VOLUME 2 JULY/AUGUST
2024
GULF OF MEXICO SHARK LORE AND LAW A shark is not a simple thing. Shark law is no less complex. Sharks can be defined broadly as any member of the elasmobranchii subclass of cartilaginous fish. The description isn’t too useful for the casual shark fan as it includes fish that most of us do not think of as sharks – such as rays and skates. All of these creatures have cartilage, rather than bones, and all have teeth, most of them pointy. Thus, some things we think we know about sharks are untrue, and some things about sharks are unknown. This article will explain some of both, focusing on sharks in the Gulf of Mexico. Some Shark Facts One widely held untruth is that all sharks have to swim constantly to breathe. While most do, some do not. For example, the Atlantic angel shark (Squatina dumeril) buries itself to catch prey. To correct another untruth – not all sharks are solitary; some swim in schools. And if you think of sharks as having big pointy teeth, you’re not thinking about the dusky smoothhound shark (Mustelus canis) whose blunt teeth grind its food. Speaking of teeth, it is true that you are much more likely to be bitten by a shark if you go near a shark (such as trying to feed one, or removing one from a fishing line) than if you’re swimming or surfing. But it is also true that you are much more likely to die from a hospital infection (1 in 38 chance during your lifetime) compared to dying from a shark bite (1 in 4,332,817).1 Notably, although things are bigger in Texas, the sharks in Texas are less bite-y, at least compared to Florida which has 44% of America’s unprovoked shark bites and 23% of the world’s.2 Texas reported zero shark bites in 2023, but 2024 is Dusky smoothhound shark. Credit: NOAA. a different story. Shark on shark violence may fall into the unknown category. For example, scientists can identify the gender of mature blue sharks (Prionace glauca) by the scarred bite marks on the backs of females. It is believed the males bite the females to indicate interest. Not unlike females of other species, blue shark females develop thick skins – about three times thicker than males.3 1 Florida Museum of Natural History, International Shark Attack File. 2 Florida Museum of Natural History, Yearly Worldwide Shark Attack Summary (2023). Florida’s shoreline (1,350 miles) is the longest in the lower 48 states, with California’s being shorter by more than 500 miles. 3 Sharks of the World, p. 523 (1984).