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Eight Shark Species Swim in Maine Waters

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Eight Shark Species Swim in Maine Waters England and reaching into the Canadian lection of information such as movement Maritime Provinces like a large animal. patterns, growth rates, reproductive biol- To the south, its tail is cradled by Cape ogy, and resiliency to stress are crucial to Cod. Its backbone extends downeast to the successful management of any fish an outstretched neck and snout called species. Obtaining this knowledge the Bay of Fundy. The underbelly—the becomes even more important for Photo by Cameron Hodgdon Mysterious southeastern extent of the gulf—bulges organisms, like many sharks, that have from the tip of Nova Scotia to the light at slow rates of growth, low fecundity [the Chatham, Massachusetts. inability to produce abundant offspring], It covers an area of more than 69,000 and are more susceptible to environ- Dr. James Sulikowski, center, and students with square miles, and, according to Sulikows- mental stressors.” a baby porbeagle in the Gulf. ki, the Gulf asks “big dynamic questions.” Sulikowski said that all the Gulf of Some of the biggest questions concern groups and ocean advocacy organiza- Maine species, except the dogfish, are ones Predators the region’s largest predators—sharks. tions. “According to the IUCN [Interna- we know very little about biologically. “As Like many other marine ecosystems, the tional Union for Conservation of such,” he said, “We have to protect their Gulf of Maine depends in part on top Nature] Red List, approximately 75 per- populations.” We have to learn more. Eight shark species swim in Maine waters predators like sharks for its health, and cent of all sharks, skates, and rays are The two most common sharks in the BY RET TALBOT | ILLUSTRATIONS BY KAREN TALBOT there are eight sharks documented in the threatened, or lacking sufficient data nec- Gulf of Maine, the spiny dogfish and the Gulf. Boaters and anglers most common- essary for proper management,” said blue shark, are likely the only two with ly encounter blue sharks, basking sharks Sulikowski. Illegal, unreported, and stable populations. Of the eight shark T’S ONE OF THOSE DAYS on the setting sail, like Dr. James Sulikowski, part of his ongoing research. and spiny dogfish, while diners at coastal unregulated fishing is a global problem species found in the Gulf, the basking, coast of Maine—brilliant skies punc- might be going fishing, but few are “When people think of Maine,” said restaurants may recognize the two species for sharks. While shark-finning gets the mako, sand, thresher, and great white Ituated by a handful of arrestingly focused solely on a single poorly under- Sulikowski, “they don’t really think of most often landed commercially— air time, there are also concerns with sharks are listed as vulnerable on the white cumulus clouds that cast summer stood and oft-maligned yet wildly pop- sharks, but our waters are pretty sharky.” thresher and shortfin mako. The final commercial fishing, where shark bycatch IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. shadows upon a swath of open ocean. It’s ular group of marine animals. Most are Sulikowski is a professor at the Universi- three species are the porbeagle, sand tiger and secondary target catch threaten pop- The blue shark is listed as near threat- one of those days when being on a boat not fishing exclusively for sharks with ty of New England in Biddeford. Dubbed shark, and the great white shark. “These ulations of these highly migratory and ened. While the porbeagle and spiny is compulsory, at least that’s the likely the intent of tagging and releasing them “Dr. Shark” in the media, he has studied last three are the ones we are most con- remarkably vulnerable animals about dogfish are overall listed as vulnerable, narrative on the decks of many vessels in the name of science, something sharks worldwide. cerned about,” said Sulikowski. which we have so little data. their populations in our waters are con- heading out from harbors and coves Sulikowski has been doing from his base The Gulf of Maine is a sea within a Sharks are in trouble—that’s the “It’s pretty sad,” said Sulikowski sidered endangered. from Kittery to Lubec. Some of those on the Saco River for the past six years as sea, snugged up against northern New message from a bevy of conservation about the paucity of shark data. “The col- The reason so many sharks are listed GREAT WHITE SHARKS IN MAINE Davis, who was 13 at the time. “My harpoon broke its back remembered. Then he saw the shark fin. Harry harpooned and the shark leapt clean out of the water.” the shark and towed it into Rockport where he cut it open THE MOVIE JAWS came out in 1975 when I