A notable resurgence of great white sharks in the waters off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has led to the area being dubbed 'Great White Alley.' This 560-mile stretch of ocean has become a seasonal gathering point for the apex predators in the Atlantic.
Researchers with OCEARCH, a non-profit organization dedicated to shark research and ocean conservation, have been tracking numerous great white sharks in the region. Since the beginning of June, the organization has monitored at least nine great whites in the area known as 'Shark Alley.' Over the past two decades, OCEARCH has tagged and tracked nearly 500 sharks.
Scientists have observed that hundreds, and potentially thousands, of great white sharks have returned to the waters near Cape Cod since 2015. This marks a significant shift from prior decades when the area was largely devoid of these sharks due to extensive overfishing and targeted hunting in the mid-20th century. In recent summers, researchers have documented over 100 new great white sharks entering Shark Alley annually, with indications that several hundred likely return each year to hunt before migrating south for the winter.
The resurgence in great white shark populations off Cape Cod began in the early 2000s. This followed the implementation of U.S. environmental protection laws in the 1990s, which facilitated the recovery of gray seal populations. The rebounding seal numbers provided a revitalized food source for the sharks.
In addition to great whites, other shark species have also migrated to these Northeast hunting grounds. This includes the dusky shark, a large predator that can reach 13 feet in length and preys on fish, rays, and smaller sharks.
While the presence of these large predators has become more apparent since early July, researchers from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife suggest that sightings may increase further in September and October as great white sharks follow seals migrating near the U.S.-Canada border.
Despite the increasing number of sightings off Cape Cod, which has seen a population boom in recent years, the waters near the area have reported no shark attack incidents in the last five years. The only fatality attributed to a shark in the Northeast during this period occurred off the coast of Maine in 2020.
While Florida remains the state with the highest number of shark bite incidents, reporting 101 attacks between 2020 and 2025, none of these were fatal. Hawaii ranked second with 32 incidents and four deaths, followed by California with 21 attacks and four deaths in the same timeframe. In contrast, the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File recorded only 13 shark attacks in waters near New York since 2020.
Recent shark sightings have also been reported along the New York coast. A nine-foot shark was spotted off Point Lookout in Hempstead, Nassau County, on July 2. The New York City Parks Department also reported multiple bull shark sightings near Rockaway Beach, leading to potential intermittent beach closures.
Experts note that while hammerhead sightings are typically uncommon in Long Island, they have become more frequent during summer months, potentially due to rising ocean temperatures.
Despite growing concerns along the East Coast about sharks approaching more populated shores, researchers emphasize that the increase in sightings reflects a restoration of a previously compromised marine ecosystem. Chris Fischer, founder of OCEARCH, noted that the current observations are akin to what past generations might have witnessed, indicating a recovery of the system.