.png)
Research
The foundation of the Atlantic Shark Institute is to conduct high quality shark research to answer the most pressing questions in the interest of sharks and their long term sustainability.
-
Driving elements behind that philosophy include:
-
To be the unifier of the best and most collaborative shark research anywhere in the world
-
To partner with only the highest quality scientists and organizations
-
To leverage the expertise of our Research Advisory Board to make the right funding decisions at the right time
-
To clearly define goals, timeframes, and tangible outcomes for each project
-
To move quickly and decisively when warranted
-
To limit complexity and bureaucracy
-
To be transparent to scientists, supporters, and donors
-
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS
The geographic focus of the Atlantic Shark Institute is the Atlantic Ocean from Canadian waters to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. We also support research in Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, the Azores and the Bay of Fundy.
Projects
White Shark Study - Young-Of-The-Year (YOY) and Juvenile
(IUCN Red List Global Status - Vulnerable)
The Atlantic Shark Institute, Dr. Conor McManus (NOAA) and Dr. Greg Skomal from the MA Division of Marine Fisheries are collaborating on this five-year study of juvenile and YOY white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in Southern New England. We will be using a variety of tagging, sampling and animal-borne imaging technologies and methods to quantify the broad and fine-scale movements of these sharks, feeding ecology, behavior as well as stable isotope analysis of tissue samples. We will also integrate data from RI's extensive acoustic receiver array which includes more than 40 receivers. The Atlantic Shark Institute is a Principal Investigator (PI) on this study and is supplying direct support with different tag technologies, acoustic receivers, research vessels and more.
Shortfin Mako Shark Study - Migration/Distribution Study
The shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) is a prohibited species here in the northwest Atlantic and is considered endangered worldwide by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The IUCN assessment found that the shortfin mako shark has a declining population worldwide, and here in the US it is considered overfished, with a management plan to restore stocks to healthy levels that may take more than 50 years.
Due to their particular life history characteristics and status as overfished, shortfin mako sharks received protective status from fishing and landing in the United States in 2022. While they remain under protective status, information about their effective population size and broad-scale and fine-scale migration patterns require further study and understanding. This study is utilizing 10-year acoustic tags to track these sharks along the eastern seaboard and we are using modeling methodologies to create an updated assessment of this prohibited species. With more than 50 shortfin mako sharks tagged with acoustic transmitters to date, the data set is significant and growing as more sharks are captured, tagged and released.
The study is being lead by Dr. Conor McManus (NOAA) and the Atlantic Shark Institute. This study began in 2021 and is expected to last until at least 2030.
​
Mako photo ©Isaias Cruz
Porbeagle Reproduction & Migration Study (IUCN Red List Global Status – Vulnerable)
The Atlantic Shark Institute and Oregon State University are collaborating on a groundbreaking study to better understand the reproductive biology and movement patterns of porbeagle sharks (Lamna nasus) in the Northwest Atlantic. This research integrates hormone analysis and ultrasound imaging to assess reproductive state, alongside both traditional and cutting-edge satellite tracking technologies. The goal is to identify critical habitats and migration routes used by pregnant females and young-of-the-year porbeagles. By connecting these two vulnerable life stages, this study will provide essential insights into the species’ life history and inform conservation strategies for one of the ocean’s most threatened sharks. This study is being led by Kirsty Ballard, PhD student in the Sulikowski Big Fish Lab at Oregon State University, under the supervision of Dr. James Sulikowski with funding, support and collaboration with the Atlantic Shark Institute.
The Form and Function of Feeding in Pelagic Sharks
This study is being led by Dr. Joshua Moyer to document how sharks, including the blue shark (IUCN status: Near Threatened) and mako shark (IUCN status: Endangered), use their jaws and teeth to capture and ingest food. Josh earned his Masters of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University where he published on the anatomy and evolution of shark teeth and jaws. Josh completed his PhD at the University of Massachusetts Amherst studying the functional morphology and kinematics of feeding in modern sharks. Using high-speed videography of feeding sharks in the field, Josh and the Atlantic Shark Institute will compare the bite kinematics of large, open ocean sharks to those of previously studied shark species with different ecologies.
