Police say one or more great white sharks have been spotted off several beaches in southern Maine in recent days.
The most recent sighting was in the area of the south tip of Richmond Island, Crescent Beach State Park and the Pine Point Beach area.
Scarborough police said a commercial fisherman reported seeing what looked like a shark off of Richmond Island last Thursday. That same day, a great white shark sighting in Biddeford led to the evacuation of Middle Beach.
They said Cape Elizabeth police said there was a similar sighting on Friday from two people on paddleboards in the Crescene Beach State Park Area. An additional sighting on the same day was reported at Pine Point Beach.
On Sunday, the Scarborough Harbormaster and Marine Resource Officer Daryen Granata acquired video from a private drone user showing a possible great white shark, about 10-12 feet long, off the area of Richmond Island in the vicinity of Ram Island near the Scarborough/Cape Elizabeth town line. The shark has since been confirmed by the state Department of Marine Resources to be a great white shark, about eight feet in length.
Shark sightings map
Granata told News Center Maine he cannot confirm that the shark identified in Scarborough is the same great white shark spotted in Biddeford. But he said "the size reports were very similar."
The public is being advised to exercise caution and stay vigilant. Anyone with questions is asked to contact Granata at 207-730-4356 or dgranata@scarboroughmaine.org.
