IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable

Wide ranging coastal/pelagic shark in temperate and cold-water environments

This shark is a congeneric (species of the same genus) to the salmon shark, which is located in the northern Pacific Ocean

Porbeagle and salmon sharks are the only two species in genus Lamna, and both possess specialized anatomy and physiology for life in cold-water environments, and along with other members of Family Lamnidae, like the white shark and shortfin mako, are regionally endothermic. Do you remember what this is? J

Distinct populations are located in the western North Atlantic and eastern North Atlantic, with little exchange between them, although there was one documented trans-Atlantic migration

This species has high commercial value, which has resulted in high longline targeting of this species

Such fisheries impacts, combined with low reproductive capacity, has resulted in over-exploitation and population declines, resulting in the IUCN classification of “vulnerable” on a global scale

In the Northwest Atlantic fishery, intensive targeting in the 1960s resulted in most of the biomass being harvested in six years

Little is known about pupping locations for any population

Maximum sizes of 355cm (11.5ft)

Reproduction is oophagous (with larger individuals feeding on eggs/developing young in utero), and litter sizes typically 1-5 pups

Thought to live up to 26 years, and mature between 8 (males) and 13 (females) years

The porbeagle shark is currently being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act