Chatham To Explore Using Nets To Keep Seals, Sharks Away From Beach
CHATHAM (CBS) – The town of Chatham may use nets to keep sharks and seals away from a local beach.
The chairman of the Chatham Board of Selectmen, Dean Nicastro, tells WBZ-TV that the board has not voted to endorse netting yet, but members have requested that the town manager look into the idea and report back.
Specifically, the town will study whether a net or other impediment to sharks and seals is feasible at Oyster Pond beach.
The popular swimming spot is not on the coast but is fed by the ocean. Chatham is also looking at implementing a fine for feeding seals in town.
The number of seals in local waters has exploded, and there have been calls to cull the population.
Massachusetts saw its first fatal shark attack in decades when a shark bit 26-year-old Arthur Medici in September. A 61-year-old survived a shark attack in Truro in August.