Sand Tiger Study - Genome Sequencing & Population Genetics
The sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) is found in discrete populations throughout the world, including along the eastern seaboard of the United States. Due to their particular life history characteristics (e.g. slow to mature, low lifetime reproductive potential), sand tiger sharks received protective status from fishing and landing in the United States in 1999 and designated them as a Species of Concern in 2004. While sand tiger sharks remain under protective status, information about their effective population sizes to assess the status of this species remains unavailable. The goal of this study is to create the first linkage map available for any elasmobranch utilizing whole genome sequencing. Genomic information from this study will then be used to assess the genetic population structure of this species, thereby providing valuable information for proper management of this species. Project leads on this study include Dr. Kady Lyons - California State University - Long Beach, Dr. Jen Wyffels - Ripley’s Aquariums and Dr. Dave Portnoy - Texas A&M Corpus Christi. The Atlantic Shark Institute’s role as a partner in this study will be to capture these sharks while in Southern New England waters, take tissue samples, document their size, sex, and location and release them. This study is expected to last several years beginning in 2025.
Sand Tiger Shark Study - Movement Ecology, Migration Patterns, Residency and Habitat Use
The sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) is found in discrete populations throughout the world, including along the eastern seaboard of the United States. Due to their life history characteristics (e.g. slow to mature, low lifetime reproductive potential), sand tiger sharks were prohibited from retention and designated a Species of Concern in by NOAA Fisheries in 1997. The current status of the sand tiger population on the east coast of the US remains unknown. Moreover, recent work has shown that there is very high potential for the distribution of this species to shift as a result of climate change. Clearly, a better understanding of the regional distribution and movements of this species is warranted. The goal of this study is to use a variety of tagging technologies to study the movement ecology of the sand tiger shark, including seasonal migration patterns, regional residency, and the environmental drivers of habitat use. Data from this work will be made available for improving the science that is used to inform management measures and ensure species sustainability. Project leads on this study include the Atlantic Shark Institute and Dr. Greg Skomal from the MA Division of Marine Fisheries. The Atlantic Shark Institute’s role includes the capture, tagging, and release of these sharks while in Southern New England waters, including tissue samples, size, sex, and location. This study is expected to last several years beginning in 2025.
Blacktip and Spinner Sharks - Migration/Distribution Study
With declining populations worldwide, blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus) and spinner (Carcharhinus brevipinna) sharks are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Although blacktip sharks are sustainably fished off the US East Coast, less is known about the status of spinner sharks in this region.
One of the confounding factors between these species is that they look incredibly similar to one another and are often misidentified. As a result, there is confusion about how they are distributed at any given time during their migrations along the US East Coast from Florida to Southern New England. Knowing the difference between blacktip and spinner shark movements is critical to ensure they are managed properly by fisheries management agencies. This research will help to differentiate spinner sharks from blacktip sharks and directly compare the seasonal distributions of these two populations off the US East Coast and to determine what environmental conditions drive their movements. Using various tagging technologies at strategic locations along their annual migration routes, this project includes the capture, tag and release of both of these species.
This study is being led by Dr. Beth Bowers at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in collaboration with the Atlantic Shark Institute, Florida State University, Florida Atlantic University, South Fork Natural History Museum, Stony Brook University, and others. The research will be shared in peer-reviewed publications, workshops, and community collaborations to promote informed, evidence-based shark conservation and management throughout the region.
Sandbar Shark Study - Movement, Genetics and Population
The sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus) is a prohibited species here in the northwest Atlantic and is considered endangered worldwide by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The IUCN assessment found that the sandbar shark has a declining population worldwide and here in the US, it is considered overfished, with a management plan to restore stocks by the year 2070.
Due to their particular life history characteristics and status as overfished, sandbar sharks received protective status from fishing and landing in the United States in 2009. While sandbar sharks remain under protective status, information about their effective population size and broad-scale and fine-scale migration patterns require further study and understanding. This study will use a variety of tagging technologies, tissue sampling, blood sampling and modeling methodologies to create an updated assessment of this prohibited species.
The study is being lead by PhD candidate Emily Spurgeon from Florida International University, under the supervision of Dr. Yannis Papastamatiou and Dr. Tristan Guttridge, in collaboration with the Atlantic Shark Institute and Saving the Blue. This study began in 2023 and is expected to last several years, ending in approximately 2030.
Deep-Sea Sharks/Fishes Study using Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVs)
This study investigates the diversity, distribution, and behavior of deep-sea sharks and other fishes in New England using custom-built, deep-rated Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVs) deployed at depths up to 1000 meters. These systems reveal the life histories of understudied yet important sharks by capturing high-definition footage in difficult to access deep-sea habitats. Artificial Intelligence is being developed to process the footage by rapidly detecting and counting fishes, identifying shark species, and extracting key ecological metrics. With little baseline data for deep-sea sharks in this region, the project fills critical knowledge gaps and informs conservation strategies. This project is a collaboration between Atlantic Shark Institute and the University of Rhode Island - Graduate School of Oceanography and has the potential to gather data over many years and expand into other New England marine habitats. This study is being led by Christine de Silva, PhD candidate at URI’s Graduate School of Oceanography.
