Oregon State University captures first-ever images of ship striking shark

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) – Hours after an endangered shark off the coast of Ireland was tagged with a FitBit-like device and a camera, researchers captured, what they believe, is the first-ever images of a shark being struck by a ship.

In April, researchers from Oregon State University, Stanford University and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group in County Kerry, Ireland, were studying the foraging habits of basking sharks and tagged a 22-foot-long female shark to monitor her behavior.

Several hours after the shark was tagged, video showed she made a quick, evasive movement before she was struck by a ship.

“This is the first ever direct observation of a ship strike on any marine megafauna that we’re aware of,” said Taylor Chapple, a shark researcher at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, and lead author of the study.

According to the researchers, the boat cut across the shark’s back near the dorsal fin — leading the shark to tumble in the water and head towards the seafloor.

“The shark was struck while feeding on the surface of the water and it immediately swam to the seafloor into deeper, offshore waters, a stark contrast to its behavior prior to the strike,” Chapple explained.

The video showed the boat injured the shark’s skin, which had paint marks and a red abrasion, however, the shark did not appear to have an open wound.

About seven hours after the strike, the shark never resumed feeding or other normal behavior while researchers were monitoring her.

The research team is not aware if the shark eventually recovered from the strike, noting the tag was designed to be released from the shark at a pre-determined time. They also note that vessel strikes are not always immediately lethal, but non-lethal injuries can have short- and long-term impacts.

According to OSU, basking sharks are the second-largest known fish and grow to more than 26 feet in length.

Basking sharks are listed as globally endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Ireland is among the only locations known around the world where they gather in large numbers.

The sharks feed at the water’s surface, similar to some whales, which increases their risk of boat strikes, however Chapple explained that unlike whales, basking sharks typically sink when they are killed, which makes it difficult for researchers to track mortality rates.

Basking sharks in Ireland were protected under the country’s Wildlife Act in 2022. Earlier in 2024, the Irish government established the nation’s first National Marine Park to protect 70,000 acres of land and sea on the County Kerry coast, OSU said.

After the park was established, researchers started conducting the previously planned study on basking shark foraging when they discovered the video of the strike.

The researches said these findings, which were published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science , show the need for measures to reduce the risk of vessel strikes.

“The fact that a shark we fitted our ‘Fitbit’ to was struck in this area within a few hours underlines just how vulnerable these animals are to boats and highlights the need for greater education in how to mitigate against such strikes,” said co-author Nicholas Payne, an assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Natural Sciences. “Basking sharks filter feed at the surface, like some whales, and this behavior makes them similarly susceptible to strikes.”

“This research raises additional questions about whether and how often the sharks are actually occupying such habitats when they are not clearly visible at the surface,” said Alexandra McInturf of OSU. “Given that Ireland is one of the only locations globally where basking sharks are still observed persistently, addressing such questions will be critical to informing not only our ecological understanding of the basking shark, but also the conservation of this globally endangered species.”

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