Megamouth Sharks #271 and #272 sighted off San Diego, California.

 Two Megamouth Sharks (Megachasma pelagios) were sighted swimming at the surface, some thirty miles north-west of the coast of San Diego, California on Sunday morning.

Speaking in a TV interview, Andrew Chang, owner of the charter boat, said that he was out with some fishing clients when at around noon, they sighted two fins swimming slowly at the surface. The two sharks came close to the boat and it was here that they were positively IDed as Megamouth Sharks.

Video footage clearly identifies one of the sharks as a male. According to Mr. Chang,  one shark, probably the male, was slightly smaller than the other. They estimated the lengths as between 12 to 15 feet. The sharks stayed around for about ten minutes.

These two sharks are Megamouths #271 and #272  to be recorded in my database. This brings the total of Megamouths from the USA to 17.

Megamouth Shark #270

Another Megamouth Shark (Megachasma pelagios) was washed ashore in the Philippines. The discovery was made on the morning of 31st. July 2022 at Mambajao, Camiguin. 

According to the provincial fisheries officer on site, they found no wounds on the shark and the cause of death is unknown.

From the video footage the sex of the shark can be identified as a male, but no indications of size or weight are available. This is the 31 specimen known from the Philippines.

Megamouth Shark #269

Megachasma pelagios, better known as Megamouth Shark, is a species of shark that is considered rare to find. However, over the past few years, the number of records of sightings or catches, have indicated that these elusive sharks are more common in Asia than anywhere else in the world.

A new report of a Megamouth Shark found washed ashore dead brings the total of documented sharks to #269. This shark washed ashore in the coastal village of Bagacay in Gubat, Sorsogon, Philippines on Saturday, June 11.

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) the est 15ft (4.5mtrs) shark was discovered at 10 am by local fisherfolk. Although not officially confirmed, photos do show that the shark is an adult female.


A spokesman for BFAR stated that the cause of death is still being investigated and that the shark will be preserved and later put on display in the museum.


This is the 30th specimen recorded in the Philippines, placing them as the second highest country behind Taiwan who leads the list with a massive 157 records. Japan follows in third with 29 records. These three countries total 216 records. The other 15 countries on record total 53 specimens.


A full detailed list can be found here.

E.U. Citizens' Initiative to Protect Sharks: Final Count.

For the past two years, the Stop Finning - EU Organization has been collection signatures of support for the EU Citizens' Initiative to strengthen the EU's shark Finning laws.  The support period has now closed and here are now the final results.

As most of you know, in my last update of the 13th. January I stated that only seven countries had reached their quota target and only 542000 out of the 1,000000 signatures have been collected. 

I am glad to report that in the last two weeks, there has been a huge response and the final results read as follows:

17 countries have reached their quota: Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Malta, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Czechia, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain.
A total of 1,202,122 signatures collected.

 Austria 229.63%

Belgium 119.52% 

Bulgaria 15.78% 

Croatia 117.26% 

Cyprus 20.15% 

Czechia 106.67% 

Denmark 113.83% 

Estonia 34.58% 

Finland 114.05% 

France 592.08%

Germany 685.31%

Greece 112.61% 

Hungary 152.09%

Ireland 112.67% 

Italy 128.94% 

Latvia 16.78% 

Lithuania 11.95% 

Luxembourg 104.97% 

Malta 113.32%

Netherlands 124.33% 

Poland 21.71% 

Portugal 149.17%

Romania 15.55% 

Slovakia 82.05% 

Slovenia 57.51% 

Spain 151.04%

Sweden 64.75% 

I want to thank each and everyone that signed up, for their support and look forward to next step... the presentation of this initiative to the EU. 

My thanks also goes to Nils Kluger and Alexander Hendrik Cornelissen who initiated this campaign.

Thank you.

Update on the E.U. Citizens' Initiative to Protect Sharks.

In January of 2020, The Stop Finning - EU Organization initiated the EU Citizens' Initiative to strengthen the EU's shark Finning laws. 

Although the removal of fins on board of EU vessels and in EU waters is prohibited and sharks must be landed with their fins naturally attached, the EU is among the biggest exporters of fins and a major transit hub for the global fin trade. EU is a major player in the exploitation of sharks and as inspections at sea are scarce fins are still illegally retained, transhipped, or landed in EU. 

The aim is to end the trade of fins in the EU including the import, export and transit of fins other than if naturally attached to the animal’s body. As finning prevents effective shark conservation measures, the organization is requesting to extend REGULATION (EU) No 605/2013 also to the trade of fins and therefore ask the commission to develop a new regulation, extending “fins naturally attached” to all trading of sharks and rays in the EU. 

To be successful, the EU Citizens' Initiative needs reach the following targets:

i) To collect a total of One Million signatures of support from EU member states.
ii) At least Seven (7) countries must reach a threshold of signatures equal to 1% of its population. 

The seven country target has been reached but so far, only 542000 out of the 1,000000 signatures have been collected and the closing date in the end of this month.

 
Whilst Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Malta, Portugal and Spain have reached and passed their threshold, these 20 other nations are still below the target.

Belgium 70.76% 

Bulgaria 10.32% 

Croatia 54.64% 

Cyprus 13.16% 

Czechia 49.46% 

Denmark 52.01% 

Estonia 26.79% 

Finland 46.76% 

Greece 52.77% 

Ireland 72.7% 

Italy 87.02% 

Latvia 7.01% 

Lithuania 8% 

Luxembourg 43.92% 

Netherlands 83.6% 

Poland 13.02% 

Romania 11.61% 

Slovakia 50.78% 

Slovenia 47.27% 

Sweden 39.83% 

 We are in the final stretch so please do your best to spread the word and get your friends to support this great cause.

SHARKS NEED YOU NOW!

Thank you.