An uptick in great white shark sightings off Cape Cod has actually fueled tourism in the area, boosting sales for shark paraphernalia as well as local boat tours.
While harbormasters have issued safety warnings, the sharks are usually not seen as a threat to beachgoers, the Associated Press reported. Sightings of the animals have jumped from fewer than two annually before 2004 to more than 20 in each of the last few years.
Rather than avoiding Cape Cod, people have been drawn to the area specifically because of the sharks.
"White sharks are this iconic species in society and it draws amazing amounts of attention," said Gregory Skomal, a senior marine fisheries biologist who heads the Massachusetts Shark Research Program, as quoted by the AP. "I have not been approached by anyone who has said to me 'let's go kill these sharks.'"
More great whites have been coming to the portion cape by the Massachusetts town of Chatham thanks to the area's robust gray seal population, which has grown after conservation efforts. Sharks have been swimming closer to shore to feed on the seals, prompting officials to warn tourists.
"You have to make sure people understand," said Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Wendy Northcross, as quoted by the AP, "if they go to the beach and they see a family of seals there, that's probably not the best place to hang out."
Tourists should be able to observe the seals safely by going on boat tours. They can also appreciate sharks with various trinkets sold in local shops that range from hoodies to candy to stuffed animals.
"I mean, truthfully, we've probably grown about 500 percent in terms of the sale of our shark apparel," Justin Labdon, owner of the Cape Cod Beach Chair Company, said of the recent spike in sales.
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