A large shark bumped into a fishing boat off a popular Long Island beach over the weekend in what may have been the third sighting of a great white in waters off the New York and New Jersey coasts this week.
Greg Grodecki was out with fishing buddies 15 miles off the shore of Fire Island Sunday when a wide-mouthed fish sidled up to his boat. Grodecki said he thought it was a great white shark.
"It was just amazing to see it, so beautiful and powerful," Grodecki said. "It's just a great experience."
The sighting was the third in recent days. Another shark, also possibly a great white, was spotted Saturday off the coast of Cape May in New Jersey, and on Sunday two sharks were seen about a mile off of Rockaway Beach in Queens.
Phil Argiros from the Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center says conservation efforts are driving up the number of great whites, which are curious creatures that often swim up to boats while checking out their surroundings.
"I think their numbers are increasing, so we are going to see more of them," he said.
Fisherman Catches Great White Shark Off NYC Coast
Local
Great white sharks inhabit all of the world's oceans and are typically found near coastal areas, but Argiros says swimmers shouldn't be too worried about attacks.
"I think people should actually enjoy this instead of being afraid," he said.
