The Bay State is expanding white shark fishing restrictions after several reports of fishermen targeting and catching white sharks — leading to dangerous situations for swimmers.
The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries has filed emergency regulations to extend shore-based great white shark fishing restrictions to Nantucket.
The state in recent years has become a seasonal destination for fishermen trying to target the apex predators. That can attract the sharks closer to beaches where people are swimming, while also increasing the risk of injury to the sharks themselves.
“Baiting and fishing for white sharks from shore poses unnecessary public safety risks and may be harmful or lethal to the shark,” the Division of Marine Fisheries wrote in its emergency advisory.
As a result, DMF last year adopted a rule to curtail shore-based anglers from targeting white sharks around Cape Cod Bay and the eastern shore of the Cape.
“Nantucket was not included in the initial rule because its beaches have a long history of shore-based fishing for a variety of other shark species and there was little evidence to suggest anglers were targeting white sharks from the town’s shoreline,” DMF wrote.
“However, throughout the spring and summer of 2026, there have been several documented incidents involving shore-based anglers targeting and catching white sharks on Nantucket and producing dangerous circumstances for swimmers and beachgoers,” DMF added. “This acute public safety risk prompted today’s emergency action.”
The emergency regulations ban shore fishermen from using metal or wire leaders measuring 18-inches or greater, in combination with hooks with a gap larger than 5/8-inch.
“Shore-based anglers are not prevented from using conforming tackle to fish for other popular recreational shark species (e.g., brown sharks, sand tiger sharks),” DMF wrote.
“However, they are reminded that existing regulations restrict chumming from sunrise to sunset and prohibit the use of mechanized, compressed propulsion, or remote-controlled devices to deploy baited hooks when shore-based fishing,” the state agency added.
The emergency Nantucket rule will remain in effect for 90 days, and DMF will consider permanently expanding the extent of the existing rule for next year.
“While other DMF regulations prohibit intentionally attracting and capturing white sharks from shore or for a vessel, discerning this from other lawful fishing activity can be challenging,” DMF wrote. “This created a need for additional enforcement tools, particularly along the shoreline where the public safety risk is greatest and anglers are only likely to fish with heavy gear to target white sharks.”
Last year, the state banned shore-based shark fishing in the following areas where white sharks are common: “The coastline beginning at the northernmost point of Plymouth Beach then south to the Cape Cod Canal in Sandwich, then eastward along the southern shore of Cape Cod Bay to Rock Harbor in Orleans, then northward along the eastern shore of Cape Cod Bay to Race Point in Provincetown, then south along the eastern Atlantic facing shore of Cape Cod, inclusive of all of Monomoy Island and Chatham Harbor.”
Swordfish spotted
Those on a local whale watch were treated to a “cool sighting” over the weekend.
“Whales aren’t the only marine life worth watching on a whale watch,” posted Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch, which is based in Provincetown. “On today’s 12:30 trip we had a rare sighting of a SWORDFISH — a top-level predator that’s far more often talked about here than actually seen!
“Swordfish prey on squid, mackerel, and herring, slashing that bill through a school to stun their meal before circling back for it,” the whale watch added. “They chase it deep, too — specialized tissue behind the eyes warms their brain and vision so they can hunt in cold water thousands of feet down.”
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