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 mile from shore. Bluntnose sixgills, which routinely grow to lengths of 15 feet or more, are usually found at depths of over 6,500 feet.
The results of the 2017 expedition were published last month in Sea Technology. The objective of the research was to assess the feasibility of using a submersible to find sixgill sharks in depths beyond the range of divers or fishermen.
“To find them right off Vancouver and in those numbers is quite something,” Harvey-Clark said. “They are one of the largest sharks and are occasionally seen in the Strait of Georgia, but not often seen in Vancouver and then lo and behold we found lots of these young ones very easily.”