The University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) Whale Shark Sighting Survey is still collecting data on whale shark distribution in the northern Gulf of Mexico. This data is vital to supporting directed tagging research in conjunction with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. If you encounter a whale shark, please participate in GCRL’s ONLINE WHALE SHARK SIGHTINGS SURVEY. Submitting reports in the same day as the sighting, will allow researcher to direct tagging crews to the most probable location of whale shark encounters.
To Report a Sighting:
Please complete the [B]ONLINE survey at [/B][B]Whale Shark Research in the Northern Gulf of Mexico - Gulf Coast Research Laboratory[/B]
Email: whalesharksurvey at gmail dot com or call 228-872-4257
Information that is helpful to us includes:
[ul]
[li]Time and duration of encounter[/li][li]Location (GPS coordinates)[/li][li]Approximate size and number of sharks[/li][li]Observed behavior[/li][li]Associated species[/li][li]Photos/video – Please try to obtain footage of the LEFT side of the shark covering the area from the gills to the dorsal fin[/li][li]Any other distinguishing features (i.e. numbered marker tags located behind the dorsal fin—please notate number)[/li][/ul]
Your participation in this research is greatly appreciated and vital to a better understanding of whale shark movements and habitat use in the Gulf of Mexico. Thank you.