The Latest Notable Shark Records from the Mediterranean and European Region

Helmut Nickel, Shark Year Magazine,
24. August 2012

The following provides a supplement and continuation of our previous post from 15. June 2012 Notable Recent Shark Records from the Mediterranean and European Region.

Twenty-seven Recent Shark Records from the Mediterranean and European Region.

Details on each specimen in descending chronological order :

Specimen No. 1

Date: reported on 19. August 2012

Location: Sicily, Italy.

Species: Bluntnose sixgill shark ( Hexanchus griseus ).

Size: said to be 300 kg in weight.

The shark was caught about 30 km off the harbour of San Leone, situated on the west coast of Sicily.

Source: Info Agrigento.
Photo Credit: Salvatore Pisciotto.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 2

Date: reported on 18. August 2012

Location: Krvavica, Croatia.

Species: Thresher shark ( Alopias vulpinus ).

Size: 140 kg in weight .

A record from the Adriatic Sea.
The ‘fox shark’ was caught by sport-anglers from Baska Voda (on 80-lbs test line).

Source and Photo Credit: Dalmacija News.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 3

Date: 13. August 2012

Location: Agon-Coutainville, Lower Normandy, France.

Species: Sandtiger shark ( Odontaspis spp. ).

Size: said to be 2.5 metres in length.

The specimen, an adult male, washed ashore on a beach in Agon-Coutainville.
It’s a commune in the Manche department, situated in northwestern France (on the shores of the English Channel).

Source and Photo Credit: Sudouest.fr

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Specimen No. 4

Date: reported on 16. August 2012

Location: Crete Island, Greece.

Species: Shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus)

Size:

The small mako shark was caught by a fisherman from Chania, located in northwestern Crete.
It was hooked on a longline in the bay of Kalathas on the west side of the Akrotiri Peninsula.

Source and Photo Credit: cretalive.gr

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 5

Date: 11. August 2012

Location: Soverato, Italy.

Species: Blue shark ( Prionace glauca ).

Size: a ‘small’ specimen

Beachgoers found the carcass of a young blue shark near Lido San Domenico in Soverato.
This town is located on the shores of the Ionian Sea, in the Gulf of Squillace.

Source and Photo Credit: Soverato Web

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 6

Date: 04. August 2012

Location: Looe, Cornwall, UK.

Species: Thresher shark ( Alopias vulpinus ).

Size: said to be ca. 13 ft in total length,

Angler Malcolm Roborts from Essex caught and tagged/released this impressive thresher shark
about 20 miles off Looe, a small port in south-east Cornwall. He was fishing aboard the vessel ‘ Mystique 2 ‘.

Source and Photo Credit: Simon Hall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 7

Date: reported on 03. August 2012

Location: Théoule-sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritimes department, France.

Species: unknown ( probably a Lamnid shark )

Size: estimated 2.50 to 4 metres in length.

A record from the Mediterranean Sea.
The decomposed carcass of a big shark was discovered floating about 50 metres off the coast of l’Esquillon.

Source and Photo Credit: nicematin.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 8

Date: reported on 03. August 2012

Location: Wearside, England, UK.

Species: Porbeagle shark ( Lamna nasus ).

Size: said to be 7 ft in length.

A record from the North Sea.
This specimen got accidentally caught in the net of the Wearside fishing boat ‘Star Devine’.
According to the source, the porbeagle was already dead when it was hauled on board.
The shark-meat was sold by a fishmonger in Withburn for 4.50 pounds per kg.

Source: Sunderland Echo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 9

Date: reported on 01. August 2012

Location: Antalya Province, Turkey.

Species: Bluntnose sixgill shark ( Hexanchus griseus ).

Size: said to be 2 metres in length and 150 kg in weight.

The male sixgill shark was caught by a recreational fisherman ca.10 km off the coast of Gazipaşa.

Source and Photo Credit: Son Haberler.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 10

Date: 26. July 2012

Location: Carrigaholt, County Clare, Ireland

Species: Sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus)

Size: said to be 3.5 metres in length, estimated 600 lbs in weight.

Sport-fishermen made this impressive catch off Carrigaholt on Ireland’s west coast.
They released the sixgill shark alive.

Source and Photo Credit: Luke Aston, Carrigaholt Sea Angling Centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 11

Date: reported on 24. July 2012

Location: La Seyne, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France.

Species: Porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus)

Size:

A record from the Mediterranean Sea.
The porbeagle was caught in a fishing net (in a depth of ca. 250 metres) off the coast
of Saint-Mandrier in the Var department. It was sold for 15,- Euros per kg.

Source and Photo Credit: Var-Matin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 12

Date: reported on 24. July 2012

Location: Yeniköy, Karacabey, Turkey

Species: Bluntnose sixgill shark ( Hexanchus griseus )

Size: said to be 4 metres in length, and 500 kg in weight.

Caught in the Sea of Marmara.

Source and Photo Credit: Haberler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 13

Date: reported on 24. July 2012

Location: Falmouth, Cornwall, UK.

Species: Thresher shark ( Alopias vulpinus ).

Size: said to be 20 ft. in length, and 250 kg in weight.

While fishing for mackerel in the English Channel,
the trawler ‘ The John Boy ‘ caught this big thresher shark in the waters off Falmouth.
The photo below was taken at Ashton’s Fishmonger shop in Cardiff.

