SHARK BREEDING GROUND
It appears the waters off the Island may be a breeding ground for great white sharks. Now, experts are planning to launch a expedition to try to pinpoint an exact location.
A marine research group is looking to launch a great white shark expedition off Long Island.
OCEARCH says it plans to find and tag juvenile great whites in the waters off the Island.
The organization says sharks are the key to our ocean's ecosystems, yet very little is known about their migratory patterns, and mating and birth sites.
OCEARCH has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise the money needed for the expedition. This expedition will be unique among all of Ocearch’s other endeavors though, as Fischer and his team have opted to crowdfund it. Utilizing Kickstarter, Ocearch has so far raised over $30,000 of the $150,000 needed for their vessel to set sail in New York waters for the first time. If the funds are successfully raised, Fischer and his cohorts hope to tag juvenile great whites, in an effort to better understand the exact area that serves as their nursery.
Researchers say the sharks are a sign of a healthy ecosystem, but swimmers should be cautious.
The sharks follow their food supply — which is great for Long Island's fishermen — but a tagged great white named Mary Lee was recorded swimming close to East Hampton last month.
We’ve tagged five great whites on the east coast of the U.S., and based on some of their migratory patterns, we suspect Long Island, New York may be a birthing site.”
What do you think?