The Sharks Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019 (H.R.737) has passed the US House of Representatives by a vote of 310 vs 107. The bill “makes it illegal to possess, buy, or sell shark fins or any product containing shark fins, except for certain dogfish fins. A person may possess a shark fin that was lawfully taken consistent with a license or permit under certain circumstances.”
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Samuel “Doc” Gruber, founder of the Bimini Biological Field Station on Thursday 18 April. Doc was a shark biologist and founder of the American Elasmobranch Society. He was a Professor at the University of Miami and a recognized authority on shark science, having completed 49 Atlantic research cruises and over 170 scientific publications. The Wetpixel community sends our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends
Legislation has now been tabled in the Florida State Legislature that will end the trade in the fins of sharks or rays. If passed, the ban will include both the fins of animals caught within the state’s waters and fins imported via its ports. Bills have been filed in the Senate (352) and House (99) but they need public support to move forward and be voted into law.
Pew reports that a record 67 governments have co-sponsored proposals extending protection to 18 shark species at the forthcoming CITES meeting, due to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 23 May to 3 June this year. (Image by Shutterstock)
Underwater image maker Tanya Houppermans has shared an article about a new citizen science project that aims to use images of sharks to assists scientists to study sand tiger sharks (Carcharias taurus). The site allows photographers to load images and then they can be tracked via subsequent images of the animal.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has announced that they are revising the regulations governing land based shark angling in the state. The goal is to restrict “cruel and unnecessary” handling practices that causes fatalities among protected shark species even when they are released. There is a series on public workshops about the issue and comments can also be submitted online.
A new species of dogfish shark, discovered in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic Ocean has been named Squalus clarkae in honor of Eugenie “Genie” Clark. Eugenie Clark was a pioneer in shark biology and was one of the first women of prominence in the then male dominated field of marine biology.
A new exhibit at the New York Aquarium opened this past weekend, and it is all about sharks. The 57,000 square foot and $158 million addition is called Ocean Wonders: Sharks! The addition comes as much the aquarium is still rebuilding from being hit by hurricane Sandy. The new addition of the aquarium, which is run by the Wildlife Conservation Society, has been in the works for the past 14 years. The goal of the addition was to educate visitors about the vital role sharks play in our oceans.
In a newly published study, scientists have shown that shark may prefer the regular beat of jazz music over classical music. Experts have long hypothesized that sharks associated the noise of a boat’s engine with food after many years of being fed. In this study, scientists trained port jackson sharks to follow music played at one end of a fish tank for a food reward. The results of the study illustrate a lot about what sharks are capable of.
In a recently published paper scientists have shown the benefits and potential applications of dermal denticles. Shortfin mako sharks are the fastest sharks in the ocean, with speeds of up to 60 mph, and their skin is lined with dermal denticles. Scientists from Harvard and the University of South Carolina teamed up to see if these denticles actually helped. They found that the denticles not only reduced drag, but they increased lift. The research could have implications for many vehicular applications.