Capt. Tony DiGiulian Teaches How to Catch Wintertime Wahoo at the IGFA’s School of Sportfishing next Monday, December 15, 2014, 7-10pm. Known as one of the fastest fish in the ocean, wahoo don’t …
FWC Decides Not to Reopen Snook Season on Florida’s West Coast
29 Jun 20127:01 PM
Catch & release still permitted during closure
NOTE: This story was posted today on TampabayOnline.com by Special Correspondent Frank Sergeant
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission ruled this week that the snook fishing season will remain closed on the state’s west coast, rather than reopening Sept. 1 as scheduled.
The season has been closed due to a 2010 cold-kill, which wiped out tens of thousands of fish from Clearwater to Naples.
“This is a wise move,” said snook guide Scott Moore of Holmes Beach. “I’m seeing big fish and a few slot (keeper-sized) fish, but no little fish — we’re missing whole-year classes due to the winter kill, and we need to get more in the pipeline before we start taking them again.”
The continued closure also was supported by the Coastal Conservation Association, which said that the number of adult snook on the west coast was down 20 percent after the freeze, and the numbers of juvenile fish killed was probably much greater.
The season will reopen Sept. 1, 2013, if the commission takes no further action.
Catch-and-release fishing for snook is permitted during the closure.
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![](mailto:?subject=FWC Decides Not to Reopen Snook Season on Florida’s West Coast&body=<a href="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/499.jpg"><img title=""Side-Liners" by Guy Harvey" src="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/499.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="282" /></a>
Catch & release still permitted during closure
NOTE: This story was posted today on <a title="TBO.com" href="http://www2.tbo.com/" target="_blank">TampabayOnline.com</a> by Special Correspondent Frank Sergeant
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission ruled this week that the snook fishing season will remain closed on the state's west coast, rather than reopening Sept. 1 as scheduled.
The season has been closed due to a 2010 cold-kill, which wiped out tens of thousands of fish from Clearwater to Naples.
"This is a wise move," said snook guide Scott Moore of Holmes Beach. "I'm seeing big fish and a few slot (keeper-sized) fish, but no little fish — we're missing whole-year classes due to the winter kill, and we need to get more in the pipeline before we start taking them again."
The continued closure also was supported by the Coastal Conservation Association, which said that the number of adult snook on the west coast was down 20 percent after the freeze, and the numbers of juvenile fish killed was probably much greater.
The season will reopen Sept. 1, 2013, if the commission takes no further action.
Catch-and-release fishing for snook is permitted during the closure. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/fwc-decides-not-to-reopen-september-1st-snook-season-on-floridas-west-coast/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Get Ready to Wahoo with the IGFA & Old Bahama Bay&body=Capt. Tony DiGiulian Teaches How to Catch Wintertime Wahoo at the <a href="http://www.igfa.org/Educate/School-of-Sportfishing.aspx">IGFA's School of Sportfishing </a>next Monday, December 15, 2014, 7-10pm.
Known as one of the fastest fish in the ocean, wahoo don't last long on a dinner plate either. Capt. DiGiulian's class will teach anglers how to target and more consistently catch wahoo in the cooler months of the year. He is co-founder of the IGFA School of Sportfishing and has lectured on fishing techniques around the world through his <a href="http://www.saltwaterproconsulting.com/">Saltwater Professional Consulting</a>.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/tony-wahoo.png"><img class="wp-image-2426" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/tony-wahoo.png" alt="Tony Wahoo" width="600" height="284" /></a>Captain Anthony DiGulian and his favorite wahoo rig.
Unlike most locales where wahoo are often considered incidental catches due to their somewhat nomadic and loner nature, at <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/west-end-grand-bahama-island/overview.html">Old Bahama Bay, a Guy Harvey Outpost Expedition Lodge</a> they are caught consistently October to March. Double and triple headers of wahoo are relatively common during the season. One-hundred pounders are caught each year in the Bahamas. Wahoo grow quite large with the all tackle record reaching 184 pounds. Just north of <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/west-end-grand-bahama-island/overview.html">Old Bahama Bay </a>is the area known as "Wahoo Alley." This stretch, where the Little Bahama Bank meets the Gulfstream, gets special recognition on fishing charts. Wahoo also make great table fair and can be found at your local sushi bar as Ono. To celebrate WAHOO Season, Guy Harvey Outpost is hosting the <a href="http://ghofish.com/">Wahoo Bonfire Festival and Tournament </a>at Old Bahama Bay February 26th - March 1st 2015. The Wahoo Bonfire Festival will feature a variety of activities including a Burning Wahoo Sculpture by artist Bobby Little.
