October 16, 2024 — As a commercial fisheries observer, I get to work hands-on with marine species and collect at-sea data vital to monitoring the health of our oceans. Here are some things I’ve learned in my first year observing.
How to Identify Sharks
Early on, I learned how to identify the sharks we see in the mid-Atlantic. Some were obvious: blue sharks are blue, spiny dogfish have spines and white spots, tiger sharks have stripes, and Atlantic common thresher sharks have a long “whip tail.” Others were less obvious. Sand tiger sharks have jagged rows of massive, pointed teeth. Sandbar sharks are brownish with a tall dorsal fin. Porbeagles have a double keel at the base of their tail.
If I see a shark I don’t recognize, I start with whether it has a ridgeback or not, which narrows the possibilities by half. From there, distinguishing characteristics include color, snout shape, and the position of the pectoral fin relative to the dorsal fin. When in doubt, I take lots of pictures and refer to our issued shark identification field guide. Now I know just because a shark has sharp teeth, doesn’t mean it’s a white shark.