USM Whale Shark Research

Ever wonder what life looks like as the ocean’s largest fish?

POV: You’re a 30-foot whale shark cruising the Gulf of America with a camera attached. 🌊

Location: Off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of America

Situation: You are hungry and just came upon a recent fish spawn!

Studying the ocean's largest fish is no small task. To learn about their feeding behavior, movements, and social interactions, our scientists use special tags—including some equipped with cameras! 🎥

Even though whale sharks are humongous (they can weigh up to 40 tons!), they survive on microscopic meals—especially fish eggs. Scientists at NOAA Fisheries Service, USM Center for Fisheries Research and Development, Blue World Research Institute, and FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute are collaborating to identify the exact fish species whose eggs are important to whale shark diets in the Gulf of America. This vital data helps us predict their movements and better protect these magnificent creatures.

Happy Shark Week!

Music Credit: Universal Production Music
Video Credit: Blue World Research Institute

Whale shark sighting coming in from a collaborative project we are also apart of! 🎥🦈

FWC FIM underwater video array caught a sighting of a whale shark on their annual S-BRUV survey. What an exciting find!

Collaboration between various groups around the Gulf and citizen participation in our sighting survey really helps us understand the spatial utilization of these spotted giants!

👀 Submit your sighting reports here: https://usmforms.formstack.com/forms/whale_shark_sighting_survey