Largest Great White Shark Ever Tagged Spotted Near Nantucket

A massive great white shark—the largest ever tagged in the western North Atlantic—has been detected swimming just 50 miles off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, a major summer hotspot for tourists and beach goers.

The 13-foot, 9-inch-long shark, named Contender, weighs an astonishing 1,653 pounds and is being monitored by the shark-tracking research group OCEARCH. The organization detected Contender last Friday in waters between the Shoals and Georges Bank, an area known for both rich marine life and summer recreation.

Researchers first tagged the adult male in January off the coast of Georgia, beginning what has become a remarkable journey up the U.S. East Coast. Since then, Contender has traveled from Florida to North Carolina’s Outer Banks before heading toward the northeastern U.S., where his proximity to popular destinations has raised both interest and concern.

“This is the largest white shark we’ve ever tagged in this region,” Brant Point Lighthouse, Nantucket, Massachusetts (Adobe)noted. “He’s a true heavyweight, and tracking his movements will give us incredible insights into migration behavior, breeding areas, and more.”