was a teenag- They took the dead shark, which was about 13 feet long, and found Basil in three pieces, she said. Goodridge sold er. Yes, I understood that the great white on the screen was to Hopkins Wharf on North Haven, where they cut it open, the shark meat to Yorkie’s Diner in Camden, which put it a mechanical model, and that real sharks do not behave like finding a couple of seals and a big halibut in its belly. They on the menu where it quickly sold out. Harry made pen- Peter Benchley’s fictional man-chasing monster. But that ate the meat, which tasted like swordfish, said Davis, who dants out of the teeth for his family. Carol still has hers. did not stop me from imagining all sorts of dire conse- now owns Stetson and Pinkham outboard engine repair in “It was a very sad and gruesome lesson for my father quences each time I jumped off the dock to go swimming Waldoboro. not to take a baby seal out with him in an open boat while in North Haven, Maine, where my family spent summers. Back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Penobscot Bay hunting for sharks,” she said. Especially because I had inside information. I knew fishermen often saw great white sharks. Some speculate that Soon afterward the Goodridge family adopted a young there really were great white sharks out there. My uncle, they were attracted by bloody chicken parts, dumped into seal that they named Andre—the subject of both a book Lincoln Davis, had harpooned one in the late 1950s just off the bay by the poultry plant in Belfast. and a movie. the Drunkard Ledge at the western entrance of the Fox Off Rockport in 1959 and 1960, then harbormaster As for me, I got over my Jaws-induced shark phobia Islands Thorofare. He was heading to Rockland on a boat Harry Goodridge harpooned several great whites, includ- quite a long time ago. Then word came during the last few with his father (my grandfather) when they saw the shark’s ing a 12-footer that had eaten his pet seal Basil. years that fishermen have once again been seeing great fin cutting through the flat calm water. Harry liked to go shark fishing on calm days when he whites along the Maine coast. A college classmate was actu- “The old man said ‘you go and harpoon it,’” recalled Photo by Jim Moore, courtesy the Goodridge family could see the fins more easily, recalled his daughter, Carol. ally bitten by one while swimming off a beach on Cape Cod An avid hunter and fisherman, he always had a harpoon (he survived). Harry Goodridge killed this great white shark and cut it open after with a bucket of line, just in case. One summer day Harry Biologists assure me the chances of being attacked while it ate his pet seal, Basil. His next seal, Andre, became famous in was fishing out by Robinson Rock, accompanied by Basil. swimming off a beach in Maine are slim and I believe them. Rockport, Maine, and elsewhere as the subject of books and a movie. He noticed blood on the water about the same time he real- So I will go back in the water and you should, too. Today, there is a statue of Andre near where this photo was taken. ized that Basil had gone swimming over the side, Carol Just be careful. —By Polly Saltonstall 28 MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS | BOAT SHOW ISSUE 2015 | Issue 136 EXPLORE the MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS DIGITAL edition @ www.maineboats.com 29 as vulnerable or threatened is because most share com- The other shark species commonly seen in restaurants and at the fish- mon life history and reproductive traits. While there are monger’s is the SHORTFIN MAKO. The shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus, exceptions, many sharks are slow to grow and slow to reach which means equal tail) reaches a maximum length of 13 feet and can weigh sexual maturity. Most have a lengthy gestation period and 1,200 pounds. In addition to target fisheries, mako sharks are often produce few offspring. This, combined with fishing pressure, harvested as bycatch in longline and driftnet fisheries (especially makes it difficult for sharks to maintain stable populations. tuna fisheries). This is one of the fastest, if not the fastest, sharks Growing to a reported maximum size of more than 49 feet, the BASKING known and is capable of bursts of speed over 30 mph. BASKING SHARK SHARK is the largest of the Gulf of Maine sharks and the second-largest living Cetorhinus maximus fish, behind the whale shark. Its scientific name, Cetorhinus maximus, translates ULIKOWSKI EXPRESSED the most concern for porbeagle, sand tiger, as something akin to “largest marine monster,” but Sulikowski said these mag- and white sharks in the gulf. Of these three, some of the most inter- S SHORTFIN MAKO nificent animals are far from monsters.
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