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Old 12-26-2012, 12:00 AM   #1
pirate_diver
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Southeastern US White Shark Encounter Database

Some of you may know me and what I do, but for those that don't my name is Mike McCallister and I am a research biologist at the University of North Florida. I am posting this to make the diving community aware of some new research we have begun at UNF, along with colleagues from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MDMF), looking at the presence of white sharks off the southeastern US during winter months.

I would like to encourage divers, fishermen, boaters, etc. to report any white shark encounters/sightings they have. We have set up an online survey that can be found at www.unf.edu/sharks. The survey is under the White Shark Encounter Database tab, along with an informational flyer. Reports should include: date and time of the sighting, location (lat/long), and any other pertinent information (pictures, activity of the shark, etc.). The more detailed the report, the better! Also, reports of past sightings (within the past couple years) are also encouraged! This post will also be kept as a sticky and reports can also be made here as well.

We know very little about the behavior and movements of white sharks in the North Atlantic, or "great whites" as they are commonly referred to. White sharks are known to spend the summer months in the waters off Massachusetts and New England. Recently, tagging studies being conducted by researchers at MDMF have shown that white sharks make a southern migration at the end of the summer, and spend the winter months off the southeastern US (for more info on the MDMF research click here). Yet little is known about white shark habits while they are present in the waters of the southeastern US.

In the last two years there have been numerous sightings of white sharks off the southeastern US, primarily off of NE Florida and SE Georgia, and the number of sightings appears to be going up. In an effort to gain a better understanding of white shark movements, we have set up the Southeastern US White Shark Encounter Database. The goal of this database is to record and document white shark sightings off the southeastern US. This database will allow us to keep an ongoing, long-term record of white shark movements, and help us gain a better understanding of their movements.

Below are three pictures/files with further information. The first is an informational flyer (PDF) that has basic information about the database and how to report the sightings. The second is a larger copy of a map of white shark sightings from 2010-2012. The last is a picture of a white shark that was spotted by the Right Whale Aerial Observation team off Jacksonville.

Thanks for the help and participation! Feel free to contact me by PM or by email m.mccallister@unf.edu. You can also email any reports, questions, or comments to our lab email address: SharkProgram@unf.edu
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File Type: pdf White Shark Encounter Database Press Release.pdf (214.9 KB, 1235 views)
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Old 12-26-2012, 12:35 AM   #2
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Re: Southeastern US White Shark Encounter Database

Good luck with your database and research.

I made this thread sticky within this section since I saw no other ones.
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Old 12-26-2012, 04:04 PM   #3
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Re: Southeastern US White Shark Encounter Database

Thanks Jeff! I appreciate it! Hopefully there are as many sightings as there were last year, and people remember to report them...we shall see.
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"Out in the blue is where I've been."
-Jimmy Barnes
_.•´¯(__.•´¯(__.•´¯(___.•´¯(__.•´¯(__.•´¯(___.•´¯( __.•´¯(__.•´¯(__
"Don't try to describe the ocean if you've never seen it."
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Old 12-27-2012, 11:45 AM   #4
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Re: Southeastern US White Shark Encounter Database

Just added a report. Hope you can use it!
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