Megamouth Shark Page Blocked!

Attention all readers. 

 Unfortunately, my MEGAMOUTH SHARK page has been blocked by Blogger due to an alleged policy violation. 

 This page is a long-term scientific and educational database documenting all known Megamouth shark records worldwide. I am currently appealing the decision and requesting a manual review, as I believe this is a mistake or an automated action. 

I will update everyone as soon as I receive more information. 

 Thank you for your support and patience.

UPDATE: 
Blogger have upheld my appeal and the page is fully restored and back on line. 😀🦈

300th. Megamouth Shark found dead in Peru.

 Reports just in that a partially decomposed Megamouth Shark (Megachasma pelagios) was discovered on a deserted beach between  Playa Gaviotas and Yacila, Piura region of Northern Peru, on Wednesday 17th December. Researchers measured the shark at 447cm. 

This is the 300th record of Megamouth sharks since they were first discovered in 1976. It is also the 13th specimen from Peru and the second one in 4 weeks. In November 2025, another Megamouth was discovered in the same region and  local fishermen “filleted the specimen for sudado and ceviche”, two traditional dishes in the country.

More info about all the 300 Megamouth Sharks can be found at Sharkman's world/ Megamouth Shark

Megamouth shark #295

 On Wednesday 29th. January 2025, a Megamouth Shark (Megachasma pelagios) from Tsushimashi, Nagasaki prefecture, Japan. Photos show a Female of circa 500cm. Report says the shark was found caught in net and released alive. 

                                         

Whilst being the first from this area, this is the 31st record for Japan. This brings the total of Megamouths known to 295 since their first discovery in 1976 in Hawaii. 

My thanks to Numaguchi Asako for the report.

 Full details of all records can be seen at https://www.sharkmans-world.org/The-Megamouth-Shark/

UPDATE
30th Jan. 2025.  Although the Shark was released, it was found dead in the bay the next day. Nagasaki University recovered the shark for further study. Video link https://youtu.be/bUNZkEQuu7c

The Sharkman meets Chi-Ju Yu (a.k.a. Debbie)

 

My shark research shows that Taiwan has the highest amount of Megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios) records. This is thanks to the complete catch and report system introduced in 2013.  Due to this, in 2020, the Fisheries Agency and the Council of Agriculture (FACOA) issued a directive prohibiting the capture of Great White sharks (Carcharodon carcharias), Basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) and Megamouth sharks. (see here). One scientific researcher and friend, involved in collecting and recording such data is Chi-Ju Yu (a.k.a. Debbie).

Click here to read an interview I have just had with Debbie. 

More Megamouth Sharks reported.

 A few days ago, this video clip showing a snorkeler swimming with a Megamouth Shark was released on the web and made News worldwide.

On further investigation I found out that this news bit was only the tip of the ice berg. The story started towards the last week of May, when Bethany Smith travelled from UK to Taiwan, in search of the elusive Megachasma pelagios  (Megamouth Shark). In Taiwan, Bethany met with Shark researcher Chi-Ju Yu (Debbie) and Underwater Videographer Zola Chen. Together they joined two local fishermen on their boats, with the hope that they can find and tag a Megamouth Shark.

In the first five trips spread over a two week period, they had no Megamouths. On the 3rd. of June, their luck changed and they had two sharks in the nets. The first was a female of approx. 4m and the second was a male of around 3.5m. Debbie and the fisherman quickly tagged and released both sharks as Zola filmed the moment.

Four days later, on the 7th. of June, Bethany was joined by Zola on her last trip, While the nets were being pulled up, a huge 5m female was found. The two went into the water to release the shark. This was the moment captured in the above video by Zola. It is believed that this Megamouth Shark was again caught in the nets a few minutes later and released again! 

For someone who was hoping to find 1 shark, Bethany, Debbie & Zola discovered and helped save 3 Megamouths within 4 days of the 3 week adventure.

And that is not all!

Whilst researching the above, I found out that sometime during May, another 5 Megamouths were tagged and released by the Fisheries Research Institute (FRI).  Data about these sharks is currently withheld.

This brings the total number of recorded Megamouths to 294, of which 166 are from Taiwan.

It is worth remembering that in November 2020, the Taiwanese authorities enacted laws that totally protect the Megamouth Shark. The restrictions require that all Megamouths caught in Taiwanese waters are to be returned to the sea, regardless of whether or not they are alive when caught. Fishing operators must report any catches to authorities on returning to port.

More megamouth sharks records discovered.

 Following the discovery of the mama Megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios) last week (read here), more records have been recovered. Mama Megamouth was at first reported as being specimen #279 has now been renumbered to #284.

During research I was doing following the three strandings in the Philippines last week, data was passed on to me about another 4 records from the Philippines that i was not aware of. These 4 records were from April 2013, June 2015, November 2020 and July 2021. I also discovered a second stranding in South Africa in November 2009.

South Africa in November 2009.

As more records of catches and strandings are reported, the need for protection for this species becomes nore urgent.

Stranded Megamouth Shark was about to give birth.

  14th. November 2023.

