We removed some tangled shark fishing gear with j hooks (a no-no) that was wrapped in one of Niue’s FADs. This likely drifted from the open ocean as the Niuean fishers didn’t recognize the gear and use circle hooks (safer for sharks) to fish for tunas. #niue #expeditionniue #sharks #pacific

ICYMI: My interview with scientists who studied the physics of how thresher sharks whip their tails fast enough to cause an underwater shock wave www.southernfriedscience.com/heres-how-th...

The first tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) ever tagged in the Cook Islands was released off Aitutaki. We’re still waiting for her tag to pop off and reveal her journey.

The Bold Efforts To Make Tuna Fishing Safer For Sharks, Rays And Oceans

We tagged it, so what? Tags reveal where sharks travel and when, giving us a glimpse into their secret lives. These insights guide better protections (and make cool squiggly lines on maps). We are so close to funding the next tag. Let’s goooo! Invite your friends! sharkspacific.org?give=G2EXWJD6

How do we tag sharks? Our team uses standardized, ethical methods to attach satellite tags that transmit movement data. You fund the tags and we’ll fund the time to deploy them. Join our Sharktober Tag Team! sharkspacific.org?give=G2EXWJD6

Tag, you’re it! For this month, (Sharktober, of course), the Sharks Pacific Tag Team will donate to fund satellite tags to study shark movements in the Pacific Islands. Donors receive Tag Team swag, tracking access, and entry into a name-a-shark contest. Donate today. Link in bio. Tag a friend!

‘Super big deal’: High seas treaty reaches enough ratifications to become law

Happy World Manta Day! Predicted in 2009 by Dr. Andrea Marshall, but formally recognized & described in 2025, Mobula yarae became the third manta ray species. What are the scientific names for the other two species?

Brazil weighs new measures to manage shark trade, fishing

A white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) near Isla Guadalupe, MX. Fun fact: Research shows their brains are dominated by huge olfactory bulbs, among the largest of any shark, letting them track prey and navigate by scent across vast distances. Research: @profsharkbrain.bsky.social 📸 Shane Myers

Our BRUVS camera footage never disappoints

“fisheries from 46 nations now face stringent import restrictions, ensuring that seafood entering U.S. markets adhere to the same high standards as American-caught seafood.” 🧪🌎🦑🐠 www.noaa.gov/news-release...

Niue is often called “The Rock of Polynesia”—a raised coral island surrounded by some of the clearest water on Earth. With no rivers to carry sediment into the sea, visibility here can be up to 80m (basically infinity). We love doing our work here.

Ocellated eagle rays (Aetobatus ocellatus) flying through open space. Fun fact: They use electroreception to locate buried mollusks in the sand, sometimes crushing shells with their plate-like teeth.

An oceanic whitetip (Carcharhinus longimanus) cruises through the blue waters of the Pacific. Fact: Once considered one of the most common pelagic sharks, due to overfishing (both targeted & bycatch) their populations have drastically declined and they are now Critically Endangered.

Silky sharks, affectionately known as silkies (Carcharhinus falciformis) aggregating in the Southern Line Islands. Fun fact: They can detect low-frequency sounds from distressed prey—making them extremely efficient open-ocean hunters. Research by the late Dr. Jeff Carrier, et al. 📸: Pristine Seas

Can blue sharks change color? 🦈🌈 Blue sharks might shimmer blue, green, or even gold, thanks to tiny crystals in their skin. These pressure-sensitive structures, found in their tooth-like scales, shift as the shark changes depth, reflecting light in different ways. 🧪

Tawny nurse sharks (Nebrius ferrugineus) waiting for fish scraps on Penrhyn Island. Fun fact: They use powerful suction to extract prey from narrow crevices. This is among the strongest suction forces recorded in sharks. 📸: Erin Feinblatt

Grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) scour the shallows off Palmerston Island. Fun fact: In some locations, during specific times of the year, they form an unusual “inverted food pyramid” where they outnumber their prey. Research: Dr. Johann Mourier, et al. 📸: Kirby Morejohn

Condition assessment and best-practice handling guidelines for skate (Rajiformes) bycatch: Lessons from demersal longline fisheries in the Southern Indian Ocean

A blue shark (Prionace glauca) cruises through the sun's rays. Fun Fact: They have some of the largest litters of any shark species, with females giving birth to as many as 135 pups in a single litter. (research by Drs. Hideki Nakano and John D. Stevens) 🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈 📸: Ethan Daniels

Tracking Sharks Around A South Pacific Island

I have a new op-ed out today about how new proposals at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species can help protect sharks! Please read and share. therevelator.org/cites-sharks/ 🧪🦑🌎🦈

A whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) glides above a healthy reef in the Pitcairn Islands. Fun fact: They exhibit strong site fidelity, often returning to the exact same resting spot day after day. (hat tip to research done by Dr. Adam Barnett, et al) (📸: Pristine Seas)

In case you missed it... The Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) met from June 9-13 in Nice, France, to discuss the protection of our seas. Positive momentum and rhetoric were abundant at the conference. Here are some key takeaways:

“When fear and panic aren’t ruling our emotions, it’s clear that we should be trying to protect these animals, not trying to eradicate them.” Great words by @nature.com writer, Katie Kavanagh. Let’s turn awe into action and advocate for safer fisheries for sharks. www.nature.com/articles/d41...