Real-Time Shark Tracking in Cape Cod

Keeping beachgoers safe in populated water starts with staying informed about waterfront conditions, ranging from water quality issues like the presence of E. coli, wave and current conditions, to the presence of wildlife. In Cape Cod, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries tracks great white sharks in part to ensure beachgoer safety, inform conservation efforts, and build on limited knowledge of the species.

Gregory Skomal, a Senior Fisheries Scientist with the Division, has always been interested in studying sharks, and since Cape Cod is one of the few areas of the world where great white sharks can be found regularly, he was happy to accept the job in 1987.

Challenges: Public Safety and Shark Research

Early on, Skomal’s research predominantly relied on the use of acoustic tags and receivers as well as tissue sampling to study the sharks. Traditionally, acoustic receivers store data internally, meaning the division would have to travel to each of these receivers to collect data manually.

While the division got consistent good quality data on shark behavior and increased their understanding of the species, the lack of real-time information on the sharks did not protect everyday beachgoers.

Skomal elaborates, “It gives us direct access to this species, really for the first time in history in this part of the world. So, our goals, of course, are to learn about the biology and ecology of this animal.”

“At the same time, because of the presence of this shark in close proximity to some of the most popular swimming beaches in Massachusetts, we’ve suffered from a number of shark attacks, and so we’re also trying to produce information that will enhance public safety,” he adds.

Solution: Real-Time Compatible Receivers

Tagging efforts began in 2009, and the MA Division of Marine Fisheries currently has over 70 standard receivers that archive tracking data and must be retrieved manually a few times a year. In addition to these standard receivers, the division deployed seven NexSens data buoys integrated with Innovasea acoustic receivers.

All of the tags emit a 69 KHz frequency that ping the receivers whenever a shark is within range, storing or transmitting data, depending on the system. The receiver-equipped buoys enable real-time data collection, documenting whenever a shark is within the 300 to 500 meter range of the system and then transmitting the data to the cloud.

Benefits: Shark Alerts and Informed Waterfront Recreation

When the sharks are near recreational areas, lifeguards receive a text alert, warning them of the presence of a great white shark and responding appropriately.

The combination of real-time alerts and long-term data collection allows researchers to study elusive species like sharks in a way that has never been done before—simultaneously balancing data needs with public safety while protecting the species.

While the goal of the receivers and tagging program is to build on existing knowledge of great white sharks specifically, the receivers record any tagged species that travel within range, helping contribute to other research.

“We have a network of researchers from Canada to throughout the US that share data. So, I might, for example, pick up a sturgeon that has been tagged by a researcher up in Maine. Those things happen and we get detections from this technology from all kinds of species,” states Skomal.

The Bottom Line

Sharks are essential links in the ecological chain, representing apex predators and essential to marine systems. Due to their significance, the state has a legal responsibility to protect and conserve great white sharks. At the same time, the research must also enhance public safety, making the combination of standard receivers, species sampling, and real-time data collection an ideal solution.

Equipment