– It is both spectacular and we are quite scared. It is very stressful, because there are great forces at work, marine researcher Keno Ferter says enthusiastically. Together with Otto Bjelland and the other colleagues in the Institute of Marine Research, they have been on a shark trip far out to sea outside Vesterålen. And the catch was nothing to be trifled with: In one week, four osprey weighing over 100 kilograms were caught, tagged and released. Sharks look terrifying, but luckily humans are not part of the shark’s menu. Photo: Havforskningsinstituttet The road there has been a rollercoaster of emotions, says Ferter. – First we have to find the shark. This time we got a tip from a fishing company that had observed a shark. The bait must then be prepared. And it’s not trifles either. – We use whole pollock or mackerel of one to two kilos as bait. And instead of ordinary fishing line, we use metal ropes to prevent the shark from biting. Then just drop the line and wait. Fixes satellite tag in the dorsal fin Suddenly the pole jerks. – Getting a pacifier is a very special feeling. The line is stuck in the sea, continues Ferter. Marine researchers Keno Ferter and Otto Bjelland at the Institute of Marine Research are working on mapping shark movements in Norwegian waters in the project Sharks on the move. Photo: Pål Kristian Lindseth / news Now begins the most difficult – and scariest – phase. – First you have to string in a shark weighing over 100 kilos. The fish must then be calmed down. Then we put a rope around the belly and tail fin of the shark. Then you have to be extremely concentrated, says Ferter. A tracking mark is then attached to the cartilage of the dorsal fin. When that is done, the satellite tag is put on. This sends the position to the shark, as long as the fin is above water. The satellite tag is affixed to the dorsal fin of the gerbil. This sends the position of the shark when the fin is above water, so that the researchers can follow the movements. Photo: Havforskningsinstituttet – The marking must take place as quickly as possible. We do not want damage to either people or fish. The operation we are doing can be dangerous. Finally, the beast can finally be unleashed. – It’s a fantastic feeling when the marking is done and we can release the shark. Then you will be very relieved. Afterwards, the researchers can monitor how fast and how far the shark swims. – They swim extremely long distances in just a few days. One shark has swum 600-700 kilometers. It has followed the coast south down to Frøya, and then swam west in the direction of Shetland, says Ferter. The tags were placed on the shark outside Vesterålen. The researchers were then able to follow its journey south along the coast, before it headed west. Photo: The Institute of Marine Research – Not dangerous for humans The sharks, which are of the species of the white shark, are very similar to both the mackerel shark and the great white shark. – They look very much like a white shark, and we call it the “great white shark’s cousin”. The great white shark is the ocean’s top predator and can also attack humans. But the sea urchin in Norwegian waters is essentially harmless to humans. Photo: Geoff Spiby / national / NATIONAL PICTURES/MAXPPP But unlike the great white shark, the white shark is not known to attack humans. – It rarely goes into shallow water, and mainly eats fish such as pollock, mackerel, herring and coalfish. “Shark phone” went hot Earlier this summer, the Institute of Marine Research launched a phone – a “shark hotline” – that people could call in sightings. That way, the researchers could set out on a shark trip, hoping to tag more fish. – The shark phone went beyond all expectations. The entire coastal community was involved in a large shark hunt. At times the shark phone rang all at once, laughs Ferter. The hawthorn is usually 2–3 meters and can normally weigh between 150 and 200 kilos. It is about half the size of the great white shark. Photo: Marine Research Institute – Thanks to the shark phone, we were able to tag ten fish before the summer holidays, he adds. And the shark hotline is still open – and scientists still want people to use it to report shark sightings. – We want that because it is important. There is too little knowledge about trawls and drifts in Norwegian waters, concludes Ferter.
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Fishing the great white shark’s cousin, the white shark, with a rod outside Vesterålen – news Nordland
