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Shark Tagging Team Tracking Great White Off Coast Of Chatham

BOSTON (CBS) -- Wednesday morning, a shark tagging team spotted a 12-to-14 foot Great White female shark off the coast of Chatham.

The team at OCEARCH hopes to tag the shark.

It's part of one of their biggest projects ever; to tag and track the sharks that call New England their summer home.

Tuesday, the OCEARCH research vessel left Woods Hole with a crew of shark fishermen and scientists on board, including one from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Last year, they tagged two sharks. this time, they have enough equipment to tag 20 great white sharks, and special permission from the state to work closer to shore.

The sharks are drawn to Monomoy Island, off the coast, because of the large seal population.

When they catch a shark, the team will bring the shark up onto a platform for 15 minutes to do blood work and attach a tag. Ultrasounds will be done of female sharks to determine if they're pregnant.

For more information visit www.ocearch.org

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