Andrew is a freelance marine biologist in North Carolina focused on population and conservation genetics in hydrothermal vent communities.
Junior the Great White shark, before and (long) after being caught by Dr. Domeier's team. Image courtesy FijiSharkDiving.Blogspot.com
Several months ago, still photographs showing an injured great white shark surfaced. The shark in question was previously captured by a shark research team lead by Dr. Michael Domeier on the TV show “Shark Men” – and the capture of this shark didn’t go as planned. These still images were taken from a video, and in response to the ensuing controversy, Dr. Domeier’s team claimed that when the full video is viewed, you can see that the injury comes from another shark and not from capture injury. No clear sharkbite injuries are visible in the original still image.
I submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for the full video, which had been in the possession of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries pending an investigation.
Here, for the first time available to the public, is the full video from which the above images were taken.
This is the entire video that NOAA sent me, I have not edited it in any way. The first 45 seconds show Junior completely uninjured before he was captured by Dr. Domeier’s research team. The rest, taken much later, shows the injury seen in the image above.
The latter part of the video also shows Junior with numerous injuries near the wound on his jaw. These injuries are clearly bites from other sharks, and were not visible in the previous still image.
Still from the full video. Arrow points to sharkbite injuries
Still from the full video. Left arrow points to clear sharkbite injury, right arrow points to originally seen jaw injury
Still from the full video. Left arrow points to clear sharkbite injuries, right arrow points to originally seen jaw injury.
The full video clearly shows that Junior’s injuries are caused by intraspecies conflict and not a direct result of the capture method. The concern that the tagging method seriously injured this shark is not supported by the evidence at hand.
Dr. Domeier’s team was able to attach a satellite tag to Junior during his original capture. Data from that tag shows that Junior is still swimming.
UPDATE: The Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary has posted the video on their website along with some background information. This was done partially in response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by myself and others.
I assume that the researchers and conservationists who are posting here share a passion for understanding and preserving this species.
It’s surprising to see a vindictive rather than a collaborative relationship within what I would assume is a very small community.
Couldn’t you guys get more done by working together instead of taking shots at each other? It’s unprofessional and counterproductive.
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“Ive been admonished by an editor of SFS for my remarks once already and my last two posts were delayed pending. ‘moderators approval’…”
Just for the record, the length and frequency of your comments is the reason why you’ve gotten caught in our spam filter. It’s automatic. We’ve let every single comment that you’ve posted through, usually within a few minutes.
[Note - after leaving three comments in quick succession and in light of the enormous number of comments left on the previous thread, Sean R. Van Sommeran was temporarily added to the moderation filter on the afternoon of May 3, from approximately 3:00 PM to 9:30 PM, to give other readers a chance to comment. This temporary moderation affected 2 comments. ~Ed.]
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Comments with more than 4 links are usually held for moderation, also an automated process.
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I have a question for the experts here. I read an article detailing new revelations about the weakness and fragility of a white shark’s jaw before maturity (link to news.bbc.co.uk). Given that multiple individuals of varying ages are commonly present at a research site, isn’t it possible that using the hook method could damage a shark’s jaw if it isn’t fully developed yet?
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Hey Bob, as for myself, I’d like to say the same thing but see for yourself the lengths that someone will go to. Dr. Domeier got hammered for 2 things as I see it. One, showing up at the Farallones to do his operations. You’ve seen the vitriolic reaction by at least one person to his arrival. Claims of how disruptive he was at the minimum. And the second thing, doing something differently than how it’s ormally done.
I grew up in this area, traveled to the islands many times before I began my current position and have been paying attention to the things that happen in this place. I’ve also worked the islands doing outreach and education for the White Sharks as well as cage dives for the last 6 years and I can tell you that the commonality can be shattered by the competition to publish or produce or get the research grant before someone else does. sad but it’s a fact of life.
I totally agree with you that it’s counter productive and unprofessional which is why I sincerely hope that one of the agencies that concerns themselves with the islands gets to the bottom of the issue and sanctions someone for unethical and unprofessional behavior.
