Long Island Sound is home to several species of sharks, including sand tiger sharks, brown sharks, smooth dogfish, and spiny dogfish. While these are common and generally not a threat to humans, transient species like thresher sharks, blue sharks, and even great white sharks have been spotted in the sound. A recent increase in shark sightings, particularly of brown sharks and great whites, has been noted, possibly due to a rebounding ecosystem and increased prey populations. 

Here's a more detailed look:

Common Species: Sand tiger sharks, brown sharks, smooth dogfish, and spiny dogfish are regularly seen in Long Island Sound. 

Transient Species: Thresher sharks, blue sharks, and great whites are known to venture into the sound, though less frequently. 

Increased Sightings: There's been a noticeable increase in the presence of brown sharks and great whites in recent years, possibly linked to a healthier sound environment and more abundant prey like seals. 

Great White Sharks: While great whites are more common in areas with seal populations, they have been spotted in Long Island Sound, with one tagged individual (Cabbat) being tracked there. 

Safety: Although sharks are present, attacks on humans are rare, and swimmers should exercise caution but not live in fear. 

Ecosystem Health: The increased shark populations are seen as a positive sign of a recovering Long Island Sound ecosystem. 

Common Long Island Sound shark species

• Sandbar Shark (Brown Shark): The most commonly sighted shark in the Long Island Sound, preferring estuaries, bays, and coastal areas. They are known to be returning to the area in greater numbers after a decline years ago.

• Sand Tiger Shark: Another frequently encountered shark, often found near sandy beaches. They have been implicated in some shark bite incidents.

• Smooth Dogfish: These small, bottom-dwelling sharks are common in brackish waters and feed on mollusks and crustaceans.

• Spiny Dogfish: Similar to the smooth dogfish, these sharks have venomous spines on their dorsal fins and are considered a minimal threat to humans.

• Dusky Shark: One of the three large shark species native to Long Island Sound, they can weigh up to 400 pounds and feed on a wide variety of sea life. They are a protected species in Connecticut.

Has CT DEEP tagged sharks in the Sound and what data did they get?

Yes, the Connecticut DEEP actively monitors brown shark (sandbar shark) populations in the Long Island Sound and employs methods like 

tagging and sonar technology as part of these efforts. 

Regarding the specific data obtained from their tagging operations in the Sound, based on available information:

• DEEP monitors the brown shark population through tagging and sonar technology.

• While they don't have an exact count of how many brown sharks are in the Sound, they have observed a resurgence in their population.

• Data collected helps inform their understanding of shark behavior, movement patterns, and ecological role as apex predators, which is crucial for maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem.

• They also investigate incidents like brown sharks attacking striped bass on fishing lines, suggesting an opportunistic feeding strategy.

• The data gathered from tagging and other research activities contributes to the broader understanding of shark population dynamics and informs management decisions. 

It's worth noting that other organizations, such as NOAA Fisheries, also conduct shark tagging programs in the Northeast, including the Cooperative Shark Tagging Program, which utilizes various tags (dart, roto, spaghetti, etc.) to collect data on shark migration, distribution, and habitat use. While these are not specifically DEEP's initiatives, they contribute to the overall knowledge base about sharks in the region and may inform or complement DEEP's efforts. 

Are there plans to change brown shark management in the Sound?

Brown shark management in Long Island Sound is influenced by both federal and state regulations. The brown shark (also known as the sandbar shark) is a migratory species, and its populations have seen a resurgence in the Sound after being in decline 

says WFSB. Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) plays a role in monitoring these populations through tagging and sonar technology. 

Here's a breakdown of current information and potential future considerations:

Current regulations and management

• No open season: While some fishermen desire an open season for brown sharks, DEEP has indicated that this is unlikely in the near future and that it will take decades for the population to rebound sufficiently for such a consideration.

• Prohibited species: The brown shark is a prohibited species for recreational anglers in New York State waters, and while Connecticut's specific regulations weren't detailed in the search results, it's likely similar given the shared Long Island Sound ecosystem and the goal of population recovery. According to this .gov website, recreational anglers must have a shark endorsement on their permit to fish for sharks, and several species, including the sandbar shark, are prohibited from retention.