I have just received news and photos of a Megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios) that was found dead stranded on a beach in  Barangay Ipil, Dipaculao Aurora, Philippines. This female Megamouth was pregnant and was giving birth In fact, one pup was discovered next to her another 6 pups were discovered inside her.

As details are still coming in, this is already a huge discovery as it will give us more data especially about birth sizes and breeding grounds.

This is the third Megamouth Shark found within a week in the Philippines. The two other discoveries were reported from Negros and Hinunangan, all sharks were dead. This brings the total of known records to 279.

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.

Conservation Measures Give Positive Results.

Over the years that I have been involved in Shark conservation, I always insisted that no matter how small the measures achieved, they do leave positive results. Some might say that protecting a shark species in one area, does nothing as that shark might easily be caught some place else. Whilst that could be true, it also adds to the urgency to protect endangered species in as many places as possible.

Since the discovery of the Megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios) was made in Hawaii in 1976, I have been keeping records of all known specimens caught or encountered around the world. This is not an easy task as I know that not all catches get to be reported especially those from the Asian continent.... but thank God, things are changing.

Up until I write this, the list of known Megamouths stands at 246. Of these, only 28 sharks survived the encounter and swam happily away. The other 218 ended up either consumed, buried or put on display is some museum. You can find my full list here.

The country with the highest number of Megamouth catches is Taiwan. They are responsible for 152 catches out of which, only 4 were released alive. That is a shocking 61% of all known specimens. It was for this reason that EAST(Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan) and Ocean Conservation and Fishery Sustainability Foundation (TOFF)  last year launched a campaign to put pressure on the government (fishery agency) to protect the Megamouth Shark. They also joined forces with fisheries to promote the catch and release initiative to facilitate the tagging of megamouth sharks for scientific research, with support from the Carrefour Foundation.


This campaign also got the support of other international entities, including Sharkman's World, that wrote to the Taiwanese government backing requests for stringent regulations to protect these endangered sharks.


Finally on November 10th. 2020, the Taiwanese authorities enacted laws that totally protect the Megamouth Shark. The restrictions require that all Megamouths caught in Taiwanese waters are to be returned to the sea, regardless of whether or not they are alive when caught. Fishing operators must report any catches to authorities on returning to port.


This conservation measure had positive results when two days ago, a Hualien-registered vessel caught a shark in their gill nets whilst fishing 2.77 nautical miles off the coast. The boat captain immediately ordered his crew to release the shark as soon as possible. The operation to untangle the shark lasted around 90 minutes and finally the estimated 4m female megamouth shark was set free. A crew member managed to film the release.


After being informed of the news, Carrefour Foundation CEO Marilyn Su pledged to donate a NT $5,000 voucher to the captain of the vessel as a reward for their actions. Deputy Chief Executive Yu-Min Chen donated several cases of drinks to the fishermen to celebrate the release, praising the crew for their conservation efforts.

I hope that these new regulations will remain properly enforced.

My thanks to EAST for the translation of the reports. Great work from all those involved.

The Megamouth Shark

It was nearly 36 years ago that the first recorded specimen of a very strange Shark was discovered. This accidental discovery was  not done by a fishing vessel but by a U.S. Navy Ship!

On the 15th of November 1976, a U.S. Navy Ship had orders to search and recover lost "Dummy" Torpedoes. They were approx. 25 miles off the coast Oahu, Hawaii where their chute like drift anchor was being towed. Suddenly something huge caused it to drag down. On reeling it up back to the ship, the crew were amazed to find a huge fish, entangled in a deep-water net.

With a mouth measuring 1 metre wide at the tip of a 4.5 metres long brownish coloured flabby body, it was soon realised that nobody had ever seen this species before!! It took about 7 years before this species was identified and named as Megachasma pelagios, or as it is better known, the Megamouth Shark. That specimen can still be seen on display at the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in Honolulu.

Eight years had to pass before another specimen was captured and this happened in California. Since then, a total 53 Megamouths have been recorded. The majority of these sharks ended up either consumed or dumped. About 15 specimens are on display in various museums around the World. Only 6 Megamouths were released alive. 2 of the records are reports of sharks that were sighted. Most of the captures, 14, have occurred in Japan.

Megamouth locations

Forming part of the Order of Lamniformes, The Megamouth is a filter feeder like the Basking  and Whale Sharks. This species is wide-ranging with captures and sightings reported from the Indian, the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. Quite a few of the recorded sizes exceed 5m in length with the largest being 5.7m (approx.18 feet). A Megamouth sighted off Dana Point, California, was estimated to be between 6.1m to 7.6m., but this cannot be taken as an exact measure. The smallest one was found washed ashore on a beach in Indonesia and it was a 1.77m juvenile male.

Megamouth #6 being released.

Dana point was also the location of Megamouth # 6, which was tagged and released. This shark was tracked for two days and whilst during the day it dove down to a depth of 150m, at dusk it would rise to 15m.
Along with Dr. Henry F. Mollet, I have been keeping records of every Megamouth captured or sighted. We know that there could be others that do not get reported. Details and photos of all 53 specimens can be found on my website at

Sharkman's World.