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Hey Josh, good article, good contribution. I’m certainly not an expert but I have been working with the animals for a while and have spent a bunch of time with other species of shark as well in a few oceans. From what I do know and have learned, and I’m sure the real experts will correct me if I’m wrong, David, Andrew, Michael, Craig, the sharks jaws and teeth change from the juvenile to the adult. When I saw the first White shark held at the Monterey Bay Aquarium back in I think 2005, I could see that the teeth in a juvenile White Shark are more sharply pointed and are like the teeth in the Salmon Shark and Mako Shark which are in the same family as the White Shark. As I understand it the White Shark tooth goes from a pointy sharp needle to a large triangular shape more able to sever the flesh of the sea mammal diet it changes to as opposed to the pointed teeth of a primarily fish eating shark like the Mako and Salmon Shark. The Sand Tiger reference in the article is a good example of the pointy tooth vs the triangle of the White Shark.
Hope I got that right.
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Dr.Domeier lets set the stage over the 2003 incident with Sean. He stole one of your sharks tags at Isla Guadalupe while filming with Discovery Channel’s Shark Week and Jeff Kurr, claiming it to be his while the cameras were running.
He then took the shark tag back to Santa Cruz and hid it at his house.
He knew full well he had stolen a tag with your name on the side. In fact everyone did.
This was also the same Jeff Kurr he was fined $21,000 by NOAA, for making sharks jump at Ano Nuevo a few years prior with another Discovery film production.
Most everyone suspects that Sean is in fact Ecoshark1.
You confronted him, he was embarrassed, and now he has a vendetta. O.K
That does not excuse you and your team for one hell of a messy job tagging Junior in 2009. That doen’t excuse you for being an insufferable “bull in a china shop” raging through a unique shark research site at the Farallones under the guise of a film crew.
You get to play the hurt party card for exactly 5 minutes, as this entire thread on SFS is really all about you and Sean, not about Junior.
You still have to account for this animal in many ways.
You also have to account for what looks like the slow process of degradation to the fins of the sharks that you have tagged thus far.
It is sad that Sean hijacked this discussion but that’s him, he’s a dock rat, always wanted to be part of the research community, always looking for acceptance.
You on the other hand made a production deal with the devil, and in the process badly maimed a shark with a crew that was not trained. Why did you do it?
Who knows. But just because we had to sit through two months of the Sean vs Mike Show does not stop the inquiry.
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Agreed wholeheartedly. I would normally read a thread like this and move on, but as a young fish scientist I am pretty disappointed at the conversation being pushed by Mr. Van Sommeran. There is a worthwhile debate to be had about the relative merits of gaining information that would be otherwise impossible to get against doing possible harm to the creature you are attempting to protect and aid. It is clear that Dr. Domeier and Chris Fischer are passionate about the conservation of these animals. If you disagree with his methods there are appropriate forums for you to have a debate, ‘socratic’ or otherwise. The internet is not one of them (link to waywardmonkey.com), for the very reason that you appear at best unprofessional and the bottom line is that we should spend our time working for the RESOURCE, not fighting amongst ourselves. I realize the hypocrisy of me pointing this out on said internet forum but hopefully you can see the sincerity here. This is a discussion worth having, but responsibly. Broadcasting assertions that are unverifiable one way or another (which any claim that the hooking did or did not cause that wound is, both sides have opinions but no proof) over ye olde world wide web is not helping anyone or anything, least of all the sharks.
Best,
Ben
[fixed quote tags ~Ed.]
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Whats the point of putting these sharks at risk? We learn where they go, they take a little sperm from them to study and are cut loose. Yeah, thats all interesting and everything, but we gain minimal knowledge and the knowledge we gain is for our benefit, not the sharks. If the cure for cancer was inside these things, thats one thing. But learning where they go wont help the Great White population, all it does is create a TV show and give curious people a few answers. This whole thing benefits us, not the sharks. I say leave them alone. Its clear that Fischer and his crew are more interested in making a TV show then they are keeping the sharks healthy.
