News

Researchers studying the behaviour of Whale Sharks in the South Ari Atoll Marine Protected Area (SAMPA), Maldives have made an interesting discovery. Whale Sharks with serious injuries primarily acquired from encounters with boats, spent longer in SAMPA than those without injuries. Suggesting that the injured sharks remain in the protected area where the conditions are favourable to their recovery.

The Mediterranean is a risky place to be a shark or ray. Over 50% of all sharks and rays caught in the Mediterranean are listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

In November 2020, the collective action taken by over 3O NGOs, of which we were pleased to coordinate, called on the Tunisian Government to fulfil its international commitments to protect threatened elasmobranchs. The decision to issue an interim ban on fishing and trading of 21 species of shark and ray that followed was a positive outcome. But urgent action is needed by all Mediterranean countries to protect threatened species inhabiting these perilous waters.

Despite clear scientific advice to ban retention of the Endangered North Atlantic Shortfin Mako. Prominent fishing nations continue to block the policies necessary for rebuilding populations of this increasingly vulnerable shark. Scientists estimate the North Atlantic Shortfin Mako has a 60% chance of recovery by 2070 if scientific advice is adopted.

Swimmers in Rockingham, Western Australia were treated to an unexpected encounter when they spotted a 6m Whale Shark swimming in Cockburn Sound. Normally found in Ningaloo, over 1000km north of Perth, a couple of Whale Sharks have been tracked to Rottnest Island. Encountering them this far south is a first!

And finally…a brief but lovely bit of footage taken by Florida Atlantic University Elasmobranch Research Lab of a hammerhead shark hunting Blacktip Sharks off Florida…enjoy!

A new conservation campaign in Australia is calling consumers to “give flake a break”. The term ‘flake’ is often used when labelling shark meat in Australia, regardless of the species in question. Species-specific labelling is also a challenge in the UK. 'Rock salmon', while once mainly Spiny Dogfish, includes a multitude of coastal sharks making it a challenge for consumers to know exactly what they’re buying.

Paleontologists have discovered the well-preserved fossil of a Hybodontiform Shark (Asteracanthus ornatissimus) in Solnhofen Limestone, Germany. A close relative to modern day sharks, scientists believe this shark swam in a lagoon in the area during the Late Jurassic period. It’s estimated to have reached lengths of ~3m. This species was first described 150 years ago.

Researchers have been studying the effect warming water temperatures have on the development of baby Epaulette Sharks. Embryos exposed to higher temperatures were found to emerge from their eggcases up to 25 days earlier. Making them less efficient hunters. These findings have implications for all egglaying elasmobranchs as ecosystems change around them.

Latest research into the extinct Megalodon has revealed this mammoth shark gave birth to young measuring 2-2.5m long. That’s even bigger than the average height of an adult human! Scientists discovered this when they x-rayed a megalodon fossil. And used the growth bands in the vertebrae to estimate the size of a newborn.

Great news for sharks and other marine life in Mozambique, as new commercial fishing laws and environmental regulations are introduced! Protection for all species of mobula (which now includes mantas), and Whale Sharks has been adopted. As well as the best practice requirement for all sharks to be landed with their fins naturally attached.