HARPSWELL, Maine — Experts say another great white shark has been tracked off the coast of Maine this season.
According to the Sulikowski Shark and Fish Conservation Lab at Arizona State University, a 12-foot adult male white shark they call "Bobby E" was tracked in Casco Bay off of Harpswell and Bailey Island this week.
It is at least the third white shark tracked in Casco Bay during the last month.
"Bobby E" was first tagged off of North Carolina back in March. Dr. James Sulikowski told NEWS CENTER Maine his lab has been tracking it for weeks as it made its way up the East Coast.
In collaboration with the Maine Department of Marine Resources and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, they are working to track sharks in the Gulf of Maine by using a variety of technology, including sonar and GPS devices.
"[This shark] just adds to the bigger picture of what we're trying to really figure out," Sulikowski said. "White sharks have always been here. It's just now we're seeing them more because we've got more protection, we have more eyes in the water, so it's actually a good thing."
While Sulikowski acknowledged many people fear sharks, he said they are an important part of our marine ecosystem and provide balance.
Maine had its first and only recorded deadly shark attack in 2019 not far from where "Bobby E" is being tracked.
Shark attacks are incredibly rare, but Sulikowski said it is important for everyday people and beachgoers to pay attention to flags and signs, avoid areas with high sea populations, and heed lifeguards warnings.