Cape Cod attracts tourists and scientists as great white shark hotspots

Half a century after the jaws were photographed in New England, the great white shark became a tourist attraction that generates income from its horrifying enemies. The waters around Cape Cod, Massachusetts boast one of the world's largest white sharks thanks to efforts to conserve these iconic sea animals.

Hundreds of white sharks gather in the North Atlantic, feeding them from May to October each year, making the coastal community of Cape Cod a popular location, bringing these apex predators up close.

“The number one reason people visit Cape Cod is because of outdoor recreation. Part of my recent experience is the perception that sharks are here,” says Paul Niezwiekki, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.

Ocean-related tourism is the bedrock of the region. In 2023, visitors to Cape Cod spent $2.7 billion to help more than 14,000 jobs.

Sharks make up a large part of the Cape's “blue economy,” says Nyezwiekki. “Retail facilities throughout the Cape sell great white shark tools. We're on tours going out to see the science industry that grew around sharks and the sharks.”

Save the sharks and don't kill them

The Cape Cod shark viewing tourism boom is evidence that the public is beginning to see sharks as something to save, not killing them.

Some people criticize sharks for giving bad rap to sharks by mistakenly portraying them as villains, but others believe the film will attract much needed attention to sharks.

“The film was the red carpet that paved the way for their conservation,” says John Mandelman, vice president and chief scientist at the Anderson Cabot Ocean Life Center at the New England Aquarium. “Many people have been fascinated and fascinated by sharks through their chins.”

Mandelman points to a recent case of white sharks being left behind on the beaches of Cape Cod as a suitable example of a change in shark perception. “We had a line of people who helped pour water over their gills and return them to the ocean, just like what happens with dolphins,” he says.

The burgeoning excitement about sharks is particularly prominent in children's excitement about animals. When the family visits the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy in Chatham, Massachusetts, “young children wear shark backpacks and their favorite shark shirts,” says Chief Operating Officer Marianna Walsh. “They don't have the same fear as adults who learned about sharks in movies like Jaws.”

Instead, children spit out shark facts, including the important role of predators in balancing the marine ecosystem.

Sharks have far more fear from humans than vice versa. We are clearly not on their menu, but the sharks are eaten by many people around the world.

These millions of predators are killed each year with meat and fin, and are killed as bi-catches by fishermen who target other species such as tuna and cod. According to a report released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in November 2024, a third of the world's 1,200 sharks and ray species are extinct.

In contrast, international shark attack files showed that only four people were killed in unprovoked shark attacks around the world last year. None of these deaths occurred in the US

New England model successfully protected sharks

The great white people of New England's dense numbers are success stories about saving sharks. Scientists estimate that about 800 white sharks visited the waters around Cape Cod between 2015 and 2018, according to a study published in the Marine Ecology Progress Series in 2023. This is almost three times the number of white sharks estimated to swim from California's central coast.

This rise in sightings of a large white shark from Cape Cod is due to several reasons. First, the US government and Massachusetts prohibit the capture or killing of white sharks. Stopping shark hunting can help restore the population.

Second, thanks to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, passed in 1972, the gray seal, the main food source for white sharks, has been rebounded. The New England seal population was wiped out by the 1960s by commercial fishing, but now there are figures of thousands.

Third, more people are riding in the water with cameras. Both scientists and citizens are actively looking for sharks. So they find more and learn more about their actions.

“Seeing so many white sharks in shallow waters each year is a great indication that fisheries management works,” Mandelman said. “This is a really healthy sign for the ecosystem.”

Shark smart swimming tips

More white sharks are eating Cape Cods, but only one attack has been reported in the last 87 years. This could be partly due to an increase in education around sharks.

“Whenever I go to the beach or go to the ocean, I enter a wild environment,” Walsh points out. “Just as you enter the mountains for a hike, visitors need to educate themselves and be aware of the wildlife that exists.”

Shark smart practices include staying in groups swimming, surfing, paddling, and avoiding dark waters and places with stickers and large fish schools. When visiting the beaches outside the Cape, Walsh recommends staying in the deep-bolt waters near the coast.

Another way to keep you aware is the Sharktivity app downloaded 500,000 times. Citizens can upload photos of sightings of white sharks, which will be confirmed by scientists.

The app also shows the locations of over 300 white sharks tagged by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.

Four white sharks have been spotted around Cape Cod since May 11, 2025, according to the app.

The best way to see white sharks

Several eco-tour companies in Cape Cod offer boat trip excursions to see white sharks. Each of these trips costs around $2,000. Charter companies often use spotter planes to point their boats at sharks. In contrast to diving and feeding by these predators, it is a more responsible, wildlife-friendly way for tourists to interact with sharks. Both of these activities are illegal in Massachusetts.

In addition to the number of white sharks that hunt here every summer, Cape Cod is also a great place to see these animals. Coastal terrain makes it easy to find in shallow waters. Additionally, you can get a glimpse into one of the other 15 species of sharks that frequently visit New England waters.

“Our sandbars and really shallow shallow waters give us reliable access to animals, and we can actually find them,” says Walsh.

Tourists may find their favorite white shark multiple times. Just like humpback whale flukes, each white shark is recognized by its unique pigment pattern and dorsal fin shape.

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy online logbook features 700 white shark photos, which will help you identify sharks that visitors and beach fans may find. Each is named from Agnes to Zuzu.

As white sharks continue to generate revenue for their communities and continue to salute among tourists, Mandelman hopes that examples of successful human embarrassment coexistence in Cape Cod will begin protecting more sharks around the world.

“New England white sharks could be the gateway to protecting other species that need our help,” he says.