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      1. Priority Species

Pelagic sharks

Great white shark (<i>Carcharodon carcharias</i>.

King of the open water

Pelagic or oceanic sharks live in the open waters of the seas and oceans. They include the largest of all fish. They inhabit temperate and tropical waters and many are migratory.

All sharks are predators. In many cases they are at the apex of their food chains and are therefore an important indicator species for marine ecosystems as a whole.

Key Facts

  • length

    up to 12m

  • weight

    up to 12,000 kg

  • speed

    can reach 30-40 mph

  • leaping

    can leap up to 9m above the surface

Did you know?

  • Blue sharks are found off the coast of every continent except Antarctica.
  • The whale shark is the largest of all fish and can grow up to 12m long and weigh up to 12,000kg. However, although its jaws can be over 1m in width, it is armed with the tiniest of teeth.
  • The fastest shark is the shortfin mako shark which can reach speeds of 30-40mph. It can also leap up to 9m above the surface of the water.
  • The megamouth shark is the rarest and most mysterious pelagic shark species. It was only discovered in 1976, and has only been seen 41 times since.
  • The tiger shark is known as the 'dustbin' of the oceans and is famous for devouring anything it comes across, regardless of nutritional value. This might include licence plates, tyres or even a suit of armour!
  • Porbeagle sharks are unique in that they have been known to play tag with other porbeagles, pass seaweed to each other, and toss driftwood out of the water in a manner similar to dolphins.
  • Most oceanic sharks must keep swimming forwards to force seawater through their open mouths and over their gills to breathe - otherwise they would suffocate.

Related links

More information

Food chain

Pelagic sharks feed on:
  • Fish
  • Dolphins and porpoises
  • Sea turtles
  • Birds
  • Pinnipeds
  • Cephalopods
  • Crustaceans
  • Plankton (whale shark, basking shark & megamouth)
Predators of pelagic sharks include:
  • Humans

Fast, efficient predators under threat

Diet

Many pelagic sharks are the top predators in their range, and have few natural predators when fully grown. Pelagic sharks are carnivorous and eat fish, including other sharks on occasion, turtles, seals and penguins. However, the 3 largest species of pelagic shark - the whale shark, the basking shark and the megamouth shark are all filter feeders and eat mainly plankton.

Reproduction
Most pelagic sharks are viviparous - the eggs are fertilized inside the female's body, and live 'pups' are hatched. Reproduction rates are very low, with as few as 2-3 pups born every 13 months or so in some species. Pelagic sharks are slow to reach maturity, often taking as long as 10 years or more.

Threats
Because sharks do not reproduce as fast as other fish, their numbers can easily be reduced by overfishing. Pelagic sharks are caught in longline pelagic fisheries for tuna and swordfish. There is insufficient data on many of the species of pelagic sharks caught as bycatch, as they are often discarded by fisheries. Pelagic shark populations are also threatened by demand for shark fin soup, where the fin is removed and the remainder of the body again discarded.

It is estimated that over 100 million sharks are killed annually, with around 10 million of those being blue sharks killed for their fins only.

Priority Species

Pelagic sharks are a WWF priority species. WWF treats priority species as one of the most ecologically, economically and/or culturally important species on our planet. And so we are working to ensure such species can live and thrive in their natural habitats.

What is WWF doing?

  • WWF promotes smart fishing to reduce bycatch and the unnecessary annual loss of millions of fish. It argues for fishing bans in areas where stocks have been seriously depleted, or in areas which are nursing grounds for significant species. It also holds an annual Smart Gear Competition designed to encourage the introduction of efficient and innovative fishing gear.
  • In many areas, the economic value of shark meat and products is less than could be earned from a living shark ecotourism enterprise. WWF works with local communities to develop ecotourism projects centred around pelagic sharks including whale sharks.

Sharks under threat

Examples of pelagic shark species include:

  • Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)
    Status: vulnerable
  • Blue shark (Prionace glauca)
    Status: lower risk/near threatened
  • Longfin mako shark (Isurus paucus)
    Status: vulnerable
  • Shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus)
    Status: lower risk/near threatened
  • Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
    Status: vulnerable
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)
    Status: vulnerable
  • Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
    Status: lower risk/near threatened
  • Megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios)
    Status: data deficient
  • Porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus)
    Status: vulnerable
  • Thresher shark (Alopias vulpinus)
    Status: data deficient

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