Maine Marine Patrol looks into possible shark sighting off Higgins Beach

Someone reported spotting a fin in the water off Higgins Beach in Scarborough on Tuesday morning, but there has not been a confirmed shark sighting, the Maine Marine Patrol said.

It was unknown what time the sighting was called in, or how far it was from the shore.

“Local officials have been notified and are taking precautions,” said Jeff Nichols, spokesman for the Maine Department of Marine Resources.

A message left for the Scarborough Police Department was not returned Tuesday, and the department’s temporary marine resource officer could not be reached.

“If marine patrol receives a report and is able to confirm the presence of a great white shark, preferably through photo or video, or a detailed description, our plan is to notify officials with jurisdiction over nearby beaches and waterfront access points,” Nichols said in an email.

Shark-related water restrictions at three popular beaches – Popham Beach, Ferry Beach and Crescent Beach state parks – were lifted Monday. They had been imposed after the state recorded its first fatal shark attack. Julie Dimperio Holowach, 63, a retired fashion executive and summer resident of Harpswell, died July 27 after being attacked by a great white shark while swimming about 20 yards offshore near her home on Bailey Island. The shark was confirmed as a great white based on a tooth fragment.

The last confirmed shark sighting was Friday, when the Maine Department of Marine Resources received an image taken by a drone operator of a great white shark swimming near Pond Island Ledges, east of Bailey Island and near the site of the fatal attack. It has been the only confirmed sighting of a great white shark in Casco Bay since Holowach’s death, the department said.