<a href="http://ghofish.com/"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-2436" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/burning-wahoo-logo.jpg" alt="http://ghofish.com/" width="375" height="375" /></a>
The Wintertime Wahoo Techniques class will be held at the <a href="http://igfa.org/">International Game Fish Association's </a> Headquaters in Dania Beach, FL. Cost per class is $100 USD for IGFA members and $150 USD for non IGFA members. The fee covers the cost of the class, course materials, and tackle used for activities during each class. For more details call Anthony Vedral at 954-924-4254 or e-mail <a href="mailto:avedral@igfa.org?subject=IGFA%20School%20of%20Sportfishing">avedral@igfa.org</a>
For Fishing with Guy Harvey Outpost: <a href="http://www.ghofish.com/" target="_parent">www.ghofish.com</a>
More Information on Guy Harvey Outpost & their great resorts: <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/" target="_parent">http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/</a>
For the Guy Harvey Outpost Blog <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com/" target="_parent">www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost" target="_parent">https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/GHOutpost" target="_parent">https://twitter.com/GHOutpost</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on YouTube <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/GuyHarveyOutpost" target="_parent">http://www.youtube.com/user/GuyHarveyOutpost</a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/get-ready-to-wahoo-with-the-igfa-old-bahama-bay/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=2011 Billfish Invitational Underway at the Bimini Big Game Club&body=During this week's Billfish Invitational tournament, Fred Garth, Editor-In-Chief of <a title="GHM web site" href="http://www.guyharveymagazine.com">Guy Harvey Magazine</a>, will be filing a series of dispatches from tournament headquarters at the Bimini Big Game Club.
Fishing began today at the <a title="Billfish Invitational web site" href="http://www.billfishinvitational.com" target="_blank">Billfish Invitational Tournament</a> with clear skies and light winds. Local fishermen have reported good activity in recent days leading up to today’s kick off so there’s plenty of optimism in the air. Twelve boats headed out early rigged and ready for action.
Anglers and dignitaries enjoyed a full evening of festivities Wednesday evening at the newly renovated <a title="BBGC web site" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com" target="_blank">Bimini Big Game Club</a>, which has been rebranded and rebuilt as a <a title="About Guy Harvey Outpost" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com/aboutus.htm" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Outpost Resort & Marina</a>. Numerous world records have been caught in the waters here and, of course, Bimini was a favorite haunt of legendary fisherman and author Ernest Hemingway.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/nedcaptmeeting11.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-717" title="Capt. Ned Stone, tournament director, addresses the teams during Wednesday's Captains Meeting" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/nedcaptmeeting11.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="400" /></a>
VIP guests in attendance at the opening party and captain’s meeting included <a title="Guy Harvey Inc. web site" href="http://www.guyharvey.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey</a>, Mike Myatt, COO of the <a title="IGFA web site" href="http://www.igfa.org/Default.aspx" target="_blank">IGFA</a>, Bill Shedd of Guy Harvey apparel licensee <a title="AFTCO Bluewater web site" href="http://www.aftcobluewater.com/" target="_blank">AFTCO Bluewater</a>, Frank Johnson of <a title="Mold Craft web site" href="http://www.moldcraftproducts.com/" target="_blank">Mold Craft</a>, and Sculptor <a title="Kent Ullberg's web site" href="http://www.kentullberg.net/" target="_blank">Kent Ullberg</a>, who created the Billfish Invitational’s <a title="About the Hemingway-Lerner Triphy" href="http://guyharveyoutpostnews.com/2011/04/29/hemingway-lerner-trophy-unveiled-for-guy-harveys-upcoming-billfish-invitational-in-bimini/" target="_blank">“Hemingway-Lerner” trophy</a>.
This is the first billfish tournament since the resort was rebuilt with the help and co-ordination of Guy Harvey. The tournament has not only attracted top fishermen but also an eclectic collection of artists and top marine photographers such as <a title="Pat Ford Photography web site" href="http://www.patfordphotos.com/" target="_blank">Pat Ford</a>, <a title="Scott Kerrigan's web site" href="http://www.scottkerrigan.com/" target="_blank">Scott Kerrigan</a>, and <a title="Bill Boyce's web site" href="http://www.boyceimage.com/" target="_blank">Bill Boyce</a>, who is shooting a documentary with Guy and his crew.
The Big Game is On, so much more to follow...
Garth Out! https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/billfish-invitational-underway/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Guy Harvey Talks Fisheries Symposium & Guy Harvey Outpost Grand Opening with Fishing Florida Radio&body=<a href="http://www.fishingfloridaradio.com/mp3/guy_harvey_ffr_interview.mp3"><img class="size-full wp-image-1446 alignleft" title="Guy Harvey Interview with Fishing Florida Radio" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/fishing-florida-radiologo11.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="88" /></a>Guy recently spoke with BooDreaux, Steve and Capt. Mike of <a title="FFR web site" href="http://www.fishingfloridaradio.com/" target="_blank">Fishing Florida Radio</a> to discuss the upcoming <a title="Fisheries Symposium web site" href="http://www.gulffisheriessymposium.com/" target="_blank">Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Symposium</a>, which is being held this week in conjunction with the Grand Opening of the new <a title="GHO on Facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.297039977030459.74495.238365306231260&type=3" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Outpost on St. Pete Beach</a>. Click <a title="Guy Harvey Interview with FFR" href="http://www.fishingfloridaradio.com/mp3/guy_harvey_ffr_interview.mp3" target="_blank">here</a> to listen to the interview. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/guy-harvey-talks-fisheries-symposium-guy-harvey-outpost-grand-opening-with-fishing-florida-radio/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation Supporting New Shark-Free Marinas Initiative Florida Campaign&body=<a href="http://www.sharkfreemarinas.com/florida/submission/submission/"><img class="aligncenter" title="SFMI 2011 Florida Campaign" src="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/florida-campaign.png" alt="" width="285" height="100" /></a>
Converting Florida Marinas Critical to Health of Shark Populations
The <a title="SFMI web site" href="http://www.sharkfreemarinas.com/" target="_blank">Shark-Free Marinas Initiative</a> (SFMI) is reaching out to marinas in Florida to ask for their support in conserving the world’s shark populations. Organized as a cooperative by the <a title="Pegasus Foundation web site" href="http://www.pegasusfoundation.org/" target="_blank">Pegasus Foundation</a>, the <a title="GHOF web site" href="http://www.guyharveyoceanfoundation.org" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation</a> and <a title="US Humane Society web site" href="http://www.humanesociety.org/" target="_blank">The Humane Society of the United States</a>, the SFMI aims to reduce shark mortality worldwide by discouraging the landing of sharks and encouraging catch-and-release of sharks in sport fishing, while rewarding forward-thinking marinas that participate in this program. Supporting organizations include <a title="MML web site" href="http://www.mote.org/" target="_blank">Mote Marine Laboratory</a>, the <a title="PEG web site" href="http://www.pewenvironment.org/" target="_blank">Pew Environment Group</a>, <a title="Fishpond USA web site" href="http://www.fishpondusa.com/" target="_blank">Fishpond USA</a> and the <a title="Fisheries Conservation Foundation" href="http://www.fisheriesconservationfoundation.org/" target="_blank">Fisheries Conservation Foundation</a>.
“Shark populations worldwide have suffered severe declines due to over-fishing,” says world renowned artist, angler and conservationist, Dr. Guy Harvey, “Marinas in Florida can now do their part to help conserve these ecologically vital animals by joining the SFMI.”
Sharks are currently being killed at an unsustainable rate. A scientific study published by Imperial College, London estimated that the fins of from 26 million up to 73 million sharks per year were being traded through the world’s fin markets as of the year 2000, mostly for shark fin soup. In addition, the U.S. government estimates that recreational fishing killed an average of more than 200,000 sharks along the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic coast each year between 2004 and 2008.
“Many sharks species have declined because of overfishing, which recreational fishing has contributed to in the U.S.,” notes Dr. Robert Hueter, senior scientist and director, Mote Marine Laboratory’s Center for Shark Research. “Sustaining these species is in the interest of recreational anglers as well as marine conservationists.”
Marinas in Florida can help reduce the number of sharks being killed by joining the SFMI and preventing dead sharks from being brought back to their docks. "There is no state more important to the success of this initiative in the United States than Florida, the sport-fishing capital of the world," says Luke Tipple, managing director of the SFMI. ""Because of the number of shark species off Florida, and the sheer number of nursery grounds and migratory routes located there, protecting Florida's sharks is critical to maintaining the health of Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico waters."
<a href="http://www.sharkfreemarinas.com/"><img title="SFMI Logo" src="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/sfmilogo.jpg" alt="" width="324" height="347" /></a>
SFMI supporter John Land Le Coq, co-founder of Fishpond USA, agrees. “Sharks are the guardians of the ocean and play an essential part in the health of the ocean. Most anglers I know are very concerned about the status of sharks. I hope every marina in Florida joins this important program. ”
According to Dr. John Grandy, senior vice president, The Humane Society of the United States, “Thousands of dollars in prizes are offered in shark tournaments that the government itself acknowledges are poorly monitored. Kill tournaments and misinformed media support the antiquated concept that the only good shark is a dead shark. This has to change.”
There are two different levels of commitment for an interested marina. It can either become a “Shark-Free Marina” that completely prohibits the landing of all sharks on its docks or a “Shark-Friendly Marina” — a facility that discourages the killing and landing of sharks and does not promote any activity that could harm sharks.
“The SFMI works in tandem with businesses and fishermen to increase the awareness of the need to protect our sharks and oceans,” says Barbara Birdsey, founder of the Pegasus Foundation. “This is a voluntary program that will prevent the needless killing of these ecologically and economically vital animals.” Each marina will also receive recognition around the world as a partner in this growing initiative.
Dr. Harvey summarizes: “I encourage recreational fishermen everywhere to join with me and SFMI to help protect sharks and our oceans. Our world needs sharks.”
Facts
The U.S. government estimates that, on average, more than 200,000 sharks were killed annually off the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coast by sport fishermen for each year between 2004 and 2008.
In 2009, close to 2,000 shortfin mako sharks were killed in recreational and commercial fisheries in the U.S., leading the National Marine Fisheries Service to declare that shortfin mako sharks are “overfished.” Despite asking fishermen to voluntarily release these sharks unharmed, tournaments targeting makos have continued.
Today the dusky shark population in the northwestern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico is estimated to have lost 80-85 percent of its population since the mid-1970s, according to research cited by a 2011 NMFS report. The NMFS prohibited recreational fishermen from possessing duskies starting in in 2000, but they can be difficult to identify and some sport fishermen still catch and release them.
Forward thinking anglers have already created new fishing tournaments that help conserve sharks and support marine research. For example, in 2011, the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge, an annual Catch and Release Tournament in SW Florida awarded $10,000 in prizes for research related tagging, while the Ocean City (Md.) Shark Tournament awarded $30,000 in prizes in its Catch and Release Division.
The Shark-Free Marina Initiative is a program of The Humane Society of the United States. It is strongly supported by the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, Fishpond USA, Mote Marine Laboratory, Oceanic Defense, The Fisheries Conservation Foundation, the Cape Eleuthera Institute and the Pegasus Foundation.
https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/guy-harvey-ocean-foundation-supporting-new-shark-free-marinas-initiative-florida-campaign/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Explore the HMS Winchester with Capt. Lars Vihlen, March 18th, Islamorada&body=The <a href="http://www.divingmuseum.org/">History of Diving Museum </a>in Islamorada hosts Capt. Lars Vihlen as part of the Museum's Immerse Yourself! seminar series.
In 1695 only two years after she was built, the crew of the HMS Winchester were struck by scurvy. With the death of many and her crew greatly weakend she wrecked on a reef just south of Carysfort Light. Her remains are visible in 28 feet of water inside Penekamp Park.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/hdm-flyer-03182015-winchester.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-2652" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/hdm-flyer-03182015-winchester.jpg" alt="HDM-flyer-03182015-Winchester" width="220" height="228" /></a>
The Winchester, a British man-of-war, was 121-feet in length. She had a beam of 38 feet and carried 60 guns. Almost all of her 400 crew were lost, mostly to disease.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/hdm-flyer-03182015-capt-vihlen.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2653" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/hdm-flyer-03182015-capt-vihlen.jpg" alt="HDM-flyer-03182015-Capt Vihlen" width="320" height="202" /></a>
The presentation is open to the general public. Admission is free to Monroe County residents and Museum members and $10 for visitors. Pre-seminar museum tours will be conducted at 5:15pm and 6pm. Museum tours are included with admission. Members may reserve their seats in advance.
The History of Diving Museum is located at: 82990 Overseas Hwy about one mile north of the <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/florida/islamorada-fl/islamorada-fl-overview.html">Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost</a>.
For more information on the <a href="http://www.divingmuseum.org/">History of Diving Museum</a>
For Fishing with Guy Harvey Outpost: <a href="http://www.ghofish.com/">www.ghofish.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost & their great resorts: <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/" target="_parent">http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/</a>
For the Guy Harvey Outpost Blog <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com/" target="_parent">www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost" target="_parent">https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/GHOutpost" target="_parent">https://twitter.com/GHOutpost</a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/explore-the-hms-winchester-with-capt-lars-vihlen-march-18th-islamorada/){kind=link}
 and diving to nearly 4,000 foot depths. Great whites are also a big conservation concern given their relatively low numbers in the world’s oceans.
In a major scientific step to understand the biology of this iconic apex predator and sharks in general, the entire genome of the white shark has now been decoded in detail.
A team led by scientists from Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Research Center and Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI), Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Monterey Bay Aquarium, completed the white shark genome and compared it to genomes from a variety of other vertebrates, including the giant whale shark and humans.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/GW-Shark-NSU-Research-.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5298" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/GW-Shark-NSU-Research--300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /></a>Photo by Byron Dilkes and Danah Divers
The findings are reported in the ‘Latest Articles’ section of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA.
Decoding the white shark’s genome revealed not only its huge size – one-and-a-half times the size of the human genome – but also a plethora of genetic changes that could be behind the evolutionary success of large-bodied and long-lived sharks.
The researchers found striking occurrences of specific DNA sequence changes indicating molecular adaptation (also known as positive selection) in numerous genes with important roles in maintaining genome stability ¬¬- the genetic defense mechanisms that counteract the accumulation of damage to a species’ DNA, thereby preserving the integrity of the genome.
These adaptive sequence changes were found in genes intimately tied to DNA repair, DNA damage response, and DNA damage tolerance, among other genes. The opposite phenomenon, genome instability, which results from accumulated DNA damage, is well known to predispose humans to numerous cancers and age-related diseases.
“Not only were there a surprisingly high number of genome stability genes that contained these adaptive changes, but there was also an enrichment of several of these genes, highlighting the importance of this genetic fine-tuning in the white shark,” said Mahmood Shivji, Ph.D., director of NSU’s Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Research Center and GHRI. Shivji co-led the study with Michael Stanhope, Ph.D., of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Also notable was that the white shark genome contained a very high number of “jumping genes” or transposons, and in this case a specific type, known as LINEs. In fact this is one of the highest proportions of LINEs (nearly 30%) discovered in vertebrates so far.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/GW-Shark-NSU-Resaerch-Image.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5299" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/GW-Shark-NSU-Resaerch-Image-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" /></a>Byron Dilkes and Danah Divers
“These LINEs are known to cause genome instability by creating double stranded breaks in DNA,” said Stanhope. “It’s plausible that this proliferation of LINEs in the white shark genome could represent a strong selective agent for the evolution of efficient DNA repair mechanisms, and is reflected in the positive selection and enrichment of so many genome stability genes.”
The international research team, which also included scientists from California State University, Monterey Bay, Clemson University, University of Porto, Portugal, and the Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, Russia, also found that many of the same genome stability genes in the white shark were also under positive selection and enriched in the huge-bodied, long-lived whale shark.
The discovery that the whale shark also had these key genome stability adaptations was significant because theoretically, the risk of developing cancer should increase with both the number of cells (large bodies) and an organism’s lifespan - there is statistical support for a positive relationship of body size and cancer risk within a species. Interestingly, this does not tend to hold up across species.
Contrary to expectations, very large-bodied animals do not get cancer more often than humans, suggesting they have evolved superior cancer-protective abilities. The genetic innovations discovered in genome stability genes in the white and whale shark could be adaptations facilitating the evolution of their large bodies and long lifespans.
“Decoding the white shark genome is providing science with a new set of keys to unlock lingering mysteries about these feared and misunderstood predators - why sharks have thrived for some 500 million years, longer than almost any vertebrate on earth” said Dr. Salvador Jorgensen, a Senior Research Scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, who co-authored the study.
But the innovations did not end there.
The shark genomes revealed other intriguing evolutionary adaptations in genes linked to wound healing pathways. Sharks are known for their impressively rapid wound healing.
“We found positive selection and gene content enrichments involving several genes tied to some of the most fundamental pathways in wound healing, including in a key blood clotting gene,” said Stanhope. “These adaptations involving wound healing genes may underlie the vaunted ability of sharks to heal efficiently from even large wounds.”
The researchers say they have just explored the “tip of the iceberg” with respect to the white shark genome.
“Genome instability is a very important issue in many serious human diseases; now we find that nature has developed clever strategies to maintain the stability of genomes in these large-bodied, long-lived sharks,” said Shivji. “There’s still tons to be learned from these evolutionary marvels, including information that will potentially be useful to fight cancer and age-related diseases, and improve wound healing treatments in humans, as we uncover how these animals do it.”
Decoding the white shark genome will also assist with the conservation of this and related sharks, many of which have rapidly declining populations due to overfishing,” said Steven O’Brien, a conservation geneticist at NSU, who co-conceived this study. “The genome data will be a great asset for understanding white shark population dynamics to better conserve this amazing species that has captured the imagination of so many.”
This research was funded by NSU’s Save Our Seas Foundation, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, the Hai Stiftung/Shark Foundation, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and in-kind support from Illumina, Inc., and Dovetail Genomics. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/great-white-shark-genome-decoded/){kind=link}
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