Rob Michaelson

Team Rescues Entangled Basking Shark in Cape Cod Bay

A team from the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) freed an entangled basking shark in Cape Cod Bay on Thursday, which was also World’s Ocean Day.

The Marine Animal Entanglement Response rescued the estimated 18-foot-long shark from the fishing gear it was trapped in just outside of Provincetown Harbor.

The team was already on the water conducting research when the entangled animal was reported by a charter fisherman.

Although the shark was severely weakened, it was able to swim away and the team is hopeful it will recover.

The CCS says basking sharks are commonly seen in the area this time of year. They are often mistaken for a white shark from their dorsal fins, but this large species are simply filter feeders that feed on plankton, small fish and invertebrates.

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