3 more Cape Cod shark sightings

Three more Great White Sharks have been spotted and tagged off Cape Cod, prompting officials to close beaches in Chatham until further notice.

That brings the total number of sharks tagged off the coast of Monomy Island since Saturday to five.

The largest is nearly 15 feet long, but that didn't stop beachgoers, who wanted to take snapshots of the seals.

An experts say those seals may have drawn the Great Whites to the area.

The electronic tags use satellite-based technology to track the sharks' movements, allowing scientists to better understand their migratory patterns.

Many species of fish, including sharks, migrate to New England's coastal and open ocean waters in the summer months. At least a dozen shark species migrate in and out of New England waters annually. In fact, Massachusetts represents the northernmost range for several species of sharks and is an important area for monitoring the health and distribution of shark populations. Although relatively rare in New England, great white sharks, are known to visit local waters, where they are sometimes seen feeding near seal colonies.

The National Marine Fisheries Service Fishery Management Plan for sharks of the Atlantic Ocean recommends that states, "actively participate in acquiring pertinent information and data" on sharks.

The Massachusetts Shark Research Program (MSRP) was established in 1990 to study the ecology, distribution, and relative abundance of sharks that are subject to recreational fisheries in the Commonwealth. A thorough understanding of these parameters is crucial to the management process and wise utilization of these resources. In addition to fieldwork, the project also provides public education and technical information on the biology, management, and use of sharks. DMF biologists conduct cooperative research with other world-renowned shark researchers to provide local expertise and biological samples for these highly migratory predators.

Last week's great white shark tagging follows May's publication in the peer-reviewed journal Current Biology of Skomal's research on the migratory patterns of basking sharks. Using similar tagging technology, Skomal and his team documented remarkable migratory habits of these large sharks, identifying previously unknown winter habitat - a discovery that has implications for the species' conservation. (Click here for press release on DMF's basking shark research.)

For more information about the DMF's shark research program, visit http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/programsandprojects/shrkresc.htm#shark