How a booming coastal escape learned to coexist with the ocean’s top predator

Cape Cod’s tourism has seen significant growth, partly fueled by the increasing presence of great white sharks, which has led to the development of a new ecotourism industry. Despite safety concerns and past incidents, visitors are flocking to the area for shark-spotting excursions and citizen science opportunities. The rise in shark sightings is linked to the recovery of the gray seal population, their primary food source.

• Cape Cod’s tourism economy has grown significantly, with the presence of great white sharks contributing to this increase.
• A new ecotourism industry has emerged, offering shark-spotting charter trips that include citizen science components.
• The increase in great white sharks is attributed to the recovery of the local gray seal population following the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.
• Safety measures such as shark warning signs, ‘Stop the Bleed’ kits, and a shark-sighting app (Sharktivity) are in place.
• While the sharks’ presence has boosted tourism and created new revenue streams, there have been documented shark bites, including one fatality in 2018.
• Demand for swimming pools has reportedly spiked, with some pool builders advertising ‘shark free swimming’.