Grand Manan & White Head
|
CLICK to hear sounds..  (70-100cm)
is frequently caught during the summer but unfortunately are not usually
sold. A processing plant for dogfish was operated at Ingalls Head on Grand
Manan for a few years until it caught fire from a lightening strike. The
plant was not rebuilt. Spiny dogfish is marketed as "rock shark", "rock
cod" or "rock salmon" and is often eaten in Europe and used for English
fish and chips. Dogfish are also dissected in science classes and a market
for biological supplies exists. It is probably the most written about shark
in the world because of the latter, its abundance and the negative effect
on commercial fisheries.
Photo modified from Sharks. L Campagno, C Simpfendorfer, JE McCosker, K Holland, C Lowe, B Wetherbee, A Bush, and C Meyer. Readers Digest Series. 1998. Weldon Owen Pty Ltd., Pleasantville, NY. Basking Shark(Cetorhinus
maximus) - The second largest shark (over 10m or 33'), these slow moving
sharks filter feeding on zooplankton by skimming the small organisms from
the water with modified gill structures. Their Great White Shark(Carcharodon
carcharias) - These large "man-eaters" are usually found in the Bay
of Fundy between April and November, their presence noted when caught in
fishing gear. The most notable of these occurred in mid-June,1930, in a
herring weir off White Head Island. If authenticated, it would be the largest
great white ever reported (11.28m or 37'), however, no photographs or verification
of the length exists, although a tooth was donated to the Royal Ontario
Museum. The oil fromthe liver amounted to 955 litres (210 Thresher Shark(Alopias
vulpinus) - Summer visitors, these medium sized sharks (3.3 to 5.5
m or 10 to 18') Porbeagle(Lamna nasus) - Caught in fishing gear incidentally, this medium sized shark (max. length 3m or 10') is usually marketed as "Mako". Porbeagles eat mostly herring, mackerel and squid, small cod, hake and cusk. They may occur year round but are most common from spring to fall. Occasional or Rarely Occurring Sharks: Sand Tiger Shark
(Odontaspis taurus)
Deepsea Cat Shark
(Apristurus profundorum)
Oceanic Whitetip
Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus)
Dusky Shark
(Carcharhinus obscurus)
Smooth Dogfish
(Mustelus canis)
Blue Shark
(Prionace glauca)
Atlantic Sharpnose
Shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae
Smooth Hammerhead
(Sphyrna zygaena)
Black Dogfish
(Centroscyllium fabricii)
Portuguese Shark
(Centroscymnus coeloepis)
Rough Sagre
(Etmopterus princeps)
Greenland Shark (Somniosus microcephalus)  Photo
modified from Greenland Sharks, by N. Caloyianis. National
Geographic Sept. 1998.
For more great info on shark biology, anatomy and research check out the Canadian Shark Research Laboratory where the above photographs and drawings are from. Common Skates & Rays Little Skate (Raja erinacea) - Bottom living, winter residents, they reach a max. length of 53 cm (or 21"). They eat bottom living invertebrates such as crustaceans. Of little value to the fishing industry, they are used for fish meal. They are also used as laboratory animals. Barndoor Skate (Raja laevis) - Bottom living, probably year-round, they reach a length of 127-142cm (or 50-56"). They eat bivalves, squid, rock crabs, lobsters, shrimp, marine worms, and a variety of fish. Of little value to the fishing industry, they are sometimes ground into fish meal. Winter Skate (Raja ocellata) - Bottom living, winter residents, they reach a length of 80cm (or 31"). They eat crustaceans, small fish, and bivalves. Of little value to the fishing industry, they are sometimes ground into fish meal. They are also used occasionally as laboratory animals. Thorny Skate(Raja radiata) - Bottom living, found year round, they reach max. lengths of 100 cm (or 39") although size varies with location. They eat polychaetes, crustaceans and fish. Of little value to the fishing industry, they are sometimes ground into fish meal. In Europe these skates are marketed for human consumption. Smooth Skate (Raja senta) - Bottom living, year round residents, they reach max. lengths of 60 cm (24"). They feed on crustaceans. Of little value to the fishing industry, they are sometimes ground into fish meal. Rarely Occurring or Occasional Skates & Rays: Atlantic Torpedo(Torpedo nobiliana) - Although not common it is worth noting that this ray can truly be called "electric". Electric shocks are emitted when the ray is touched in the head region. It ranges from 1.5-1.8m (5-6') in length and is usually found in warmer waters but specimens have been collected from Grand Manan waters. Deepwater Skate
(Bathyraja richardsoni)
Rarely Occurring or Occasional Chimeras: Longnose Chimaera
(Harriotta raleighana)
References: Scott, W.B. and M.G. Scott. 1988. Atlantic Fishes of Canada. Can.Bull.Fish.Aquat.Sci. 219:731pp. Canadian Shark Research Laboratory
|
Page revised April 30, 2004
gill
slits almost encircled their head and they can be seen swimming just beneath
the surface with their mouths agape, filter feeding. These sharks are locally
called "mud sharks". Basking sharks come to the surface on calm days, and
swim slowly with the top of their dorsal fin exposed, hence the name "basking".
They are proficient at breaching - leaping clear of the water as whales
do, although an explanation for this behaviour in basking sharks is not
readily known.
gal) and the stomach contained two and one-half seals. The diet of great
whites is varied, ranging from mackerel, hake, salmon and tuna to other
sharks, seabirds, marine mammals and sea turtles. All great whites examined
from the Bay have had harbour porpoises or harbour seals in their stomachs.
Numbers of sharks is always difficult to determine and may vary greatly
from year to year. There are no recorded "shark attacks" on swimmers in
the Bay.
are
easily recognized because of their long tail, often the same length as
the body. Usually eating schooling fish such as herring and mackerel, or
squid and crustaceans, they use their long tail to circle the fish into
a tight ball. There are stories of threshers attacking whales but these
reports are difficult to verify.
Photo
modified from Sharks and Rays. TC Tricas, K Deacon, P Last, JE McCosker,
TI Walker, L Taylor. 1997.
Drawing
modified from The Sharks of North American Waters, J.I.Castro.
Photo
modified from Sharks and Rays. TC Tricas, K Deacon, P Last, JE McCosker,
TI Walker, L Taylor. 1997.
Photo
modified from Sharks and Rays. TC Tricas, K Deacon, P Last, JE McCosker,
TI Walker, L Taylor. 1997.
Photo
modified from FishBase. 1998. FishBase 98 CD-ROM. ICLARM, Manila.
Photo
modified from Sharks, History and Biology of the Lords of the Sea.
A. Mojetta. 1997. Swan Hill Press.
Photo
modified from FishBase. 1998. FishBase 98 CD-ROM. ICLARM, Manila.
Photo
modified from Sharks and Rays. TC Tricas, K Deacon, P Last, JE McCosker,
TI Walker, L Taylor. 1997.
Drawing
modified from The Sharks of North American Waters, J.I.Castro.
Photo
modified from FishBase. 1998. FishBase 98 CD-ROM. ICLARM, Manila.
Drawing
modified from The Sharks of North American Waters, J.I.Castro.