Human Dimensions of Rebounding Populations of Seals and White Sharks on Cape Cod

March 2022

For More information about the contributors to this Sea Grant Supported project, presentations and publications, visit the Sea Grant Website and watch the media press release for this study with an introduction by Dr. Andrea Bogomolni, Chair NASRC.

Notable Research Highlights:

●  94% of tourists, 86% of voters, and 66% of fishers are willing to accept some inconvenience and risk in order to have oceans where marine wildlife can thrive.

●  68% of voters, 65% of tourists, and 60% of commercial fishers indicate that they have control over whether or not they encounter sharks.

●  The ecosystem is a top management priority for 95% of tourists, 87% of voters, and 75% of commercial fishers.

●  89% of tourists, 81% of voters, 77% of commercial fishers believe sharks are important to the ecosystem.

●  87% of tourists, 74% of voters, and 38% of commercial fishers see seals as important to the ecosystem.

●  34% of voters, 33% of commercial fishers, and 42% of tourists know that fishing activities depleted shark populations.

●  79% of commercial fishers, 65% of voters and 61% of tourists observed people coming too close to seals, and 50% of commercial fishers, 29% of voters, and 11% of tourists observed people feeding seals.

Led by Dr. Jennifer Jackman at Salem State University, this collaborative project generated knowledge about the views and experiences of residents, tourists, and commercial fishers regarding seals and sharks on Cape Cod.

Investigators used surveys to measure stakeholder beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of seal/shark interactions, management, and conflict mitigation strategies. The knowledge gained from this survey has enabled managers, policy makers, and non-governmental organizations to advance marine conservation, promote responsible stewardship, and foster co-existence of humans, seals, and sharks on Cape Cod.

Discussions held at NASRC meetings and the collaborations formed through these efforts, were instrumental in the resulting project and continued outreach and education efforts from this work.