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Tom,
First off I apologize for the length and a disclaimer that I don’t want to in any way be putting words in Dr. Domeier’s mouth (especially since I never met the guy) but this is what appears to be the point: We know Great Whites are in trouble, but we have very limited information about this shark, e.g. migration patterns, reproductive schedules (spawning behavior such as age at maturity, do they spawn every year or every 2 or 3 or 4 years), habitat preferences, possible times or areas of high vulnerability to natural predators or fisheries…so he is collecting information to address these issues so that we can hopefully more effectively conserve the species. Semen and blood hormones from females indicate sexual stage, which informs us about the possible role of Guadalupe and other areas as mating sites. Tracking fish he knew to be reproductively active he can help make sense of why fish may go to different places after leaving Guadalupe (for instance, if a female that they knew to be ready to mate or had just mated goes one way and and a female with baseline hormone levels goes another, they can now start to make some hypotheses why that might be). Also, identifying areas where fish reliably gather in large numbers and associated migration corridors can be incredibly useful in conservation since it gives managers information about the places that could be closed to certain types of fishing and the times that it would be most helpful to do so. They are getting a lot of exciting information about white sharks through the tags and their research, whether you think the potential harm or risk of harm done to the shark is greater than the importance of the information is something for you to consider, but this is not just spectacle TV. There are many moments in the show that could be better and I think it at times overdoes the drama and sensationalist angle, but a lot of good information will come from this.
Cheers,
Ben
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Ben, that seems like a solid summary to me.
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Ben, good attitude. Wanna come out and share that with the public? I’m always liking to have guest speakers that get it and realize it’s better to work together and be productive than to work at odds with their peers. Folks like that help the public understand and better appreciate the world we live in which is part of my mission statement.
Greg Barron
IA
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Please note, because of the exceptionally high traffic this post is garnering, I’ve increased the *heart* threshold to 10, otherwise nearly 90% of the comments were being highlighted as “well-loved”, which doesn’t really help people find the gems.
The *hate* threshold is also at 10 and the *debate* threshold is at 20 without consensus. Please note that the purpose of the *hate* threshold is to hide comments that are spammy, trolling, or add nothing to the discussion. If you dislike an otherwise valid comment for it’s content, please respond to it as well.
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I cant type, the GFNMS SAC meeting is 16 May, 2011; not 6May.
Sorry about that, Im super busy and my hasty typing is causing type’os. I wish i could edit commentary sometimes.
Despite the dissension I enjoy reading your blog and hope you’ll bear with me.
Yours truly,
Sean
PSRF
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Fixed.
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Great comments and I can pretty confidently say that everyone posting here genuinely cares very much about our oceans and everything in them, including all species of sharks. If the majority of the people on our earth had this compassion there would be no debate over the right and wrong ways to protect dwindling shark species. I have a tremendous amount of respect for anyone that commits their life to the conservation and research cause. Ironically all of the money we spend on space and military and research won’t matter a whole lot if we screw up our planet – and oceans are the lifeblood. Sadly Ocean research is not valued enough and often times taking advantage of the Hollywood dollar is a necessary way of funding important missions. I recently read the Devil’s Teeth which provides an interesting account of the Farallon Islands and their White Sharks. What was obvious from the quick read is that there’s politics in everything – even white shark research, and probably no place more so than the Farallones. I think old-line conservationists and researchers need to accept – even if they don’t want to adapt themselves – to the evolution of our world. The Internet, reality TV, eco-tourism is part of the current society we live in. Much as you may hate that it is an important source of opportunity to achieve your goals. Don’t hate people like Michael because he has used this medium to further an important cause. It’s adaptability that has allowed sharks to thrive for hundreds of millions of years and if we’re going to help them make it even another hundred years we need to adapt our approaches as well.
