,” Davis explained. “Think of this as a population success story in that the ocean is bringing back one of its top predators to help balance the food chain.” “If you protect the food and protect the predator, it makes sense that you would see this rebound, especially since the generation time for white sharks is about 25 to 30 years,” Golet said. “I also think there is a lot of bait along the coast of Maine in the form of striped bass and Atlantic menhaden, which are eaten by juvenile white sharks, which is what we have in large numbers.” WATER OFF MAINE COAST BY GREAT WHITE SHARK Researchers say warming ocean temperatures could eventually lead sharks to stay in the Gulf of Maine for longer periods That could make frequent shark sightings more common along the coast Beachgoers enjoy the warm weather at Pine Point Beach (Amy Galo) “There are definitely more sharks in Maine than I’ve ever seen in my entire life.” Donohue, who has lived in Scarborough all his life. “When we were kids here, we used to joke about sharks, but we were like, ‘Oh, we live in Maine, so we never see sharks.'” “This is really the first time I’ve heard in Pine Point that we had a shark sighting,” said Betty MacLeod, a long-time Scarborough resident. The Scarborough Police Department urges people to stay alert while they’re in the water. They recommend avoiding cloudy water and staying in water that is waist deep or shallower. Swimmers with open wounds should stay out of the water. Authorities also recommend swimmers remove jewelry before entering the water. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Just be aware of what you’re doing and where you are,” Granata said. “Just be aware of the situation, that’s all.” 2026 as a multimedia reporter based in Orlando, Florida.
