On our expeditions our scientists use baited remote underwater video cameras (BRUVs) which allow us to observe sharks while they are swimming underwater. Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza explains how BRUVs are used and what we can learn from them.

OCEARCH is on a mission to understand where sharks mate, where they give birth, and how we can best protect the world’s shark nurseries. Many of the sand tiger sharks that are found off the coast of the North Carolina are large, pregnant females. We think that North Carolina may be an important nursery area for these sharks.

You don’t have to live close to the ocean to participate in marine research. When Joseph Fotso from the University of Windsor began studying biology he didn’t think he would be doing field research with OCEARCH. “Don’t feel that if you don’t live close to the ocean, you can’t do this kind of research.” – Joseph Fotso

Most of you are familiar with our SPOT Tags, that provide us with near real time shark locations on the Global Shark Tracker whenever a shark surfaces. “In addition to SPOT Tags often we put in another type of tag, a pop-off satellite archival tag – PSAT for short. This type of information can really dovetail with the SPOT tag’s and fill in some of the gaps of where the shark is when it’s not surfacing.” – John Tyminski, M.S. Collaborating Scientist Mote Marine Laboratory

What time of year are white sharks breeding? Where are the sharks breeding? By collecting semen samples, scientists can determine reproductive seasonality of great white sharks, in order to help protect them.

“The study of ecology is all the linkages of both the environment and the animals that live within that environment, and the way they interact. A field ecologist is someone who goes out into the field – the natural environment – to do studies on the animals basically as they are occurring.” – Dr. Dan Madigan, Research Associate University of Windsor

“We’re trying to understand the currents and the different layers of temperature in the ocean. And how those might dictate where predators such as white sharks go in the ocean. And very importantly, it helps dictate where they migrate. We use an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler to measure currents below the ship.” – Peter Gaube, Oceanographer

Did you know that OCEARCH doesn’t just study sharks? We collaborate with scientists across a broad range of disciplines to better understand the overall ocean ecosystem. We give marine biologists access to specimens, like sargassum, that they otherwise normally wouldn’t have access to. “Sargassum is a free floating brown algae that can be found in pelagic and coastal waters. Fishes and invertebrates all use it as a source of nursery, habitat, and breeding purposes.” – Dayna Hunn, Marine Biologist

With the help of a SPOT Tag, or Smart Positioning and Temperature Tag, we can follow sharks in real time on the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker. These SPOT tags create “ping” locations when shark fins break the surface of the water.
“It’s really a miracle of science.” – Dr. Robert Hueter, OCEARCH Chief Scientist

“A common misconception is that a shark’s vision is very poor. It really couldn’t be further from the truth. Sharks have excellent vision. The story of shark eyes is a story of tremendous diversity. To look into the eye of a shark is to really look back in time at all of the amazing adaptations that really benefit that shark in its current state.” – Mikki McComb-Kobza, PhD Ocean First Institute

OCEARCH collects 12+ types of samples for more than 21 research projects on every shark studied. Blood is an important sample since it’s used in most of the research projects that we do. Sharks have an artery and a vein that runs near the bottom of their spinal column. This canal, most accessible in their tail, is called the haemal arch.

OCEARCH uses a variety of tags on our sharks, but a SPOT Tag, or Smart Positioning and Temperature Tag, allows us to follow the individual sharks. These SPOT tags help create “PING” locations when sharks break the surface of the water, and allow you to learn alongside our science team when you visit the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker to follow their movements.

“Every white shark that we’ve looked at so far does have microplastics present.”
– Dr. Harley Newton on white shark samples being studied

Every year humans use tons of plastic just once, before throwing it away – and far too much of it ends up in our oceans. Microplastics, defined as a plastic particle less than 5mm in size, can enter the food web through trophic transfer, and we can see them in our white sharks and even in ourselves.

Based on the information we do know, Dr. Gisele Montano, reproductive physiologist and veterinarian explains that Atlantic white shark pups seem to be born off the coast of New York and New Jersey. At birth these pups measure around 4ft and 40lbs and are able to fend for themselves.

Explaining the basics… Female sharks have ovaries and give birth through their cloaca. Male sharks have two testes, and two claspers. “Male sharks have to grab the female shark and turn her upside down so they have some kind of control over her. The mating process is a little rough.” – Gisele Montano, DVM, MS Research Associate SeaWorld

Included in our health assessments of great white sharks, the science team completes physical and ultrasound exams. Utilizing portable technology to easily access sharks while on OCEARCH’s specialized lift, researchers look at multiple areas on the shark.