Increased sightings of great white sharks in Gulf near P.E.I. no cause for alarm, says expert
When David McKendrick caught the second largest nice white shark ever recorded, he didn’t be ok with it.
It was 1983, and the 22-year-old was fishing tuna off the shore of Alberton, P.E.I., when he felt one thing heavy pulling on his traces.
He hauled within the prize – an enormous blue fin tuna, he thought.
Nonetheless, when he returned to shore, he realized what he had caught.
The shark was over 5 metres lengthy – the most important to ever be caught in P.E.I. waters.
Learn extra
In 2014, McKendrick’s catch was named one of many high 5 shark catches of all time by Nationwide Geographic. That very same yr, he instructed the Toronto Star he by no means felt good about catching it, as he knew how uncommon they had been.
Often known as white sharks, the inhabitants has been slowly growing because the Nineties, when stronger laws in opposition to fishing and catching sharks had been put in place by the federal authorities. This July, two nice whites had been noticed off the coast of Nova Scotia.
Regardless of the elevated variety of sightings up to now a number of years, there isn’t a want for Maritime beach-goers to be involved for his or her security, mentioned Heather Bowlby, analysis lead on the Canadian Atlantic Shark Analysis Laboratory on the Bedford Institute of Oceanography.
“Right now extra folks know what they’re searching for, so the sightings have gone up,” mentioned Bowlby. “The expertise we use has improved, and most of the people on the water are likely to have a digicam now.”
As well as, there was much more curiosity in sharks, so folks now know what to search for.
About sharks
• There aren’t any estimates of white shark inhabitants measurement in Canada or on the planet. They’re so uncommon that solely 32 recorded sightings have been documented in Atlantic Canada since 1874, and solely 14 since 1961.
• The jaw of the 5.2-metre-long nice white caught by David McKendrick in 1983 continues to be on show at a museum in Florida. The remainder of the stays are buried in West Prince.
• Little or no is thought about nice white sharks, resulting from their extremely migratory life-style. The truth is, researchers have by no means seen one give start and imagine nice whites can dwell as much as 80 years.
Bit into tuna
Final July, Prince Edward Island boat house owners Barry and Jason Doucette caught a 321-pound tuna close to North Rustico when an ideal white shark bit off a big chunk of flesh. One other boat skilled an analogous occasion close to Cape Breton in 2020.
Though the inhabitants goes up, the chance of seeing a white shark close to P.E.I. continues to be extraordinarily uncommon, as solely about 20 per cent of white sharks within the North Atlantic go to Canada.
“On the finish of the day, the chance to people continues to be low. Don’t be afraid to go to the seashore.”
Paul D’Eon, particular initiatives director on the Royal Life Saving Society for P.E.I. and N.S., agrees folks going to the seashore on P.E.I. don’t have anything to be frightened about.
“It’s far more harmful to drive to the seashore than go into the water,” mentioned D’Eon.
Maritime lifeguards are taught the best way to establish totally different actions within the water to find out what the animal is to have the ability to react accordingly.
“On the finish of the day, the chance to people continues to be low. Don’t be afraid to go to the seashore.”
Heather Bowlby
Most occasions when giant marine life is noticed, it’s assumed it’s a shark. Most individuals don’t think about it might be a seal or an enormous fish, added D’Eon, who started working as a lifeguard in 1975 – the identical years the movie, Jaws, was launched.
“There was a horrible paranoia of sharks after that film got here out,” he mentioned.
Earlier than the movie was launched, most people hadn’t been uncovered to sharks attacking folks in films.
“There was by no means a concern of going within the water earlier than that,” mentioned D’Eon.
His recommendation to folks is easy.
“Get your toes within the water, don’t fall for the Hollywood hysteria.”
Rafe Wright is an area journalism initiative reporter, a place funded by the federal authorities.
[email protected]
