A recent shark attack in Hawaii waters, believed to be by a great white, could be a sign that the predators are making regular seasonal visits to the islands, researchers said. 

‘‘It stands to reason that if one’s coming out, others are coming out,’’ said marine biologist John Naughton, of the National Marine Fisheries Service in Hawaii. 

Scientists are unsure how many great whites may be visiting Hawaii, but Naughton is working with California researchers at the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, who plan to tag 20 more sharks to learn the migration pattern of this little-known species. 

The shark believed to have attacked a swimmer June 24 off a West Oahu beach is thought to be a 15-foot long male dubbed ‘‘Tipfin,’’ so named because of a missing fin tip, that had been tagged in waters off the Farallon Islands near San Francisco two years ago. 

Tipfin is the only great white tracked on the five-week journey from the Farallons to Hawaii for two years in a row. Though no longer tagged, Tipfin was tracked in Hawaii in 2001 and 2002, most recently on Jan. 12, 2002, researchers said. 

‘‘He should be in the Hawaiian waters now and — who knows? — he may be the one that bit the guy,’’ on June 24, Naughton said. 

Based on other tagging results and reported sightings, researchers believe great whites are in Hawaii waters from February through August, Naughton said. The tags, which store data such as swimming depths, emit a signal at a preset date that is transmitted to satellites and retrieved. 

Great whites, generally found in temperate waters, are uncommon in tropical waters, where tiger sharks dominate. 

‘‘They’ve been here and the Hawaiians knew about them,’’ said Naughton, noting great white shark teeth on some implements at the Bishop Museum. But he emphasizes ‘‘they’re very rare in Hawaii.’’ 

In addition to last month’s suspected great white attack, there are only two documented attacks in recent Hawaii history, Naughton said. 

On May 18, 1926, William Goines disappeared off Haleiwa. His remains were found a couple of days later inside a 12-foot great white caught off Kahuku. 

Licius Lee suffered leg injuries when he was bitten March 9, 1969, by a shark while surfing at Makaha, where a whale carcass was found. The great white was identified by tooth marks in the surfboard. 

Tipfin’s recorded travels gave added credence to reliable sightings such as one on June 9, 2001, when free-diver Mike Garris said he came face to face with a great white while spearfishing off Yokohama Beach Park but was not attacked. 

Great whites also have been reported off Kaneohe, as well as Niihau and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, where monk seals concentrate. 

Researchers theorize that since pregnant female sharks have been seen off Japan and Australia but not in California, they may be migrating from California to the western Pacific to give birth, making stops in Hawaii, Naughton said.