BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — For those planning on spending time near the ocean this summer, the new app from the Atlantic White Shark Conservatory may help beachgoers stay safe.
The app is called "Sharktivity." It tracks Great White Shark sightings in the Atlantic Ocean, specifically off the coast of New England.
It was developed by the ASWC along with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, the Cape Cod National Seashore and officials from the Cape and South Shore towns in order to "raise awareness of the presence of white sharks off our coast."
Users of the app, along with researchers and safety officials can post sightings by uploading photos for confirmation.
The app has a number of different icons for alerts. "There's a blue icon that represents a sighting, there's a red icon that will go up if a shark gets close to a public beach." says Cynthia Wingren, President of the AWSC, along with other color icons for radius and sharks tagged with acoustic transmitters.
Wingren says they have followed white sharks that have gotten into five feet of water, her biggest piece of advice for avoiding any encounters: "stay away from the seals, you don't want to be near the food source."
The app is free to download and available for both iPhone and Android.
WBZ NewsRadio's Chris Fama (@CFamaWBZ) reports:
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App
(Photo: Getty Images)