Marc Fortier

Busy Weekend: 15 Great White Sharks Spotted Off Massachusetts Coast

There were four beach closures on Saturday and Sunday due to shark sightings

It was a busy weekend for shark sightings, with at least 15 great whites spotted off the coast of Massachusetts over a two-day span.

According to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy's Sharktivity app, 11 great white sharks were spotted off Provincetown, one off Orleans and one off Wellfleet on Saturday. Sharks were also spotted in Cape Cod Bay and off Rockport on the North Shore on Sunday. In the last week alone, there have now been nearly 40 great white shark sightings.

Swimming was halted twice at Head of the Meadow Beach in Truro and once at Coast Guard Beach on Saturday. Nauset Beach in Orleans was also closed to swimming for an hour after another confirmed shark sighting. It was a Nauset Beach lifeguard that spotted the shark about 50 yards off the beach.

On Sunday, Longnook Beach in Truro was closed from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. after another shark sighting.

Researchers on Cape Cod launched a new study last month focused on the hunting and feeding habits of the region's great white sharks following last year's two attacks on humans, including the state's first fatal one in more than 80 years. They hope the work contributes critical information to the ongoing debate over how to keep Cape beachgoers safe.

The slew of sightings over the weekend come as Barnstable county commissioners are set to hear from two groups Wednesday concerning shark safety.

One group, the Wellfleet Concerned Citizens Coalition, is concerned that not enough is being done since the fatal shark attack in their community. Commissioners will also hear from API Systems, a company that is proposing a shark warning system for the Cape.

No votes are expected to be taken on Wednesday.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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