Great white spotted off Mass. for 1st time in 2010, officials say there’s no need to worry

Great white shark spotted off Mass. coast

BOSTON — State officials and shark experts say beachgoers don’t need to worry after the summer’s first confirmed great white shark sighting in Massachusetts waters.

A juvenile shark, 6- to 7-feet long and weighing about 150 pounds, was caught Saturday by a tuna boat about 20 miles off the coast. The crew tagged the shark and returned it to the sea.

While the number of credible great white sightings has increased in recent years, officials are quick to point out that there have been no fatal shark attacks off Massachusetts in nearly 75 years.

The state’s most famous shark attacks are fictional: The blockbuster film “Jaws” was shot on Martha’s Vineyard.