Spinner Shark - Trophic Ecology Study
The Atlantic Shark Institute (ASI), in collaboration with Florida State University’s Coastal and Marine Laboratory (FSUCML), Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), and Florida Atlantic University (FAU) is supporting a multi-year doctoral research project on the trophic ecology of Atlantic spinner sharks (Carcharhinus brevipinna).
This research focuses on understanding how spinner sharks use food resources across their range, with emphasis on regional and seasonal variation in diet and ecological role. The project is complementary to parallel movement ecology studies and is centered on feeding ecology and ecosystem function.
Findings will help address key knowledge gaps related to predator–prey dynamics and support ecosystem-based fisheries management and shark conservation along the U.S. Atlantic coast. The study is led by Jake Beretta, Ph.D. student at Florida State University, under the advisement of Dr. Dean Grubbs.
White Shark - Seal Interaction and Movement of Rehabilitated Seals - Block Island, RI
The focus of this study is the White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias), a growing Gray Seal (Halichoerus grypus) population, the potential for interaction between the two, and how rehabilitated seals move in the waters off Block Island, RI, and beyond. Through the use of an extensive acoustic array, the tagging of white sharks and seals with acoustic transmitters, the tagging of seals with satellite (SPLASH) tags, and detailed seal counts and assessment using cameras and visual counts, the team hopes to better understand the ecology of white sharks and gray seals in this area, and potential interactions between the two. With a wide variety of white sharks being tagged (young-of-the-year (YOY), juvenile, sub-adult and adult) and little baseline data for either species at Block Island, this is a unique opportunity to investigate if and when predator-prey dynamics are established and to answer questions surrounding the fine-scale and broad-scale movements of rehabilitated seals. The Atlantic Shark Institute, RI Department of Environmental Management, Mystic Aquarium, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Dr. Greg Skomal, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society and the Block Island Maritime Institute are collaborating on this study.
Roughtail Stingray Study
The roughtail stingray (Bathytoshia centroura) is found as far north as Massachusetts in the summer months and migrates south in the fall and winter to Florida, The Bahamas, and into the Gulf of Mexico. It is a bottom dweller that can grow to over 7 feet in width and weigh more than 650 pounds. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently lists the roughtail stingray as Vulnerable worldwide, with a declining population. The goal of this research is to use acoustic telemetry to study the movement ecology of the roughtail stingray, including seasonal migration patterns, regional residency, and the environmental drivers of habitat use. Data from this work will be made available for improving the science that is used to inform management measures and ensure species sustainability. The Atlantic Shark Institute will lead this study including the capture, tagging, and release of these rays while in Southern New England waters. We will also take tissue samples, size, sex, and location data. This study is expected to last several years beginning in 2026.
Videographic Survey (BRUVs) of Sharks in Block Island Sound, RI
The Atlantic Shark Institute is leading this five-year study to determine shark species and their density at Block Island, RI, along with other species we encounter. This study will combine video confirmation using Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) with acoustic technology from the ASI Acoustic Array. BRUVs will be deployed from June through October where hours of HD video (each summer), will provide visual confirmation, while our acoustic receivers will detect any tagged shark or animal that visits the area from April through November. This unique combination of technologies will provide a first of its kind confirmation of shark species, fish species, and their density in the study area.
ASI Acoustic Shark Array
In 2019 the Atlantic Shark Institute, in partnership with the RI Department of Environmental Management, deployed acoustic receivers in RI. This was the first time this technology had been used in RI waters. The deployment of acoustic receivers capable of recording shark movements, and other species we encounter, is of significant value to scientists studying movement ecology. These receivers detect and log the presence of species tagged by researchers with acoustic transmitters. With each shark/animal getting a unique transmitter code, scientists use these data to determine exactly those species that are present, in a specific area and when. This research aids in understanding the residency and migration patterns of sharks and many other species . The ASI deploys these receivers in desired locations, retrieves data, and removes the receivers at the end of each season. We increased the number of receivers to 20 in 2025 thanks to generous supporters like you. This will significantly increase the value of these research projects.
White Shark Tooth Study - Narragansett Rhode Island
This project is investigating the presence and discovery of fossilized white shark teeth on a small beach in Narragansett, RI. Since 2018, these teeth have been discovered in increasing numbers and sizes, and they include teeth from a range of positions in the jaw. The variety of tooth crown and root coloration across specimens is consistent with teeth fossilizing in sediments with different age and mineralogical profiles.
