Living with White Sharks

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White sharks have been returning to the Gulf of Maine in greater numbers in response to the regional recovery of seal populations. In 2020, Maine experienced its first fatal shark attack. For more than a decade. the MA Division of Marine Fisheries and collaborators have been studying the ecology, behavior, and natural history of white sharks off the east coast of the US. Using state-of-the-art tagging technology, the focus of their current research has been to gain a better understanding of where, when, and how white sharks hunt their prey. This presentation will highlight this research as we attempt to develop a science-based strategy for mitigating potential shark and human conflicts. 

This program is being offered in partnership with Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. 

About the Presenter

Dr. Gregory Skomal is an accomplished marine biologist, underwater explorer, photographer, and author. He has been a fisheries scientist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries since 1987 and currently heads up the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. He is also adjunct faculty at the University of Massachusetts School for Marine Science and Technology and an adjunct scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). He holds a master’s degree from the University of Rhode Island and a Ph.D. from Boston University. For more than 30 years, Greg has been actively involved in the study of life history, ecology, and physiology of sharks. His shark research has spanned the globe from the frigid waters of the Arctic Circle to coral reefs in the tropical Central Pacific. Much of his current research centers on the use of acoustic telemetry and satellite-based tagging technology to study the ecology and behavior of sharks. Greg has been an avid SCUBA diver and underwater photographer since 1978. He has written dozens of scientific research papers and has appeared in a number of film and television documentaries, including programs for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, BBC, and numerous television networks. His most recent book, The Shark Handbook, is a must buy for all shark enthusiasts. He is a Boston Sea Rover and a member of The Explorers Club; his home and laboratory are on the south coast of Massachusetts.