Popular Mass. beach taking precautions after string of great white shark sightings

IPSWICH, Mass. — A popular Massachusetts beach has implemented new safety protocols in anticipation of great white shark sightings as the summer season heats up.

After a string of surprising shark sightings off Crane Beach in Ipswich last fall, The Trustees of Reservations announced Tuesday the implementation of several measures focused on visitor and staff safety.

“The safety of our visitors and staff is our top priority,” Trustees Property Director Chris Moore said in a statement. “We have worked diligently in preparation for the summer beach season with local public safety officials, marine biologists, and state wildlife officials to put in place staff training and several safety protocols in the event sharks return to Crane Beach this year.”

In September 2024, multiple juvenile great whites were sighted close to the beach after officials say an oceanic upwelling caused water temperatures to drop 10 degrees, forcing bait fish to move closer to shore.

The water was subsequently closed to swimmers for weeks as sharks were seen lurking near the beach.

Popular North Shore beach bans swimming through October due to sharks

As part of the enhanced beach protocols, the Ipswich Harbormaster will perform routine patrols of the Crane Beach swim zone during the summer season, according to The Trustees. Crane Beach’s lifeguard staff will also routinely surveil the marked swim zone from their elevated lifeguard chairs and with watercraft.

If a shark sighting is suspected, The Trustees said visitors will be asked to exit the water until officials can determine if a shark is present. If a sighting is confirmed, it will prompt a water closure to allow for a thorough patrol of the swimming area.

Crane Beach staff, along with Ipswich Police Department and marine biologists, will be installing at least one shark detection buoy in the area where sharks were confirmed to be present in 2024.

Also new in 2025, all operational updates, including parking, safety, and greenheads, will be posted to the Crane Beach voicemail in real time and not on X. Guests can call 978-356-4354 to listen to a recorded message.

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