Off Nova Scotia, a bid to ‘unravel the mystery’ of great white sharks
LUNENBURG, N.S. — Not far off Nova Scotia’s rough-hewn shoreline, scientists on board an aging crab boat lay in wait for one of the marine world’s greatest — and most mysterious — predators.
The researchers are busy “working the water” — dunking bits of fish in hopes of drawing a great white shark close enough to catch it and very carefully direct it onto their large boat.
Once they get a shark on board, the Ocearch team plans to afix it with several satellite tags that can collect data identifying everything from water temperature and salinity levels to its movements and feeding behaviours.
They’re hoping the information can help them answer a central question — whether Nova Scotia may be a second mating site for Atlantic white sharks, something scientists say could be key to protecting the endangered species.