The Ocearch ship sits in Mayport ready for its departure. | Steven Ponson, Jacksonville Today
Published on November 27, 2023 at 4:31 pm
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A team from Ocearch, a nonprofit organization that conducts ocean research around the world, launched its latest expedition from Mayport on Monday to study white sharks as they migrate to waters off the southeastern U.S. for the winter.
This is the 46th expedition for the organization and the first to launch from Jacksonville in about six years, according to Ocearch.
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Paige Finney of Ocearch says the focus of the expedition will be on mature white sharks migrating into waters off the coast on their way to New England and eastern Canada.
“So what we’re trying to do is study some mature males and females during this time to understand what’s happening as they begin their winter residency, as they’re settling into a new area,” Finney said.
During the three-week expedition, the team will take muscle, fecal and blood samples to understand how the animals are interacting within the new waters. Finney said the first few days will be along the Northeast Florida coastline then the team will move to the north, where they will finish the expedition Dec. 15 in Morehead City, North Carolina.
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This type of research is important because white sharks are apex predators and they help to balance the ecosystem in the ocean, Finney said.
“The more we know about our white sharks, the more we can help with conservation and management efforts to make sure that they’re still doing well and still balancing the rest of the ecosystem,” Finney said.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, white sharks has been increasing in the northwest Atlantic Ocean since regulations were put in place to protect them in the 1990s. For instance, the practice of shark finning was banned in the Atlantic in 1993. That’s the process of removing a shark fin while at sea and returning the rest of its body back into the ocean.
More expeditions like this one could launch from Jacksonville in coming years. Ocearch plans it new global headquarters off State Road A1A in Mayport.
The new facility will focus on research, rescue and education efforts. The space will include an area where the public can learn more about sharks and how important they are to ocean life.
“A lot of people fear sharks, and it’s really just a lack in education of their importance to the ocean as a whole,” Finney said.
Other portions of the new headquarters will include a laboratory to study marine life, a dock for the Ocearch ship and basic housing for research and crew members of the ship. The project is fully funded, and groundbreaking is expected to begin in 2024.
