New research reveals that over the past 13 years, more than 100 great white sharks have been … More detected off Maine’s coast, with the majority of sightings occurring in recent years and in relatively shallow waters.
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Over the past 13 years, great white sharks have increasingly made their presence known off Maine’s coast. More than 100 individual sharks have been detected, with the majority of sightings occurring in recent years and notably in shallow waters. This shift in behavior has prompted researchers to dive deeper into understanding what these sharks are doing in Maine’s waters, and their latest findings have just been published in Frontiers in Marine Science. The research is the result of collaboration between the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, and several other organizations.
“We are excited to have this study published and continue to expand our understanding of white sharks in the western North Atlantic and the coastal waters in Maine,” said Matt Davis, the lead author of the study and a scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources. “This work could not have been done without the collaboration of many researchers and organizations, and we thank everyone involved.”
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This study is particularly significant because it marks the first time that researchers have been able to track the movements of white sharks over time in the region. The effort started in 2020, following a tragic event when a swimmer was killed by a white shark off the coast of Harpswell, marking Maine’s first recorded fatal shark bite. In response to this incident, officials at the Maine DMR worked closely with other groups to expand the study of white sharks and their behavior in Maine’s coastal waters. The team used an array of receivers placed along Maine’s coastline, from York and Ogunquit to Kennebunk and Reid State Park. These receivers were designed to detect sharks that had been tagged off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Hilton Head, South Carolina.
“We are excited to have this study published and continue to expand our understanding of white … More sharks in the western North Atlantic and the coastal waters in Maine,” said Matt Davis, the lead author of the study and a scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources. “This work could not have been done without the collaboration of many researchers and organizations, and we thank everyone involved.”
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With the data collected over the years, researchers were able to develop a clearer picture of the sharks’ movements and behavior patterns in the area. The findings show that these sharks are spending time in waters less than 50 meters (164 feet) deep off Maine, with peak sightings occurring between July and September; this aligns with previous observations of white sharks using similar habitats in other regions. But what stands out in this recent study is how often these sharks are detected during daylight hours. Half of the shark detections occurred during the day, a time when beaches are typically busy with human activity. This was particularly true along areas like Ogunquit, Kennebunk, and Head Beach in Phippsburg, which had some of the highest numbers of shark detections.
Despite the uptick in shark sightings, the team also found that the frequency of white shark detections along Maine’s beaches was still relatively low compared to other regions where these sharks are known to frequent. For example, areas off Cape Cod, which has long been known as a hotspot for white sharks, saw far more frequent detections. The team emphasized that while the presence of sharks in Maine waters is notable, there is no reason to believe that humans are at significant risk. While sharks are often feared, they are a vital part of the marine ecosystem, playing an important role in regulating the populations of other marine species. Their presence in Maine’s waters suggests a healthy marine environment, which could be beneficial for the overall ecosystem.
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The scientists hope the findings of this study will help inform future management strategies in Maine. By understanding where and when white sharks are most likely to be detected, researchers and policymakers can better communicate with the public about how to safely enjoy Maine’s beaches without unnecessary fear. As Maine continues to see more shark detections in its waters, studies like this will be crucial in ensuring that shark conservation efforts continue while also keeping human safety a priority.
In this June 29, 2014, file photo, former Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank, right, waves while riding with his husband James Ready, left, during the 44th annual San Francisco Gay Pride parade in San Francisco. (Eric Risberg/Associated Press)
Barney Frank, a champion of liberal causes who spent more than 30 years representing Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives, has entered hospice care at his home in Ogunquit as he deals with congestive heart failure, according to Politico.
Frank, 86, represented Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District from 1981 to 2013, and was the first member of Congress to voluntarily come out as gay, in 1987.
An advocate for civil rights and affordable housing, Frank is also known for sponsoring sweeping financial regulation reforms in the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010.
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He moved to Ogunquit with his husband, Jim Ready, after retiring from Congress.
According to Politico, Frank is supporting Gov. Janet Mills over political newcomer Graham Platner in Maine’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
“I worry a little bit about the tendency on the Democratic side to fall for the flavor of the month,” he told the outlet. “There is this flirtation or this attraction of people who are new and who are very good at articulating a response to the anger, but without talking about what you do about it.”
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Rachel covers state government and politics for the Portland Press Herald. It’s her third beat at the paper after stints covering City Hall and education. Prior to her arrival at the Press Herald in…
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Housing This section of the BDN aims to help readers understand Maine’s housing crisis, the volatile real estate market and the public policy behind them. Read more Housing coverage here.
