Massachusetts Fisherman Catches a Baby Shark

Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions or personal experiences.

I actually think he or she is kind of cute, don't you?  This shark is most definitely a pup that will grow to be around ten feet long.

Sand tiger sharks have made a comeback in New England in the last decade, with a large portion of the population found in or around Plymouth/Duxbury Bays. In fact, Duxbury Bay was recently identified as a nursery for young sand tiger sharks! These large sharks around 9-10 feet are known for low reproductive rates, producing 1-2 pups every other year or so. This individual was safely released back into the bay.

According to the Dianna Carney website, the Powder Point Bridge is a super popular spot for fishing, offering gorgeous views of Duxbury bay and access to the sandy beach.  If you're thinking of trying to catch and release a sand shark, a parking sticker is needed to park on the ocean side of Powder Point Bridge. However, the bay side non-resident parking lot remains open to everyone for free.

There's even a 2,200 foot wooden bridge that was constructed in 1892 with a raised sidewalk for anyone, including a hot spot for fishermen.  According to the Duxbury Beach Reservation, sand sharks are docile and non-aggressive unless provoked.

Anyway, with Duxbury Bay becoming quite the nursery for young sand tiger sharks, you have a nice chance of spotting one. If you do catch one, PLEASE toss it back because as we learned above, these sharks only reproduce one or two pups every couple of years.