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.

CNN ran a feature this morning on about the effects of the oil spill on sharks. The video feature itself focuses on Neil Hammerschlag‘s tagging of sharks touches on the potential effects that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico could have on shark populations there. Hammerschlag also points out that a hammerhead shark he had been tracking via a satellite tag stopped transmitting data right around the time of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, although Hammerschlag went on to say that a number of factors could have contributing to the termination of the data being transmitted. Hammerschlag’s research teams hopes to gather information from the tagged sharks with regard to whether or not they will be swimming through water contaminated with oil from the spill. You can read the full article at CNN.com.

KQED aired the educational/information themed video “Great White Shark: The Man in the Gray Suit” back in April of this year. For a downloadable HD version of the video and more information, please visit the Quest website.

The video includes footage of white sharks at both the Farallon Islands and Isla de Guadalupe (although Guadalupe is never mentioned by name). The feature touches on topics including shark attacks and the “mistaken identity” theory, shark finning, migration patterns, shark behavior, and tagging programs.

Thanks to The Best Shark Dive in the World! blog for the heads-up on this video!

The incident involved with the shark at the Farallones, in which a portion of the hook was left in the white shark’s throat, is sure to draw criticism from those who believe this technique is too invasive and harmful to the sharks involved. The incident also lends support Peter Klimley’s remarks that the costs might outweigh the benefits of this technique.

What jumped out at me the most, while watching this feature, was the fact that when the technique was first covered by Outdoor Magazine in the article Great White!, the article stated, “While it’s fishing in every sense of the word, it’s imperative that the sharks are released into the sea unharmed and unstressed.” Domeier’s comments in the ABC-7 report indicate that stressing the shark is an important aspect of the technique. However, the statement in the Outdoor Magazine article is not directly attributed to anybody involved in the research, so it might have been an error on the part of the author, John Burgman.

I have little doubt that Domeier has good intentions with this tagging program, and that the goal of the program is to gain more knowledge of the species, by doing multi-year tracking (which Domeier says is not possible with the harpooning method), in order to help protect white sharks. Domeier has a long-standing track record of white shark research, which can’t be ignored. However, I have a feeling that those who are critical of the technique will be put off by Domeier’s demeanor and perceived attitude displayed in the interview clips featured in the ABC-7 report (which may have been a result of clever editing, for all I know). In addition, the photo of the team apparently in a gung ho cheer after landing one of the white sharks at Guadalupe island probably won’t sit well with critics, either.

For more commentary on the subject, check out Shark Diver’s Underwater Thrills post and Pete Thomas’ post at the LA Times Blog, which features a response from Dr. Domeier in the comments section.

For more information about the Mighty Maxine campaign visit AfriOceans Conservation Alliance, where you can download a PDF of the Africa Geographic article and sign the petition to help protect multiple shark species.