June 25, 2015
PLYMOUTH, MA— This year’s Plymouth 400, Inc. Bass and Blue Fishing Tournament and Seafood Event will kick off on Thursday, July 9 with the Captains and Crew dinner featuring guest speaker Great White Shark expert Dr. Greg Skomal. Skomal is an accomplished marine biologist, underwater explorer, photographer, aquarist, and author, and has appeared in a number of documentaries including programs for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, ESPN, and numerous other networks. The Captains and Crew event will also include a full dinner provided by Alden Park in Plymouth, MA and dozens of raffle prizes and door prizes donated by local businesses.
The Captains and Crew event will take place from 6:00pm – 9:00pm at Brewer Plymouth Marine and tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for youth ages 7-15, and free for children under 7.
Dr. Skomal’s research and outreach programs were instrumental in the Town of Plymouth installing shark beacons off the Town’s coast, one of which was purchased and donated to the Town by Merrill Engineers and Land Surveyors of Plymouth, whose newest office is located at 26 Union Street in Plymouth. Josh Bows, President of Merrill Engineers and Land Surveyors, supported this initiative with his company on behalf of the Plymouth 400 Bass and Blue Committee of which he is an active member. The shark beacons will monitor the activity of tagged sharks, and help the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy research their behaviors in Massachusetts waters. These beacons are also the best preventive measure available against shark attacks, according to Skomal.
“The awareness of white sharks was raised last summer when two kayakers were spilled into the water by a shark in Plymouth,” said Skomal. “Using this technology in Plymouth is a major first step forward in getting a sense of how white sharks are utilizing these waters; from there we can look at beach safety, beach management, and additional research.”
The beacon’s technology will increase spacial coverage of the 40 tagged Great White sharks that regularly swim off of the Massachusetts coast, and will alert the Plymouth Harbormaster when one of these sharks is in or around Plymouth. Greg Skomal and representatives from AWSC urged coastal communities in Massachusetts to consider purchasing shark beacons at a public meeting in March, stressing the importance of researching the behavior of Great Whites so that communities can implement proactive plans for better protecting the public.
“The Plymouth 400 Bass and Blue Committee is looking forward to reviewing the data collected by our new shark beacon so that we can better educate the public about Great Whites, and we are thrilled to welcome Greg Skomal to this year’s Bass and Blue event. He is a nationally-acclaimed expert on the subject of Great Whites, and will provide some great insight to our community,” said Peter Balboni, Chair of the Plymouth 400 Bass and Blue Committee and owner of Pioppi’s Package Store in Plymouth.
Plymouth 400’s Bass and Blue event supports the organization’s primary goals of enhancing tourism and economic development and promoting cultural and civic engagement, while also raising awareness of the organization and its Business and Organizational Partners. The 2015 Bass and Blue fishing tournament will take place on July 11th and 12th at Brewer’s Plymouth Marine. Registration for the fishing tournament is open to individuals and teams, and includes separate categories for adults and youths and cash prizes up to $1,000. The Captains and Crew kickoff event, featuring Greg Skomal, will also be at Brewer’s Plymouth Marine on Thursday, July 9th at 7pm. For more information, visit www.plymouth400inc.org.
About Plymouth 400, Inc.
Plymouth 400, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization in Plymouth, Massachusetts formed to lead the planning and execution of programs and events commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage and the founding of Plymouth Colony in 2020. The Plymouth 400 Anniversary will highlight the cultural contributions and American traditions that began with the interaction of the Wampanoag and English peoples, a story that significantly shaped the buil
