Blue shark sightings in Spanish Mediterranean waters

Blue sharks, locally known as ‘tintoreras’, have been observed near the Spanish coastline, including Almería and Almuñécar. Experts from the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) note that these sharks are not new to the region but utilize the Almería coast, the Catalan coast, and the Gulf of Alicante as critical areas for feeding, reproduction, and migration.

Visibility near the shore is attributed to several factors, including the breeding season where females seek warm, shallow waters to give birth, and rising sea temperatures in the Mediterranean. Warming waters attract the small fish that serve as the sharks’ primary food source closer to the coast.

A recent sighting off Almuñécar was noted as unusual because blue sharks are typically nocturnal and inhabit depths between 60 and 300 meters. While the presence of these sharks does not pose an immediate danger to swimmers, experts from the University of Granada’s Aula del Mar highlight that Mediterranean blue sharks are currently listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ due to fishing pressures. Local professionals suggest that climate change may also be facilitating the presence of other species in these waters.