Saturday, September 5, 2009

Tagging Great Whites - Research in Action

Chatham, Mass - The Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries tagged two great white sharks in the waters off Chatham on Saturday morning.

It marked the first time a great white shark had been successfully tagged in the Atlantic Ocean.The electronic tag uses satellite technology to record the travels of the sharks, allowing scientists to better understand their migratory patterns.

The sharks were spotted Saturday by scientists investigating sightings off Monomoy Island in Chatham. Officials say a harpooner tagged them with help from a state shark expert.

Environmental police will be patrolling the waters off Chatham over the holiday weekend following sightings during the week.

Also, officials closed Nauset Beach in Orleans to swimming after a shark sighting there.

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