CHATHAM, Mass. — August 1, 2012 — A flourishing seal population is the reason experts say they’ve seen an increasing number of Great White sharks in the area.
And now, two days after a Great White shark attacked a beachgoer in Truro, local fishermen are pointing out that it’s not the sharks; it’s the seals that are causing most of the problems in the area.
Seals are protected under a 1976 congressional act. In the decades since, Chatham’s seal population has exploded from a few hundred to almost 10,000.
The animals have become popular with sightseeing tourists, but they’re also a major threat to the fishing industry.
“They’re putting us out of business. They’re eating way too much,” Chatham-based fisherman John Our said.
Read the full story from CBS Boston.