Great white shark spotted near islands in Boston Harbor

A great white shark has been spotted in Boston waters.

According to the Chatham-based Atlantic White Shark Conservancy ’s Sharktivity app, a Great White shark was spotted on August 2nd on an island near the Boston Harbor around 3:48 a.m.

The map’s menu tools allow users to filter shark sightings as recent as 48 hours, over the last 30 days, or between a custom date range.

The icons on the map indicate the following:

• Red alert icon : A white shark sighting is confirmed close to a public beach
• Blue shark fin icon : A confirmed white shark sighting
• Orange shark fin icon : An unconfirmed white shark sighting
• Yellow icon : A receiver that detects white sharks tagged with acoustic tags and transmits the data in real-time
• Purple icon : A real-time detection of a shark tagged with an acoustic tag that is less than an hour old
• Orange icon : Detections of sharks tagged with acoustic transmitters
• Green icon : The shark’s dorsal fin breaks the surface and the tag transmits to overhead satellites

The Sharktivity app , which is available to download on iPhone and Android, tracks sightings fed by researchers, safety officials, and users who upload photos for confirmation.

While the last shark attack in Massachusetts was in 2020, the growing numbers of seals and sharks should make beachgoers more alert, John Chisholm, adjunct scientist at New England Aquarium said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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