Perhaps one of the researchers can answer one question I have not seen addressed. How do you go about protecting the sharks even with the knowledge of breeding, feeding and migratory patterns gleaned from the tagging programs? We already know where most of the large near shore white shark havens are – whether Farrallones, Guadalupe, Pacific Coast of California, Australia, NZLD, or South Africa – and can hopefully convince local governments to protect (not sure whether new data helps further that)? Your research seems to provide more novel insights into shark’s offshore movements (presumably in international waters in many cases) that I’m not sure we know how to properly protect.
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Folks, please ber with me here as I am going a little off topic and will be a little lengthy. David, if you thik this is not pertinent then let me know and take it down or edit it down, your choice but rather down than edited or context will change.
Sean, after reviewing the ratings by readers at SFS on your statements I’d say that the assumption as stated by you “I would expect that the participation of a PSRF representative would be appreciated on SFS.” is entirely wrong. You are PSRF, no one else has ever spoken for PSRF here. Next, why should you expect to be appreciated? You insult, denigrate and belittle those people that are more qualified or are as qualified or have as much or more right to speak as you. Dr. Domeier actually has a DR. before his name. Which means he is an actual academic subject to all that entails and with the background to achieve that position. You do not.
As for me, you’re right, I am no expert but I’ve worked seasonally at the Farallones with White Sharks extensively and taken training on the subject. I’ve worked in 4 oceans and on research boats. I’ve worked on Nat Geo Flag expeditions. Like you, I may not have a doctorate or even a BS in the field but I’m no slouch either. You said, and please correct me if I’m wrong by pointing out the relevant previous part of the thread, you said “I don’t pay attention to Greg Barron, he’s only been doing this 6 years”. Yes, 6 years at the Farallones, as opposed to you, and I helped in designing the new MLPA education and outreach requirements for the Farallon area with regards to WS’s. So if I’m not qualified in your opinion, then in the same light why should anyone pay attention to you? A person with a similar background. You’ve only been involved 20 years (not at the Farallones by your own admission but elsewhere) and co-sponsored original WS protections? What? That makes you entitled to contribute? Why should you EXPECT to be appreciated? What kind of hubris is that? And when your posts don’t show up fast enough you yell at the hosts here. That’s rude. They didn’t edit you and they allowed you to rant.
I’ve realized that you don’t listen to documentable facts as demonstrated in this and prior threads. If you don’t agree with a documentable fact you obfuscate, change the subject, then again change the subject by making the claim that you’ve been doing this 20 years and are an original sponsor of White Shark protection. Here I need to point out that you are not THE ORIGINAL sponsor. That would imply you were the only person or organization to sponsor the legislation. You certainly are NOT the ONLY sponsor of White Shark protection. Try giving some credit to the real researchers that you’ve worked FOR that also acted as co-sponsors. Do you see the difference? I don’t claim I wrote the landmark MLPA rules on White Sharks at the Farallones but I HELPED to design them and now they are law much as WS protections are law.
Next topic, you keep saying that the claim that you took a tag off a Mexican shark is a lie. Evidence or statements to the contrary has been posted elsewhere. Tell you what, give me the name and contact info for the production company that you worked with at Guadalupe and I’ll track down the cameraman and ask him if you directed him to remove the tag, and investigate the conditions surrounding that incident. If he says you didn’t I’ll say that here and end the controversy cold. Is that acceptable? If not, drop it. Not productive.
Next topic, this whole discussion hinged on a leaked, cropped photo of an animal taken from a much larger video image of that animal. See above footage. That image incited a great controversy on the method employeed in tagging the animal and smeared someone who is a pretty respectable guy. Not in question. What is still in question is who leaked the image and their intent. Because I’m sick of the local infighting that happens here in this area my entire involvement so far has been to get to the truth of how that happened and who did it. Revalations make it as email addy ECOSHARK1. Who is ECOSHARK1? That’s what I and the couple reporters that have contacted me want to know. Let’s find out. Because finding the person who leaked the image will help stop some fairly poor behavior by people that ought not be acting poorly.
