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Request for Salmon Shark Specimens and Data
Described only in 1947, the Salmon Shark (Lamna ditropis) is endemic to the North Pacific Ocean. This species is morphologically and ecologically similar to the closely related Porbeagle (L. nasus) which it appears to replace in the North Pacific. Although fished commercially by the Japanese, little is known about the biology, behavior, and basic life history of the Salmon Shark. To assist on-going research on Salmon Sharks, we request that fishermen and divers in the North Pacific region collect specimens, biological samples, and/or data on our behalf.
Specimens
If you are able to freeze and retain or ship a whole specimen, record capture date, location (GPS preferred), depth, distance and from land, then contact us at:
We will gladly cover packing and shipping costs. Alternately, we will send a biologist to examine your specimen locally.
Biological Samples
If you cannot retain the whole specimen, but can retain and freeze part of it, the following are requested. Sever the head (from at least the second gill slit forward) and dissect out vertebral samples (a 6-inch sample from immediately anterior to the 1st dorsal fin) and freeze them. Record capture date, location (GPS preferred), depth, distance and from land, shark length, sex, stomach contents, and maturity state, then contact us at the above E-mail address. We will gladly cover packing and shipping costs.
Data
If you cannot retain whole specimens, heads or vertebral samples, we request the following information:
- Date, location, length, sex, stomach contents, maturity state of any caught or stranded specimens
- Morphometrics of captured specimens (click HERE for a PDF data sheet)
- reports of encounters by divers, especially school size, sex composition, and behavior of individual sharks
Send your reports to:
Any assistance on this project will be greatly appreciated. Those who contribute specimens, tissue samples, or data will receive progress reports on how the research is progressing and what we have discovered through their kind and generous help.
For more about the life history and behavior of Salmon Sharks, click HERE
