There may be great white sharks in Maine waters, but that doesn’t mean the plot of "Jaws" is likely to unfold. That was one of the main takeaways from the Nov. 6 public forum on regional shark management hosted by the Department of Marine Resources (DMR)’s Matt Davis, marine scientist, and Corrin Flora, marine resources management coordinator. 

DMR’s research into great white sharks began in July 2020 after a woman was killed by the animal off the coast of Bailey Island in Harpswell. Public concern surged after the event. What was the likelihood of this happening again? The answer wasn’t clear, as there hasn't been much research into white shark activity in Maine waters, Davis explained.  

In August 2020, DMR deployed fish monitoring stations along sandy beaches most popular for recreation, ranging from Ogunquit to Reid State Park.  

“Unfortunately, we don't have the funding to cover the entire state as thoroughly as we would like,” said Davis. However, more grant funding was obtained in 2025 to extend coverage.  

These monitoring stations collect data on shark activity using acoustic telemetry. A tag (acoustic transmitter) with its own unique electronic signature is placed on a shark and emits an ultrasonic frequency for up to 10 years. Maine did not have any tagged sharks, so it got access to the IDs from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, which have been tagging since the 2010s. 

Underwater acoustic receivers placed in fixed locations read this signal when a white shark swims within a 1,500 to 3,000-foot radius. The receivers record the date, time, location and how long a shark stayed in the area.  

According to Davis, the cumulative data from 2020 to 2024 shows that 100 unique white sharks were detected out of a pool of 300 tagged sharks. Most were juvenile or subadults, ranging in length from 7 to 16 feet; Maine has smaller sharks than Massachusetts, as most measured 12 feet or less.  

Davis said August is the most active month, but the popularity of location shifts year-to-year, with Ragged Island, Bailey Island, Head Beach, Higgins Beach and Scarborough all reporting higher activity. Sharks usually spend 30 minutes at a single location, but Davis said this is imperfect data, as there is a chance a shark is moving outside the detection range and idling.  

“How safe are we in Maine? Very safe. It's a statistics game, right? More people each year die from vending machines falling on them than white sharks,” he said. However, it's still good practice to take precautions, such as not swimming alone at dawn or dusk, or wearing shiny jewelry in the water. 

In addition to white sharks, Davis mentioned the work DMR has done recording the movement patterns of highly migratory species (HSM) in the Gulf of Maine. The purpose was to collect baseline data on migration, so it would be available later if any changes occurred due to the introduction of an offshore wind area (OSW). Davis clarified that DMR was not considering commercial offshore wind leases, but the wind research area proposed by Gov. Janet Mills. Several studies have since been published.  

Flora also briefly discussed DMR’s role in shark management in local waters. Maine largely defers to federal HSM regulations, she explained; however, regional consistency can be complicated between states, as Maine is not part of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)’s Coastal Sharks Management board.  

“Shark management is really complex. It varies by species. It varies by distance from shore and by fishing mode,” she said.  

Attendees were encouraged to download and report any sightings to “Sharktivity,” an app that compiles local resources and encounters. For more information about HSM research, visit maine.gov/dmr/science/ecology-environment/hms-research