Next topic. It’s been suggested to me that Sean is the person that leaked this info. Sean, did you get the pic from someone at TOPP and then leak the altered image? I am NOT accusing you, be clear. I am trying to rule you out. It’s been suggested you have motive due to your radical stance on the issue and grudge with Dr. Domeier. It’s a valid question and you do have ties at TOPP. Motive and possible opportunity. So can you help rule yourself out?
The truth is coming out sooner or later. When it does, someone’s career is gonna be in jepardy because they acted without professionalism or basic ethics required by the scientific community and the instituions that oversee access to the animals.
This keeps dragging on, time to get to the bottom of it.
Greg Barron
IA
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I think Greg asks a reasonable question, Sean. Are you the source of the original Junior photos?
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I agree with Greg Baron, and would like to add that there is an objective and empirical way of assessing the relative contributions of Dr. Domeier and Mr Van Sommeran to scientific research.
Go to Google Scholar and advanced-search on “SR Van Sommeran” as author (result = 2 junior author peer-reviewed papers).
Perform the same search on “ML Domeier” as author (result = 45 peer-reviewed papers, >15 as senior author).
To this search add the ‘exact phrase’ qualifier “white shark”. This yields the same 2 junior author papers for van Sommeran. For Domeier it yields 2 senior-author papers, plus another 3 junior-author papers on white sharks.
I had never heard of Van Sommeran, so I visited his organizational website (PSRF). There is no publication section, despite promoting his organization as a ‘Research Foundation’ in operation for twenty years. In other words research carried out by SFS has yielded only 2 junior-authored papers in 20 years!!!
Based on this metric, SFS has zero scientific credibility. Twenty years of ‘research’ with essentially no informational products which are peer-reviewed and accessible to the public.
I decided to give SFS another chance. Perhaps he has other novel outreach products to redeem his lack of scientific productivity?
Instead I found him plugging pseudo-scientific products for money!!! See;
link to youtube.com
Say what you will about Dr. Domeier and his methods. There is no question that he is a bona fide scientist with a track record in conservation research for both sharks and fishes.
In contrast SFS does not merit the title of researcher, and appears to desire only publicity for his personal agendas.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Very good point (although i think you are mixing up PFRP and SFS)!
If you design, analyze and write a paper you should be first author. In having done 20 years of research, PFRP should have many first author publications. i cant find one.
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Sorry SVS not SFS
Sean, reading all comments above and Google searching you makes it clear that you are a ‘wannabe’ who is threatened by the appearance of a real scientists on what you consider to be ‘your patch’ – hence your use of terms like ‘long-term resident researcher’.
If you put as much time & energy into publishing your ‘results’as you do slandering other researchers on web blogs, then folks might actually start taking you seriously.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Let’s try to stay on topic, people. If you want to discuss the relative merits of the PSRF research program, I recommend starting your own blog.
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Beat me to it, Andrew. Thanks for this comment.
I agree completely with Andrew. Getting into a “who is a better scientist” discussion is counterproductive. There is no need for personal attacks.
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OK – fair enough, but it is just so hard to resist pulling the trigger when SVS hands out so much free ammunition
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Here’s an update. It seems this issue is still getting press, whichis good. Here’s the link.
link to livescience.com
I think the reporter should have spent more time getting to the bottom of the remaining controversy of who made the release and why but it’s a decent article and touches on most all of the concerns in the topics we’ve been covering here in this thread.
Greg
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David, I like your quote at the end of the article.
“I think the most important thing is the welfare of the shark and of the species as a whole, and we know from satellite tags that Junior is still alive and is still swimming.”
We know that, the rest will shake out before too long I’m sure.
Greg
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Thanks!
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Is it just me, or is there unusual silence from Sean of Pelagic Shark Research/Tagging of Pacific Pelagics? I think that says it all…more revealing than his earlier 40,000 words. In an earlier post he was defending the original photos.
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Gillian, people have said similar things about me in the past… “David hasn’t said anything in a while, therefore he must agree with what I’m saying”.
