After swimming free for an incredible 9 591 days – that’s 26.2 years – a ragged tooth shark (Carcharias taurus) was recaptured with the same tag with which it was originally released.
March 13 was an historic day for the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI) – Cooperative Fish Tagging Project.
Gareth Jordaan, ORI Tagging Officer said this was the 1 014th ragged tooth shark recaptured, with the previous record a raggie which was at liberty for 22.6 years.
However, this new record is for the longest time unconfined for a tagged fish, as well as the longest time that a single tag has remained in an animal.
“This female raggie was originally tagged by Geremy Cliff, from the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, on December 9, 1993 at Leven Point, 22 kilometres north of Cape Vidal in KwaZulu-Natal. It measured about 1 800 mm in precaudal length (PCL),” said Gareth.
The tag was inserted underwater using a modified speargun.
Geremy said the recapture was excellent news. “It is great to know that all the fun we had tagging raggies at Leven has also had some important scientific value.”
After being at liberty for 1 397 days (3.8 years) she was first recaptured by Dr Vincent Taylor at the Strand, Western Cape, on October, 6 1997 (unfortunately no length was recorded), having moved 1 897 kilometres south.
After being released again, she was recaptured a second time some 8 194 days (22.4 years) later (with the same, original tag) on March 13, 2020 by Shawn Mey at Frankman’s Hoek, Western Cape, 435 kilometres north of the first recapture locality. She measured 2 010 mm PCL.
She only grew 210 mm in just under 27 years showing the extremely slow growth rate of these animals and was caught at various localities along the coast showing the typical migration pattern of raggies.
Geremy said the recapture was excellent news. “It is great to know that all the fun we had tagging raggies at Leven has also had some important scientific value.”
After being at liberty for 1 397 days (3.8 years) she was first recaptured by Dr Vincent Taylor at the Strand, Western Cape, on October, 6 1997 (unfortunately no length was recorded), having moved 1 897 kilometres south.
After being released again, she was recaptured a second time some 8 194 days (22.4 years) later (with the same, original tag) on March 13, 2020 by Shawn Mey at Frankman’s Hoek, Western Cape, 435 kilometres north of the first recapture locality. She measured 2 010 mm PCL.
She only grew 210 mm in just under 27 years showing the extremely slow growth rate of these animals and was caught at various localities along the coast showing the typical migration pattern of raggies.
Source: https://southcoastherald.co.za/
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