The Watery Rave

Ocearch has dedicated itself to solving the questions behind why the great white shark, one of the the apex predators of the ocean, has seen huge populations reductions that have moved the animal onto the threatened species list. Ocearch’s goal is to identify the magnitude and cause of sinking great white shark populations before a catastrophic domino effect occurs.

An estimated 40 to 100 million sharks are killed across the globe annually due to commercial long lining techniques and shark fishing practices where the fishermen remove the fins of the shark and then throw it back into the water to starve. Shark finning is a popular practice to obtain the animal’s fins for use in a dish known as “shark fin soup” which is said to be an aphrodisiac in many Asian communities. This widespread commercial fishing practice, along with indiscriminate long lining have over the years led to the world’s shark population reaching threatened status.

Ocearch is focused on finding where sharks from around the globe migrate, breed, give birth, etc. in order to ensure an accurate regulated fishing boarder and improve conservation practices which will hopefully decrease the damage by commercial fishing practices and ensure a healthy, sustainable shark population worldwide.

Ocearch is the only team in the world with a successful track record of capturing, tagging, extracting blood, and DNA samples then releasing and tracking Great White Sharks. Their 126 ft research vessel “Ocean” is equipped with a custom 75,000 lb lift system which is able to lift the sharks out of the water, thus allowing scientists and crew members to perform hands on experiments with the sharks on deck.

In November of 2010 the Ocearch crew teamed up with scientists from UC Davis to expand their research from Great Whites to a wide span of different shark species. Pete Klimley, Alex Hearn, and Mauricio Hoyos assist the expedition team in tagging Galapagos sharks, Silky sharks, Silvertip sharks, and managed to be the first expedition team to successfully tag a Tiger shark in Mexican waters. Together they traveled to the Revillagigedo Islands, and Coco’s Island off the coast of Costa Rica.

In May 2011 Dr. Hueter, Dr. Whitney, and Doctor Morris from MOTE Marine Laboratory and Dr. Alex Hearn from UC Davis joined forces with the Shark Men team to study sharks on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bull Sharks are the new challenges the crew faces; due to the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, as well as adjacent threats.

The crew was able to develop research questions on how the PAH’s and other oil contaminants from the BP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill will affect the genetic, immune and reproductive systems of several species of sharks. The crew is also interested in knowing how the human population and other related environmental impacts affect the Florida Bull shark populations on a daily basis.

During their stay in Boca Grande, the scientists took blood samples, tested DNA and the reproduction system of bull and great hammerhead sharks, while also tagging the animals’ dorsal fin with satellite tags. The satellite tags beam signals to their science lab showing the shark’s location every time the shark comes to the surface over the next 5 years.

One of the reasons the team came to Boca Grande, Florida in May is the concentration of tarpon in Boca Grande Pass, a deep water inlet that at times attracts thousands of tarpon. When the tarpon arrive, so do the sharks—some of the largest bull and great hammerhead sharks on the planet, which feed on the weak and injured tarpon during their migration.

Scientists surmise that the sharks follow the tarpon on their annual migration along the Florida coast, and only come into Boca Grande Pass to feed, eventually moving back offshore once their appetite is satiated. While in Boca Grande, the Ocearch Crew spent three days offshore of the area with scientists from the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust trying to locate the tarpon’s offshore spawning grounds. That trip proved unsuccessful.

In the future, Ocearch plans on continuing to explore the oceans around the globe in order to help slow the decline in the overall shark populations. Future expeditions include: 2012-2013: Tigers of the Galapagos and across the Pacific to New Zealand’s great white shark aggregations including New Caledonia; 2013-2014: South West Pacific/Eastern Australia; New Zealand to Australia and its infamous great white shark populations;

2014-2015: South West Pacific/Western Australia; 2015-2016: South Africa. One of the most famous great white feeding areas yet little is known about this population and 2016-2018: South America and North America

After spending the day fiberglassing the transom of a skiff, the MVOcean crew found a way to kill two birds with one stone—wash the fiberglass dust off their bodies and test the seaworthiness of their repairs. In a small cove off Costa Rica, a handful of crew members put a borrowed skimboard to use as they measure the “I think I can, I think I can” output of the little Yamaha that could on the transom.

First up was Denny Wagner the ship’s engineer, who got his first close-up pass of the Crocodile River, named because of the huge crocodiles that often come to sea in the area to search for food and any wake surfers that might fall in the area. Wagner is especially proud of his patented goofy footed surf trunks creeping up the leg wave to the babe’s technique.

Up next is Andrew (360’s are all I got) Snow, who puts a new spin on the sport. Looking for extra style points, Snow kicks off his ride with a double surf trunk leg creep technique.

By Chris Fischer

The Ocean and crew are off the Revillagigedo Islands, a group of four volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean west of  Manzanillo, Mexico and just southwest of Cabo San Lucas. We’re here because this is where the hammerhead sharks gather in great concentrations, much like you’d find around your larger nightclubs.