Let’s not make conclusions based on the absence of comments, please.
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Sorry for delayed reply, Ive been task saturated these past 3 weeks with an ongoing large scale stranding/die off event involving sharks in San Francisco bay; innumerable dead and dying sharks and rays (especially T. semifasciata)have been washing up or stranding around the bay area. Ive been participating while conducting dispatch for the ongoing rescue/collection effort and ongoing investigation in to these (likely pollution related) mortalities.
link to care2.com
link to redwoodcity.patch.com
link to sfgate.com
link to pelagic.org
Meanwhile, cant remember who -but I think it was a sport diver accused me on list of stealing a transmitter…!? Stealing a transmitter? Really? Isnt that like a fugitive stealing a low-jack? and what (prey tell) would be the objective/motive behind the theft of transmitting/tracking device….? I dont lie, I dont cheat and I dont steal.
I dont need to do such things in order to achieve my objectives.
Meanwhile I am likewise being blamed for ‘leaking’ photographic evidence that shows that the shark that was badly injured in 2009 via the hook and haul method is in a very poor condition, grossly under weight, with a unhinged and infected jaw and badly injured by rival conspecifics.
The image and the associated research footage from which the ‘vid grab’ was acquired was made available to the sanctuary Admin and of course noted, logged in and widely discussed.
Speaking only for myself, I can say that in 20 years of research I have never seen a shark in such a condition; it is far and away the most attritted and badly injured (invivo) white shark Ive ever seen.
No allegations have been made by any researchers at TOPP; speaking for myself I have commented that the sharks terrible condition (including bites and emaciated state) is likely a result of the aggressively barbed hook which was left snagged deep in the sharks throat. That is not an allegation, it is an expressed opinion and concern.
It is a very similar concern to that which I expressed before the aggressively barbed hook was deployed at Farallones, that being that huge barbed hook may harm the shark, perhaps even gut or throat hook the shark.
In 2009 that widely dismissed concern and objection was ratified by a white shark well known to SE Farallon resident long term research team, the shark swallowed the huge hook just as was anticipated and feared.
In 2010 a once robust and highly active shark was recognized as a emaciated and badly handled predator; not only was the shark’s overall health in complete retreat, but the transmitter as well appeared overgrown with algea, both warping and deforming the once perfect dorsal fin.
That this murphed up survivor wanders about unlike any of the others is simply summed up as ‘unusual and new’…
Indeed, marvelous.
I did not leak the footage, footage like that is made available as a matter of course anyway…. so why is it being characterized as a malicious leak anyway? …
That a vid grab (video still) was taken from the video tape is not the same as ‘altering or doctoring’ the image.
I havent the vaguest idea whose ecoshark link that is and have no comments on that.
I am multi tasking at the moment as I jot this down and would be happy to answer any additional or remaining questions in future exchanges; I do have to talk on two phones at a time just now and must return later to discuss/debate this in greater depth.
Meanwhile please dont miss the following upcoming meetings and presentations:
Año Nuevo State Park Lecture/Presentation:
White Shark Long Term Monitoring Study (ANI)
Sean R. Van Sommeran will give lecture/slide presentation on long term study of white sharks at Año Nuevo Island (ANI), Monterey Bay and greater Pacific ocean.
Saturday May 7, 2011. 10am to Noon; at the new interpretive center.
GULF OF THE FARALLONES NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
Advisory Council Public Meeting:
Thursday, May 12, 2011, 9:15 a.m. — 4:30 p.m.
White Shark Research is on the Agenda~
Red Barn Classroom — Point Reyes, CA
There will also be important meetings and debates on 16 May and 22 May; Ill keep you posted.
More later,
Sean
S.R. Van Sommeran
Executive Director
Pelagic Shark Research Foundation
831-459-9346
[email protected]
Santa Cruz California Since 1990
Hot debate. What do you think?
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OK Sean. Fair question and fair answer. Thanks for answering.
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