• Interstate Fishery Management Plan: The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has an Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Coastal Sharks, which complements federal management actions to protect pregnant females and juveniles in inshore nursery areas. 

Potential future considerations and factors influencing management

• Increased interactions with anglers: Brown sharks are reportedly grabbing fish, particularly striped bass, off fishing lines at an increasing rate, according to the CT Examiner. DEEP is even asking for photos of half-eaten fish to better understand this trend. This increase in shark-angler interactions could potentially lead to calls for management adjustments or further studies.

• Apex predator role: The presence of brown sharks is seen as crucial for maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem in the Sound. This highlights the importance of any management decisions being carefully considered to avoid disrupting this balance.

• Ecosystem health: The brown shark resurgence is attributed in part to improved water quality and a healthier Long Island Sound ecosystem. Continued monitoring of water quality and the broader ecosystem will remain vital to ensure the long-term health of the Sound and the species within it, including sharks.

• Scientific research: Ongoing research and data collection, including from tagging, will continue to inform management decisions and potentially lead to adjustments as the population recovers and as the ecosystem adapts to changes like warming waters. 

While there are no immediate plans to change brown shark management to allow for an open season, the increasing brown shark population and their interactions with other fish species and anglers may lead to further research and potentially, future adjustments in management approaches. Any changes are likely to be made in the context of the larger goal of maintaining a healthy and balanced Long Island Sound ecosystem.

Florida man, 21, bitten in foot by shark at beach in latest attack in the state, New York Post, July 15, 2023

New York’s shark-infested waters are a good thing. Yes, really, Vox, Jul 12, 2023

Are Shark Attacks Up? Probably Not—But Recent Sightings Prompt Beach Closures And Drone Monitoring, Forbes, July 10, 2023

Fisherman attacked by shark in Florida Everglades, AS USA, July 9, 2023

Are Shark Attacks Increasing? Here Are What the Data Say by Time Magazine, 7 July 2023

Possible shark attacks prompt heightened patrols at New York's Long Island beaches, NPR, July 5, 2023

How many shark attacks happen each year, and where are they most common?  CBS NEWS, 5 July 2023

4 suspected shark attacks in 2 days along New York beaches l GMA, ABC News, 6 July 2023

Diver's cage is ATTACKED by monstrous great white shark | Shark Week | Discovery, 3 weeks ago

How to survive a shark attack – or better yet, avoid one entirely, CNN, June 9, 2023

The 3 Worst Shark Attacks in History (One Was in the Open Ocean), AZ Animals, Jun 11, 2023 

Where is the shark attack capital of the world? Global shark stats tell story over 47 years, USA TODAY, June 13, 2023

2023 Shark Attack Map, SURFERTODAY 

Several Great White Sharks Spotted In Cape Cod Waters

The sharks were seen along the coast from Plymouth to Provincetown, and some measured up to 16 feet in length.

PROVINCETOWN, MA — More than a half dozen great white sharks were spotted off the Coast of Cape Cod Monday, aerial images from shark biologist John Chisholm show.

Chisholm in a Tweet said the sharks were seen along the coast from Plymouth to Provincetown. Some sharks measured up to 16 feet in length, according to Chisholm.

"Although it's hard to judge size without anything for scale in the photos, you'll notice the > 16′ shark has a lot more girth," Chisholm said on the MA Sharks Twitter account.  Chisholm has documented great white shark sightings in the Atlantic Ocean since the late 197os, according to his profile on the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life website. He's collected data on more than 500 great white shark sightings, from Canada to Florida. 

Cape Cod shark researchers tag first great white of the season

‘It was a really cool 12-foot male shark’

By RICK SOBEY | rick.sobey@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: July 7, 2021 at 8:31 p.m. | UPDATED: July 8, 2021 at 7:24 p.m.

Cape Cod shark researchers have tagged their first great white of the season, the state’s leading shark scientist said during a “Shark Week” event.

“That really kicks off the season, and it was a really cool 12-foot male shark, so I’m super excited about that,” shark scientist Greg Skomal of  Massachusetts Marine Fisheries said during the “Shark Week” event.

Skomal made the announcement during the “Stars of Shark Week” virtual event Wednesday night with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and Discovery Channel.

