First white shark of season confirmed off New England after dead seal found on Massachusetts beach

Shark lands on New Zealand fishing vessel

FILE VIDEO - A group of people on a fishing charter off Whitianga, New Zealand, were startled and stunned when a large mako shark leaped out of the water and landed on the front of the boat.

BOSTON - Beachgoers, beware! The New England Aquarium in Boston said the first great white shark of the season was spotted lurking in the waters off Nantucket over the weekend.

According to the aquarium, a witness noticed a pool of blood off Smith’s Point in Madaket on the western end of the island on Sunday, May 11, and then saw a seal swimming toward the shore with a shark in pursuit.

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After examining photos of the seal, John Chisholm, an adjunct scientist in the aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, it was confirmed that the bite did indeed come from a white shark.

"This is the time of year when we like to remind people to be ‘shark smart’ as white sharks return to the inshore waters of New England, where they’ll hunt seals and other prey through the summer and into the fall," Chisholm said.

So, what does it mean to be shark smart?

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Florida man bitten by shark at Bathtub Beach in Stuart

FILE VIDEO - While riding waves at Bathtub Beach in Stuart with two friends last Friday, a likely bull shark bit both of Cole Taschman's feet on the outskirts of a wave, nearly resulting in the loss of both limbs.

Chisholm said people heading to the beach need to be aware of sharks' presence in shallow water and avoid areas where seals are present or schools of fish are visible.

It's also advised to stay close to shore, where emergency responders can get to you if you need help.

Beachgoers can report shark sightings and can be alerted to shark activity with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy's Sharktivity app.

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Keeping clear of sharks this summer

FILE VIDEO - Shark expert Forest Galante explains that no matter where you are in the ocean, there is probably a shark within a quarter-mile of you. He says that warmer sea temperatures are moving sharks into new areas we haven't seen them before.

The New England Aquarium has a team of nine scientists in the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life who study sharks, including porbeagle and nurse sharks, as well as thresher, blue, mako, sandbar, and sand tiger sharks.

Officials said that, depending on the time of year, over 15 shark species reside in the waters off New England.