P.E.I. fisher spots great white shark killing and eating a grey seal

Spencer Norton was removed from land when he noticed splashing behind his boat. 

It was a transparent day in late August of this 12 months, and the industrial fisher from P.E.I. was out with a buddy on the lookout for tuna within the water about three miles northeast of East Level. 

The splashing was getting extra intense. Quickly birds had been swarming above.  

“That appears fishy,” Norton thought. 

After two days of no tuna sightings, he determined it wouldn’t damage to show the boat round to get a greater look. 

As they approached, the water started to gleam with a crimson hue. 

Norton lifted his head. 

“What are we ?” he requested his companion.

Abruptly, the crimson hue started to gush a vibrant crimson, and a grey fin popped out of the water simply subsequent to the boat. 

It was then Norton realized what he was seeing – an enormous nice white shark, feasting on a freshly killed gray seal. 

They stayed and watched for about half an hour, and the shark, also referred to as a white shark, slowly waited for the seal to die earlier than dragging it to the depths. 

“I noticed the splashing I had seen was the shark getting in for the kill,” Norton instructed SaltWire Community throughout an interview on Sept. 2. 

“It was insane. You by no means know what you’re going to see out on the water.” 

Norton has been fishing off P.E.I. for many of his life. He purchased his first industrial boat in 2009, spending a number of years fishing bait fish comparable to herring or mackerel. In recent times, he has shifted principally to tuna and lobster, making it essential for him to be in deeper water. 

Since then, Norton mentioned he has began to come across extra sharks. 

“I see there may be in all probability a rise of white sharks. (I feel) it’s due to warming waters and local weather change, nevertheless it’s additionally the meals,” he mentioned. 

White shark sightings have been steadily growing in Atlantic Canada up to now 20 years, with over 40 sightings since 2009, mentioned data on the federal government of Canada web site. 

There may be additionally an estimated eight million gray seals within the water between P.E.I. and Newfoundland, and they’re a main supply of meals for white sharks. 

“They arrive right here for the meals,” mentioned Norton, 

“It’s prime feeding. It’s the identical tuna do. They migrate right here to forage, then they return to breed. It’s the identical because the sharks are doing.”

For that reason, Norton mentioned he’s nonetheless not alarmed. 

His recommendation for anybody who could be anxious a few shark encounter is to not swim on seashores near fishing grounds. 

“They don’t come into shallow (areas), they usually’re having a time with (gray seals). They’ll’t maintain being round … if there may be nothing to eat.” 

Heather Bowlby, analysis lead on the Canadian Atlantic Shark Analysis Laboratory on the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, instructed SaltWire Community in a narrative revealed on July 20 regardless of the elevated numbers, solely about 20 per cent of all white sharks go to P.E.I. water. 

“At the moment extra folks know what they’re on the lookout for, so the sightings have gone up,” mentioned Bowlby. 

“The expertise we use has improved, and most of the people on the water are inclined to have a digicam now.” 

This was the case for Norton, who mentioned he feels fortunate to have witnessed such an occasion and had his digicam readily available. 

“The distinctiveness of that’s insane,” mentioned Norton. 

“I’ll in all probability by no means see a situation like that ever once more. I’ll in all probability see one other shark, however by no means like that probably.” 

Rafe Wright is a Native Journalism Initiative reporter, a place coated by the federal authorities. He writes about local weather change points for the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island and could be reached by electronic mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @wright542.