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy over the last decade has tagged 230 sharks, and last year 117 sharks were detected in Cape waters. The 117 sharks detected last year were the most ever for a year, as researchers continue to tag more sharks each season.

“By applying these tags, we’re trying to get a really good understanding of the behavior of these sharks in shallow water,” Skomal said. “We’re really focusing on the predatory behavior.”

“What we’re hoping to do is get a better understanding of patterns, so that we can forecast the presence of these animals,” he added. “Not only because we’re super interested in white sharks around Cape Cod, but because we want to enhance public safety.”

There were numerous shark sightings on the Outer Cape and in Cape Cod Bay on Wednesday, including of the top detected great white along the Cape — James, a 14-foot male who was tagged in 2014.

James on Wednesday was spotted multiple times off Chatham’s Monomoy Island.

Also, a 14-foot great white shark was seen in Cape Cod Bay, as was a 12-footer off Plymouth in the bay.

https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/07/07/cape-cod-shark-researchers-tag-first-great-white-of-the-season/

Cape Cod sharks hunting seals close to shore: Researchers using aerial cameras to watch great whites’ hunting behavior

‘A very sophisticated game of cat and mouse’

By RICK SOBEY | rick.sobey@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: July 5, 2021 at 7:38 p.m. | UPDATED: July 5, 2021 at 7:41 p.m.

Cape Cod shark researchers say it’s rare for them to see sharks attacking seals and they’re hoping to get a better glimpse into great whites’ hunting behavior this summer.

The Cape shark scientists are launching aerial cameras to get a good look at the sharks hunting seals close to shore. The researchers will be setting up the fixed camera system off Orleans’ Nauset Beach to start.

“It allows us to get direct observations of what these sharks are doing when they’re in shallow water, and we can also see what their prey are doing,” said shark scientist Greg Skomal with Massachusetts Marine Fisheries.

The fixed camera system which is tethered to a structure placed in the water, can fly for the whole day, recording up to six hours of video in high definition.

Megan Winton, a research scientist at the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, compared the aerial camera to a “drone on a string.”

“We’ll be out on the beaches all day, watching and waiting for sharks to swim by,” she added. “This is going to allow us to get observations into their behavior that we just can’t get from the boat.”

People assume the shark scientists on the water are able to see a shark attacking a seal every day, but they don’t, Skomal said.

“It’s actually somewhat rare for us to see a predation event,” he added. “Our plane will see it two to three times a summer.”

When their plane witnesses an attack, the researchers — if they’re on the water — will go over to the scene and document what happened after the shark hit the seal. The scientists will record the environmental conditions — the water temperature, depth and location — to “try to get a sense of any patterns relative to when these animals are feeding,” Skomal said.

The researchers want to learn more about what leads up to that hunting event.

“We don’t know exactly what triggered that event,” Skomal said. “Is it just a seal swimming too far from the shoreline and the shark is going to get it? Or is there something more going on?”

“This is a very sophisticated game of cat and mouse that’s happening out here,” he added. “The shark doesn’t automatically win. The shark can fail quite a bit.”

In other parts of the world, research shows that sharks can fail up 70% of the time when they attempt to kill a seal, Skomal said, noting that seals are fast, agile and smart.

“There’s this game that’s going on that’s a bit of a chess game, and it’s quite interesting, and we’re trying to figure out how exactly it plays out,” he said.

This research is building off a recent study that revealed tagged Cape sharks spent almost half (47%) of their time at shallow depths of less than 15 feet.

https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/07/05/cape-cod-sharks-hunting-seals-close-to-shore-researchers-using-aerial-cameras-to-watch-great-whites-hunting-behaviors/

Date and Time Location Activity Wate...

2023/03/19, 12:30 pm Hawai'i, 'Anaeho'omalu, approx 250 yds from shore Swimming Turbid

2022/12/13, 8:00 am Hawai'i, 'Anaeho'omalu, approx 170 yds from shore Swimming Clear

2022/09/03, 4:00 pm Maui, Pāʻia Bay, approx 20 yds from shore Snorkeling Turbid

View 154 more rows

https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/sharks/shark-incidents/incidents-list/