Halting property taxes, deterring migrants and dedicating $100 million to fund construction are among the ideas Maine’s gubernatorial candidates have to improve the state’s housing market.
Most of the 16 people vying to be Maine’s next governor agree the state’s housing market is suffering due to high prices, limited availability and slow construction. But their plans for how they’d immediately improve that if elected vary drastically.
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Many candidates’ ideas centered around the same general themes: build more units and hasten construction. Doing this, they believe, will lower prices and make it easier for Mainers to buy a home.
The state’s tight housing market has been a burden on many Mainers — and a focal point for voters — since the pandemic, during which home prices skyrocketed due to a rush of demand while inventory plummeted. Since then, more homes have become available but prices remain high, which keeps homeownership out of reach for many, especially first-time buyers.
Roughly a dozen candidates agreed local and state permitting processes and regulations should be reformed to speed up the building process and allow more projects to be approved. A statewide study completed in 2023 found the state has a dramatic housing shortage due to years of underproduction, which will take at least 76,400 new units by 2030 to solve.
Three Republican candidates — Ben Midgley, Owen McCarthy and Bobby Charles — proposed addressing “red tape” that’s holding back development as part of their plan. Two others, Republican Jonathan Bush and independent Richard Bennett, want to perform statewide audits to identify where and why housing development projects are stalling.
Democrat Hannah Pingree proposed directing $100 million in state funding annually to fuel construction and preserve existing affordable units.
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Both Angus King III, a Democrat, and John Glowa, an independent, outlined plans to build 10,000 new units, which King wants to complete by the end of his first term. However, King believes the 10,000 new units should span income levels while Glowa wants all the units to be low income rental housing.
Two other candidates, democrat Troy Jackon and republican Robert Wessels, described groups they plan to form with the explicit goal of improving housing in Maine. Jackson’s Department of Housing Affordability would be tasked with “tackling the housing crisis with the speed, scale, and focus working families deserve.”
Wessels’ team, meanwhile, would “dig into our housing regulations and figure out what ones we need to keep.” Regulations the group deems unnecessary would be repealed or altered to “allow our homebuilders to do their job.”
A few candidates offered entirely unique ideas, such as Democrat Shenna Bellows, who proposed freezing property taxes for Mainers while doubling those for out-of-state owners.
Republican David Jones, meanwhile, said he wants to make housing and other welfare programs accessible to U.S. citizens only, thus deterring “migration from foreign nations to Maine.”
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Find the answer each gubernatorial candidate provided below when asked the first thing they would do to improve the state’s housing market if sworn in. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.
Republican primary candidate for Maine Governor Jonathan Bush during a news conference in Welcome Center of Maine State House in Augusta on March 17.
(Joe Phelan/Staff Photographer)
Candidates vying to become Maine’s next governor have until midnight Tuesday to file campaign finance reports for the first quarter of the year.
The reports will show who is best positioned to control the message in the final month-plus until the primaries. But fundraising success doesn’t always guarantee a win at the ballot box.
The reports come as a growing number of leading candidates are taking to the airwaves a head of the June 9 primaries. Five Democrats and seven Republicans are vying to replace Gov. Janet Mills, who is term limited.
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As of Tuesday, Republican Jonathan Bush topped all candidates in broadcast, cable and digital advertising, having booked nearly $1.5 million in ads through the primary, the political spending tracker AdImpact said.
But Republican Garrett Mason is benefitting from about $3 million in spending by Restoration of America PAC, which is running ads targeting Gov. Janet Mills and tying Mason to President Donald Trump.
Other Republican candidates running ads are Bobby Charles ($63,000), Owen McCarthy ($43,660) and Ben Midgely ($55,000.)
Hannah Pingree tops the Democratic slate with about $564,000 in ad spending, followed by Nirav Shah ($493,000), Shenna Bellows ($462,700) and Angus King III ($299,000.)
As of Tuesday afternoon, fundraising totals were only trickling in. Public access to those reports was hampered because the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics & Election Practices is building a new website, and glitches made some reports unviewable.
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This story will be updated when more reports are filed. As of Tuesday afternoon:
Republican Jonathan Bush reported raising about $845,000 in the first quarter, but 60% of that, $500,000, was a personal loan to his own campaign. His totals were not yet available through the new website, but his quarterly fundraising and spending was provided by ethics staff.
Republican Robert Wessels was the only other active candidate that had filed. He raised nearly $11,600 for the quarter and has about $13,540 in cash.
