Sharkophile

The latest shark news, photos and videos

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Plastics, ocean trash a growing threat to sharks

A new study by Exeter University found that discarded plastic, derelict fishing gear and other man-made oceanic trash may pose a bigger threat to apex predators like sharks than previously thought. The paper was published in the latest issue of the journal Endangered Species Research.  Entanglement—mostly involving lost or discarded fishing gear—is a “far lesser threat” to sharks and […]

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Patriots’ Edelman has shark named in his honor

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy announced that its latest tagged shark will be known as “Jules” in honor of New England Patriots wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman. The research organization tweeted that the shark, previously designated WS 11-05, was caught and tagged by researcher Greg Skomal off the coast of Massachusetts this week. […]

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VIDEO: Fun facts about sharks

Katherine Maslenikov, manager of the University of Washington Fish Collection at the Burke Museum, talks about shark behavior, possible myths, and their role in the ecosystem. Here are a few quick facts about the apex predators: The Pacific Northwest is home to several smaller species, including the dogfish family of sharks, leopard sharks and sixgill sharks. Off […]

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OceanX tags first shark using submersible drone

A joint research mission by OceanX, the Cape Eleuthera Institute and the Florida State University Marine Lab led to the first shark successfully tagged using a submersible drone. The expedition, led by FSU Marine Labs Dean Grubbs, was able to implant a tracking device into an adult bluntnose sixgill shark off the coast of The […]

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SharkoFiles: Bluntnose Sixgill

The Sixgill shark is one of the primitive species of sharks with close relatives that dated back to roughly 200 million years ago. They are known as Sixgill sharks because unlike most sharks with typical five gill slits, they have six gill slits. They generally are powerfully built and have a characteristic round, blunt snout, […]

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Mysterious deepwater sharks found in urban waters

Scientists from Dalhousie University have discovered that bluntnose sixgill sharks, traditionally thought to only inhabit deeper waters, might be thriving in the near-shore environments just off the coast of Vancouver, Canada. During a mission aboard a Stingray submarine, Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark observed multiple juvenile sixgills in less than 300 foot of water less than one […]

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SharkBytes giving sharks a good rep

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of organizations worldwide that focus on shark conservation and yet one more is working endlessly to aid in this important cause.  Eric Knox, founder and Executive Director of SharkBytes, Inc., was fascinated with sharks before he could even read. His fascination grew into love and respect and then a […]

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Canada passes Modernized Fishing Act

Sharks conservation efforts in Canada scored a major legislative victory with the passage of Bill C-68, also known as the Modernized Fisheries Act. The legislation includes the banning of shark finning in Canadian waters and prohibits the import and export of shark fins. “Today is a great day for our oceans. The overhauled Fisheries Act has the […]

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Southwest offers sneak peek at Shark Week

While most of us shark aficionados will have to wait for Shark Week 2019 to kick off on July 28, travelers on Southwest Airlines will be able to see a special episode, Extinct or Alive: The Lost Shark, before its official air date on Discovery Channel. The new shark documentary is part of Southwest’s custom […]

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New Florida shark fishing rules go into effect

New rules regarding shore-based shark fishing in Florida went into effect on July 1. The new rules are intended to increase survival of released sharks, improve information gathering for the fishery and address some of the public safety concerns related to the fishery.  These new rules, which were endorsed by the Sharkophile editorial team, include: […]