Whether the Narragansett Town Beach teeth were unearthed by erosion within the bay or transplanted via wave and tidal action remains to be seen. After an effort to increase public awareness of these finds by the Atlantic Shark Institute, the number of teeth reported from this locale has continued to grow. This project is being led by recent marine biology graduate Jasmine Antonucci in collaboration with Dr. Josh Moyer and the Atlantic Shark Institute.
Coastal Shark Tagging Study (Common Thresher and Blue)
The Atlantic Shark Institute, Dr Conor McManus (NOAA) and the RI Department of Environmental Management are collaborating on this study to tag recreationally-significant pelagic sharks in Southern New England. Shark species of focus include the common thresher (Alopias vulpinus) and blue shark (Prionace glaucoma). The study uses various tag types, including acoustic and Smart Position or Temperature Transmitting (SPOT) tags over the course of this study to better understand these species movement ecology, including seasonal migration patterns, their use of state waters, and the oceanographic habitats they frequent. Data from this work will be made available for improving the science that is used to inform management measures and ensure the species sustainability.
White Shark Study - North Carolina (IUCN Red List Global Status - Vulnerable)
As part of his study on the movement ecology of white sharks in the western North Atlantic, the ASI is tagging white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) off the coast of North Carolina when they are absent from New England waters. These sharks can be tagged during their southern migration, northern migration or while overwintering in the region. They are tagged using a variety of tag technologies to examine broad and fine-scale movements of white sharks along the eastern seaboard of the US. Tags can range from short-term data collectors to long-term (10 year) tags that can follow these sharks through multiple migrations over many years. The Atlantic Shark Institute leads this study by providing resources, equipment and tags to our partners.
Shark Stranding Response Team, New England
There is a small team of shark scientists and enthusiasts that respond to the stranding of sharks throughout the Northeast. These stranding's can include mako, porbeagle, great white, blue, sand tiger, dogfish sharks, and more. The Atlantic Shark Institute is a recognized partner in these efforts to collect specimens for further study by researchers and scientists to assist in the identification, assessment, retrieval, removal, and transportation of these strandings. This also includes providing assistance during necropsies and more.
New England White Shark Research Consortium
The Atlantic Shark Institute is a founding member of the NEWSRC. The Consortium consists of 15 research organizations that are located throughout New England and Canada and are collectively dedicated to further the science and sustainable management of the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) within its northwest range. The Consortium leverages regional expertise and resources toward addressing research needs which will include life history, population trends, migration, residency, habitat use, reproduction, behavior, feeding ecology, human-shark interactions and much more.
Completed Studies
Porbeagle Shark Study (IUCN Red List Global Status - Vulnerable)
Dr. James Sulikowski from Oregon State University, Dr. Brooke Anderson from Arizona State University and the Atlantic Shark Institute are investigating porbeagle (Lamna nasus) throughout the western North Atlantic Ocean. The team is collecting blood samples for hormone analysis, tissue samples, ultrasound images for reproductive condition and using conventional and novel satellite tags to determine essential habitats and migration routes of this shark within this region. A specific focus of this research are pregnant females. The Atlantic Shark Institute is co-investigator on this research and aids in the field work, execution and funding of this project.
COMPLETED
Ophthalmic Lesions in Sharks Study
The Atlantic Shark Institute, the RI Department of Environmental Management and veterinary ophthalmologist, Dr. Ken Abrams, are collaborating on a study to investigate the presence of ophthalmic lesions in sharks. Many species of sharks rely heavily on vision while hunting or foraging, and eye lesions, such as corneal lesions and cataracts that compromise vision, could adversely impact a shark’s ability to orient towards and consume food. By performing ophthalmic examinations, researchers will study the frequency and severity of eye lesions in New England sharks and develop an enhanced understanding of the comparative ocular anatomy of sharks. The study will also compare debilitating ocular lesions with body condition, possibly correlating vision loss with decreased ability to hunt prey. The team will access ASI personnel, resources, and funding to support this multi-year study, while the RI DEM will capture and retain the sharks needed.
COMPLETED
Thresher Shark Study (IUCN Red List Global Status - Vulnerable)
A team of researchers including Dr. Diego Bernal (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth), Dr. Jeff Kneebone (New England Aquarium Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life), Dr. Lisa Natanson (retired; NOAA Fisheries Apex Predators Program), and Dr. Greg Skomal (Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries) are collaborating on a project aimed at investigating the spatial ecology and population structure of common thresher sharks (Alopias vulpinus) in the North Atlantic. By combining electronic tagging with fisheries data, the group aims to map the distribution of this species in both space and time, and identify key habitats for each life stage. The Atlantic Shark Institute assisted in this study by capturing, tagging and releasing a large number of sharks in the targeted area.