Shark Conservation Efforts Highlighted in Florida and Brazil

A monitoring program of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recorded whale sharks about eight miles west of Loggerhead Key in the Dry Tortugas Northern Ecological Reserve. Scientists said the sightings suggest the world’s largest fish may be more common in Florida waters than previously thought. Whale sharks, which can reach up to 18 m, are filter‑feeders that help balance plankton and other marine species, but they are listed as Threatened on the IUCN Red List and face risks from fishing, vessel strikes, tourism and climate change.

In Brazil, a lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) that had become entangled in a plastic strap near its head was rescued after three days of searches around Fernando de Noronha. A task‑force of local residents, researchers, volunteers and officials from the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation removed the debris and released the shark back into the ocean. The species is also classified as threatened, and the rescue underscored the importance of community action to protect marine predators that support ocean health.