Source: Wales Online.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 14

Date: reported on 22. July 2012

Location: Bosa , Sardinia, Italy.

Species: Blue shark (Prionace glauca).

Size: ca. 1,70 metres in length.

The dead blue shark was found on the shoreline at Turas in the municipality of Bosa,
located on Sardinia’s west coast.
The carcass showed wounds in the lower jaw and left gill area.

Photo Credit: Roberto Luciani.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 15

Date: reported on 20. July 2012

Location: Cyprus.

Species: Smalltooth sandtiger shark (Odontaspis ferox).

Size: said to be 3.5 metres in length and 300 kg in weight.

The rare shark (adult male) got entangled in the net of a fisherman from Liopetri (Famagusta District).
But the catch occurred approximately 3 km off Akamas, which is a promontory and cape at the northwest
extremity of Cyprus.

Source and Photo Credit: Famagusta News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 16

Date: reported on 19. July 2012

Location: Mandelieu, southwest of Cannes, France.

Species: Blue shark ( Prionace glauca ).

Size: 60 cm

A beachgoer managed to catch this small blue shark with his bare hands.
After taking photos, he released it unharmed.

Source and Photo Credit: nicematin.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 17

Date: 10. July 2012

Location: Vir, Croatia.

Species: Blue shark, female ( Prionace glauca ).

Size: said to be ca. 2 metres in length.

Source and Photo Credit: 24sata

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 18

Date: 09. July 2012

Location: North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland.

Species: Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus)

Size: said to be 12 ft in length.

A teenager found the dead basker on the sand at Bayhead.
DNA samples were taken from the specimen by scientists from the University of Aberdeen.

Source: Daily Record.
Photo Credit: Western Isles Wildlife.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 19

Date: 07. July 2012

Location: Messina, Sicily, Italy.

Species: Bluntnose sixgill shark ( Hexanchus griseus ).

Size:

The dead sixgill shark was found on a beach in the comune of Scaletta Zanclea,
which is located in the Province of Messina on Sicily’s north-eastern coast.
But other sources are reporting that the shark was brought to shore by fishermen,
who had caught it in the Strait of Messina.

Source and Photo Credit: Meteo Web.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 20

Date: reported on 04. July 2012

Location: Kymi, Greece.

Species: Bluntnose sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus)

Size: said to be 6 metres in length and weighing a ton.

A record from the Aegean Sea. Date of catch: late June 2012.

Source: kimanews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 21

Date: reported on 02. July 2012

Location: Sesimbra, Setúbal District, Portugal.

Species: Shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus).

Size: said to be about 4 metres in length and 500 kg in weight.

The crew of the commercial fishing vessel ‘ Novo Imperador ‘ made this impressive catch about
93 km west of Cabo Espichel. The giant female mako was sold at the fish auction in Sesimbra.

Source: Associação dos Portos de Portugal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimens No. 22 – 25

Date: reported on 21. June 2012

Location: Batalden, Flora Municipality, Norway.

Species: four Porbeagle sharks ( Lamna nasus ).

Size: up to 112 kg.

Commercial fishermen caught four porbeagles on a single day of fishing.
The largest specimen weighed 112 kg gutted.

Source and Photo: Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 26

Date: 18. May 2012

Location: Batalden, Flora Municipality, Norway.

Species: Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus).

Size:

Released by fisherman.

Source and Photo: Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Specimen No. 27

Date: reported on 16. May 2012

Location: Batalden, Flora Municipality, Norway.

Species: Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus).

Size:

Released by fisherman.

Source and Photo: Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 

6 Comments

  1. i hate ppl

    FUCK THESE PEOPLE

    • Sheila

      DIDDO! GOD BLESS THE PEOPLE WHO TRY TO SAVE THEM OR THROW BACK THE ONES YOU CATCH IN GOOD CONDITION! THESE FISHING BOATS CATCH SHARKS IN THEIR NETS ALL THE TIME, & KILL THEM WHILE EVERYONE LOOKS THE OTHER WAY, OR THEY SELL THEM ON THE MARKEY, MOSTLY THE BLACK MARKET!

  2. Angel

    Most of the found dead on the beach ones most likely results of throw backs from the nets…

    I am sure these only represent a very small scale of the real catch by thousands of boats that trolls the Med Sea with tens of thousands of kilimetres of nets laid each day..

  3. Jacques De la Haye

    I am surprised so many 6gills are found in nets or being caught by anglers. It is quite a rare species that normally lives on great depths I thought. But in any case, I fully agree, it is an utter shame killing these animals without even mentioning what happens at finning sprees by the Asians, awful, a criminal offence in my view.

    We should all do what we can to save these animals.

  4. Marian

    Thats horrible.We  must save The sharks. No sharks in The ocean ,The oceans become sour.The sharks are The Tigers in The sea. They eat illness fishes and wounded and make the water clean. Its 5 for 12.

    Save The sharks and more anglers.

  5. Tony DeMaio

    You know there may come a time when the very life that saves you may very well be that of a shark. Sharks didn’t just survive millions of years by chance, they adapted and evolved to overcome so many obstacles however one they won’t escape is man. Like whales they were brought to the brink of complete extinction….HAVE WE LEARNED NOTHING? Please leave the sharks where they do best…alone and in the ocean.

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