Associate Professor at UNH Nathan Furey, Rye Fire Lt. Anania, Chief Cotreau, and Candi Kane attach the data receiver to the buoy at Foss Beach during the annual receiver deployment to track shark patterns in the area. (Photo Courtesy Rye Fire) The receivers wait to be deployed ahead of the summer to collect shark pattern data. (Photo Courtesy Rye Fire) The buoy in the water at Sawyers Beach in Rye after a shark data receiver was attached and deployed on Wednesday, June 4. (Photo Courtesy Rye Fire) Chief Cotreau checks in with Captain Jack during the voyage to four Rye beaches as part of the shark data collection project conducted every year. (Photo Courtesy Rye Fire) The data receiver gets checked before being deployed at Rye Beaches. (Photo Courtesy Rye Fire) University of New Hampshire Associate Professor Nathan Furey sets up data collected from a previous year to show how the receiver picks up auditory ‘ping’ patterns from tagged sharks. (Photo Courtesy Rye Fire)
RYE — On a clear day with the sun shining down, a crew of public safety officials and collaborators from the University of New Hampshire boarded the “Shining Star” and set off on a scientific expedition to help track sharks.
The participants — Fire Chief Mark Cotreau, Fire Lt. Peter Anania, Seacoast Maritime Charters Captain Jack Farrell and Candi Kane, and University of New Hampshire Associate Professor Nathan Furey, dropped buoys off the coast of four beaches — Wallis Sands (Pirates Cove), Foss Beach, Cable Beach, and Sawyer Beach.
Shark receivers are manually attached to buoys each June and are put into the water at the beginning of the summer season to collect data on any tagged Great White shark that swims within approximately 1,500 feet. By tracking this activity, the Rye Fire Department and local partners are able to see the pattern sharks follow and better understand their movement, which is crucial to public safety, conservation, and understanding of the ocean’s ecosystem. The patterns could indicate their behavior and habits. The receivers deployed do not provide real-time data or patterns.
During the voyage, Furey, who runs the Fish and Movement Ecology Lab at the University, described how the receivers pick up on the signals from the tagged sharks. The Great Whites that have been tagged have a corresponding tag number.
When the shark swims past the buoys, the receiver picks up on the tag’s acoustic signal, a pattern resembling a “ping” sound. Each tag has a unique set of “pings” allowing researchers to determine which shark swam through the area, at what time, and how long they were there.
When Captain Jack drove up to the buoy, the crew on board, which included public safety officials and Furey, hoisted the buoy onto the boat. To view a video of the crew pulling up the buoy to prepare and attach a receiver, click here.
They secured the receiver to the end of the buoy with zip ties and tossed it back into the water. Furey then corresponded with Captain Jack to log the depth of the receiver and its exact GPS location. To view a video of the receiver and buoy being sent back into the water, click here.
Once back on land, Furey showed the group what a typical “ping” pattern sounded like using a receiver and a tag.
There are more than 500 species of sharks, however, among the most common ones that travel throughout New England are Great Whites. In 2020, a fatal shark attack off the coast of Maine inspired Chief Cotreau to think about the safety of Rye’s beachgoers.
Rye Fire partnered with UNH in 2022 to track shark patterns. In past years, the collected data has shown several sharks swimming in the area, though data determined the sharks are just traveling through the area.
Typically, researchers can see an uptick in shark activity from July through October, as patterns have shown sharks coming from Cape Cod, swimming through New Hampshire, and heading to Maine. It also shows their travel back down to the Cape. Monitoring patterns will not only assist in learning more about Great White Sharks, but also help maintain the safety of boaters and swimmers every season.
“I would like to extend a special thank you to Jack and Candi for continuously donating their time and resources, including the boat, to us each season. Without their help, we wouldn’t be able to go out on the water and continue this important project,” said Chief Cotreau. “I would also like to thank Nathan from UNH for partnering with us throughout this informative and important journey. His expertise is crucial to this process.”
The receivers were originally placed in the water with assistance from the Seacoast Science Center, New Hampshire Port Authority Harbormaster Leo Axtin, and Jack Farrell from Seacoast Maritime Charters.
“It truly just fires me up that we are part of this big system that’s looking for public safety and science all up and down the shore, and we are able to contribute to that while protecting our residents; that’s a big deal,” said Chief Cotreau.
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