Meet Sharktivity - Atlantic White Shark Sighting and Resource App
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy Sharktivity App was developed with input from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, the Cape Cod National Seashore, and officials from Cape Cod and South Shore towns to raise awareness of the presence of white sharks off our coast.
The App sightings are fed by researchers, safety officials, and users that upload photos for confirmation. By enabling App users to report shark sightings and upload photos for confirmation, we are effectively crowd-sourcing critical data points on where sharks are spotted so as to reduce encounters and promote safety. Data from sharks with acoustic tags and Smart Position and Temperature Tags (SPOT) are also available on the App.
Public sightings submitted through Sharktivity will be verified by the New England Aquarium. Learn more about our partnership here >>
Our goal is to raise awareness and help facilitate the peaceful coexistence between humans and white sharks.
Please review the icon descriptions below and note that there is only one alert icon, denoted in RED.
App icons
The red icon indicates an alert. Alerts are issued when a white shark sighting is confirmed close to a public beach. A notification goes out with each alert.
The blue shark fin icon indicates a confirmed white shark sighting. These icons may appear on the app in real-time or there may be a delay based on vetting info.
The orange shark fin icon indicates an unconfirmed white shark sighting. This icon is used when a public report has been vetted but evidence is inconclusive.
The yellow icon indicates a receiver that detects white sharks tagged with acoustic tags and transmits the data in real-time. A daily summary of tagged sharks detected can be accessed by clicking on the icon.
The purple icon indicates a real-time detection of a shark tagged with acoustic tag that is less than an hour old. A daily summary of tagged sharks detected can be accessed by clicking on the icon.
The orange icon indicates detections of sharks tagged with acoustic transmitters. This information is not real-time. The data are uploaded to the app at the end of the season, providing a recap of activity at the location of specific receivers, which detect, record, and archive tag transmissions.
The green icon indicates SPOT tagged shark locations. This information is reported in real-time when the shark’s dorsal fin breaks the surface, and the tag transmits to overhead satellites. Note that the precision of the position estimates varies depending on the time at the surface and number of detecting satellites. Error around the estimates can range on the order of 50 ft to 50 miles.
Stay informed!
Use the App to view white shark sightings and detections.
Receive push notifications for alerts (red icon)- confirmed sightings close to a public beach.
Click ‘menu’ to report your own shark sightings.
A special thanks to our App Sponsors:
REPORT A STRANDING
If you find a live or dead stranded marine mammal (e.g. seal, dolphin, whale) on Cape Cod or southeastern MA, please call IFAW’s marine mammal rescue hotline:
