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Longfin Mako Shark

With sleek bodies and exceptionally long fins, longfin mako sharks are built for life in the open ocean. Often mistaken for their speedier shortfin cousins, these elusive sharks roam temperate and tropical waters worldwide.

 

Longfin makos can grow up to 4 meters (13 feet) long and are named for their unusually long pectoral fins, which can be as long or longer than their heads. These sharks have a dark blue or gray-black upper body and a white underside, helping them blend into the open ocean from above and below. Much about their lives remains a mystery, so scientists often rely on their close relative — the shortfin mako—to help estimate how they live beneath the waves. 

Longfin makos are likely solitary and roam the open ocean in search of food. They are typically found at depths around 760 meters (2,493 feet), but can dive as deep as 1,752 meters (5,748 feet). While not as fast as their shortfin cousins10, they are still capable hunters, thought to prey on fish and cephalopods like squid.

 

 

While not enough is known about these sharks to fully understand their population size, they are considered endangered by the IUCN Red List due to intense fishing pressure. Longfin makos are sometimes caught in targeted fisheries, but more often they are taken as bycatch by industrial fleets in the open ocean. Because they reproduce slowly, are not well-studied, and are relatively rare, longfin makos are especially vulnerable to overfishing. In some regions, they are also retained for their meat and fins, which can have value in the global shark fin trade.

 

 

Oceana campaigns to reduce bycatch and protect important species from destructive fishing practices and other human-caused threats. We also continue to work around the world for better fisheries management and policies to protect sharks, which are key predators and critical species for maintaining healthy oceans.

 

 

 

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