Great White Shark Spotted In Long Island Sound Hits Hamptons

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — A nearly 10-foot, 500-pound great white shark spotted in the Long Island Sound Monday has headed to the Hamptons.

According to Chris Fischer, founder of OCEARCH, @GWSharkCabot was spotted Tuesday off the coast southwest of Montauk.

The fact that a great white was found in the Long Island Sound for the first time "is a great sign," Fischer said. "It means there's a lot of life, and that the water quality is good."

Sharks, Fischer has long maintained, are "great balance keepers." The fact that they have been proliferating in recent years, with a great white shark nursery found off the coast of Montauk, indicates that water quality is improving.

"Sharks don't go where the conditions aren't good," Fischer said. "It's a great sign for the region and it's a valuable tribute to the people who have been working so hard for the last decade to clean up the Long Island Sound."

Fischer, who has spent time in recent years off Montauk, will be taking his team to Nantucket this year in August and in September, will head to Nova Scotia.

With shark season unfolding and sharks moving from North Carolina and Florida during the next days and weeks, East End residents will be getting "fly bys" as sharks pass through area waters, Fischer said.

(Courtesy OCEARCH)

Cabot, a Canadian white shark, holds a special place in OCEARCH hearts, Fischer said, as he was one of the first sharks tagged by the organization off of Novia Scotia. Researchers are diligently working to determine if Cabot will head north to Nova Scotia or stop by Massachusetts — the goal is to see if there are two separate populations of sharks or one large one, using both coasts, Fischer said. "We're hoping to gather data and solve the final piece of that puzzle soon," he said.

(Courtesy OCEARCH)

The shark was named after the explorer John Cabot, OCEARCH said.

Tracking is done through GPS "ping" signals and was located near Greenwich, Connecticut, before heading to the South Fork, Fischer said.