The Dorsal Fin

National Geographic just uploaded a promotional clip for their series “Shark Men.” The clip features the show’s team catching a juvenile white shark and preparing to bolt a SPOT (Smart Position or Temperature Transmitting) tag on the animal’s dorsal fin.

Grant Johnson recently uploaded this video, documenting the tagging of a large female bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), to his YouTube channel. The shark, which was tagged off of Bimini, was measured at 2.65m in length and was safely released unharmed after being measured and tagged, according to the video description.

It should go without saying that Johnson and the team involved in this tagging effort have a great deal of experience in field research involving sharks, so kids, don’t try this at home (or on your boat).

YouTube user GrantJohnsonMD has posted a video of a free-swimming great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) being tagged off of Bimini, Bahamas. The shark is described as a 12′ female and was tagged with a with a NMFS dart tag, which will help with research purposes to better understand the species, which is listed as “endangered” on the IUCN redlist.

The video description points out that the shark was tagged while free-swimming (as opposed to a catch and release tagging) in order to reduce stress on the animal. As can be seen in the video, the shark does not seem to be fazed by the tagging process. She remains in the area after being tagged and continues to show interest in the hang bait.

Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs posted two shark tagging videos to their YouTube Channel earlier today. The video above was shot in July 2010 and features Greg Skomal (Senior Biologist) and Dan McKernan (Assistant Director) of Massachusetts’ Division of Marine Fisheries discussing the tagging program, which last year yielded new information about Atlantic great white shark migration patterns.

At least 8 great white sharks were tagged in Massachusetts water this summer (2010). Researchers hope to gain more insight into habitat preferences and migratory patterns from the data that will be recorded as a result of this year’s shark tagging.

In addition to the white shark tagging video, MassEEA also posted a video seen above, which was filmed into 2005 documents the tagging of basking sharks in Cape Cod Bay. The video features some nice surface footage of multiple basking sharks in the bay.

Cananda’s Greenland Shark and Elasmobranch Education and Research Group (GEERG) recently posted a video featuring the successful tagging of a Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) to their YouTube channel. The tagging process seen in the video involves diving in 10 ºC (50 ºF) water with very little visibility, off of Baie-Comeau, Québec.

The Greenland shark is a coldwater species that can inhabit subarctic and arctic waters as cold as -2 ºC, according to Canadian Shark Research Laboratory. It is believed to be the only shark species that can inhabit these water. The average length of adult Greenland sharks is 11 to 16′ (3.5-5m), with the largest Greenland shark on record being measured at 21′ (6.4m). The species is also known to inhabit extreme depths.