White Shark

     Every summer a few large white sharks take up residence in the waters off the northeastern U.S. We have seen them ourselves south of Montauk Point and Block Island. A large white shark is a tremendously strong, dangerous animal which is best avoided even by the most experienced fisherman. On the other hand, there hasn't been a documented white shark attack off New England since 1936 and, if anything, the white sharks are probably more endangered than the swimmers. The largest white reliably measured was a Cuban specimen 21 feet long that weighed 7,100 lbs.

     We believe it possible for whites to grow in excess of 21 feet and every summer we receive sightings from experienced fishermen of white sharks ranging from 15 to 25 feet. We are assembling a Sightings File in an attempt to document detailed information on all large white sharks landed or sighted along the Atlantic coast. Of special interest are location, date, size, sex, photographs, notes on behavior and any identifying marks.

     Of great importance in this project is the accurate separation of white and basking sharks. Both can occur in the same areas at or near the surface; both grow in excess of 20 feet; and both belong to the same family (Lamnidar) and have similar body plans (see illustration below). Their life styles, however, are at different ends of the spectrum. The more numerous basking sharks are relatively slow swimmers that feed on plankton. Although both sharks have large gill slits, those of the basking shark are longer and more obvious from above. When feeding, its mouth is large and cavernous. Seen from the top, the basking shark is usually not as broad, having a smaller girth. Coloration is NOT a good character but basking sharks are generally darker than the white.

     In addition to the white being a more purposeful swimmer (i.e., faster and "appears to be going somewhere"); white sharks are more likely to: (1) show up in a chum slick; (2) go out of their way to swim near a drifting boat; (3) actively avoid a boat trying to get near them; and (4) occur alone or in pairs (several basking sharks are often seen together).