NOAA Fisheries Image Gallery

Shortfin Mako Shark in California Waters

Picture by: Mark Conlin Picture taken on: May 25th, 2011

Tags: shortfin mako shark southwest

NOAAs Fisheries Service today launched a voluntary program to encourage commercial and recreational fishermen to safely release Atlantic shortfin mako sharks alive and report the releases to NOAA for posting on an online map. The new program is designed to encourage the conservation of North Atlantic shortfin mako sharks. Scientific research shows many of these sharks are being caught and kept, damaging the long-term sustainability of the population. The most recent assessment of North Atlantic shorfin makos found that the population had declined about 50 percent from the 1950s.

Related Story: Shortfin Mako Shark in California Waters