The number of sightings of great white sharks in the North Atlantic have increased in about the last 10 years, and that’s a good thing, so says one shark expert in Halifax.
“Rather than culling [seals], why would you not want to have the natural predators back in there and bringing that thing back into balance?”
The uptick, which he said indicates conservation measures to increase the population of the sharks are likely working, stems from a colony of seals that originally formed on Sable Island before forming another in the Cape Cod area, attracting sharks.
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One Massachusetts group is recording more than 100 new sharks per year in the area, Whoriskey added, “which is a lot.”
Despite the increase, he said he isn’t changing his swimming and diving habits.
“There are a few sensible things to do, like, let’s not go swimming at night drunk, bleeding in the water and splashing around a whole lot. That’s the kind of thing that would actually trigger a response whereas as you do your normal activities, go to the beach on a day, not something to be concerned about,” Whoriskey said.
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According to the International Shark Attack File, there were 84 confirmed cases of unprovoked shark attacks on humans last year worldwide.
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