It’s been a crazy trip getting here, and an even crazier first day. We arrived at San Benedicto Island, which is this giant rocky set of peaks extending out of the ocean with two huge volcanic cones in it. The place looks like Mother Nature leaned forward and dipped her body in a lava island.

The water is incredibly clear and blue, and it’s all anyone can do to stay on board. We could barely wait to check out the bottom side of the water line. This is a place where hammerhead sharks gather in big schools, holding in the currents for hours at a time.

If you haven’t seen a scalloped hammerhead shark up close, they’re pretty freaky looking, with an eye on either end of the side extensions. Until you get close to one, you don’t really think about how weird it is that their head is flat and their eyes are on either end of these axe-like extensions.

It’s a like a flounder. Both eyes are on one side of the body, and that’s something you really don’t focus on until you hold one in your hand, then it’s just like, “Whammy, both eyes are on the same side of that fish’s head!”

The weather on the first day was beautiful, with bluebird skies and calm seas. We hit a couple of the well-known hammerhead gathering locations like the Lava Flow where the ocean seemed more like a desert. It wasn’t until we made a move to Boiler Rock and ran into one of the local commercial dive operations that we locked into the ancient ball peen burial grounds—hammerheads were everywhere!

There were around 40 sharks on the Boiler Rock, most of which were well over 100 feet down, which pretty much eliminated sticking them with tags. After all, we were free diving, and at 100 feet, you’re kind of stretching the limits of where you want to swim into the middle of a large school of hammerheads and poke one. That’s like climbing down into the lion pit at the zoo, grabbing the first tail you see and giving it a yank.

We did see a pair of giant manta rays, which again pushes the envelope of evolutionary humor. You have these massive rays with 20 foot wingspans and these freakish oval mouths, and a pair of horn-like scoopers that extend from their faces. At the end of each horn/scooper, are their eyes.

Unlike a hammerhead shark which at any time could consider giving you a little nip, just to see what the snorkel boys taste like, manta rays are plankton eaters, and they use those eye/scoop/horns to funnel the plankton into their mouths. The visual on this is exciting, stunning, incredibly beautiful and spooky Boogie Man at the same time. I mean, we’re all comfortable in the water with these creatures, but damn…

When we couldn’t place a tag in a shark, we opted for moving to another spot and replacing an acoustic receiver and collecting the data from the old receiver. Acoustic receivers are placed on the ocean floor and any tagged sharks that come within range are recorded, kind of like the parental GPS tracking on a child’s cell phone. You get a good idea of when that shark was there, and how long it stayed, but you don’t have any idea what it did or about its company.

After that, we decided that we’d try to put a tag in a shark the old fashioned way, by catching one on rod and reel. We put the ROV in and chummed the area heavily with yellowfin tuna chunks, and it wasn’t long before someone showed for the sushi buffet. It took no time to reel a fish to the boat, control it, and get it into the cradle.

Some of the guys wanted to try using just the sling, and maybe we’ll try it this week, but right now, the cradle seems like the best means for lifting a shark out of the water without harming it or allowing it to grab a diver or scientist, which they seem to appreciate. I would like the try the cradle and see what the scientists think, because whatever is the most beneficial to the shark and its survival is really what matters. Not that we feel like the scientists are replaceable.

We fed all our fresh tuna to the sharks, so we ended the day crowded at the table like carnivores, a steak on the plate and red wine in the glasses. It’s been a very positive trip so far.

We’ve mentioned in previous posts about how lucky we’ve been to go fishing with Chris Fischer and his crew. Well, it’s time for someone else to get a dose of that luck. You and a fishing buddy could go fish with Chris. And if you know anything about Chris, you can go ahead and jump to the conclusion that such a trip will be adventure packed and unforgettable. Go dig up a picture of that trophy fish you caught, upload it and cross your fingers that Costa fans pile on the votes.

Click to jump to the sweepstakes page.

CHRIS FISCHER, Expedition Leader / Exec. Producer

Chris is an expert angler, spokesman for responsible fisheries management and former host of ESPN2’s “Offshore Adventures” — one of the most-watched outdoor shows in America in the early 2000s.  For “Expedition Great White,” he is also executive producer.  Fischer’s multi-vessel mothership operation is aimed at ongoing oceanic expedition to help promote sustainable fisheries management and ocean research and education.

MICHAEL DOMEIER, Lead Scientist

Dr. Domeier (“the Doc”) is one of the world’s foremost experts on great whites and has led the field of electronic tagging, designing the most advanced long term tracking devices ever made.  He is president and executive director of the Marine Conservation Science Institute.  He formerly headed the California Department of Fish and Game’s Marine Sport Research Project and founded the Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research where he served as President for 11 years.

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Chris Fischer and Dr. Domeier talk with Matt Lauer about the show.

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