THE ELASMODIVER SHARK AND RAY FIELD GUIDE

 

SHARK GUIDE

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SHARK DIVING

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SHARK DIVING 101

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ATTACKS

 

CONSERVATION

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PREDATORS IN PERIL

 

PHOTOGRAPHY

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DAILY SHARK IMAGES

 

RESOURCES

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CONTACT ELASMODIVER

ABOUT ELASMODIVER

ANDY MURCH ELASMO GEEK

 

WHAT IS ELASMODIVER?

Not just a huge collection of Shark Pictures: Elasmodiver.com contains images of sharks, skates, rays, and a few chimaera's from around the world. Elasmodiver began as a simple web based shark field guide to help divers find the best places to encounter the different species of sharks and rays that live in shallow water but it has slowly evolved into a much larger project containing information on all aspects of shark diving and shark photography.

There are now more than 10,000 shark pictures  and sections on shark evolution, biology, and conservation. There is a large library of reviewed shark books, a constantly updated shark taxonomy page, a monster list of shark links, and deeper in the site there are numerous articles and stories about shark encounters. Elasmodiver is now so difficult to check for updates, that new information and pictures are listed on an Elasmodiver Updates Page that can be accessed here:

WHAT'S NEW?

Shark picture - green sawfish

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SHARK LINKS

 

If the shark links go bad please let us know and we'll fix them E-mail Elasmodiver

 

SHARK RESEARCH

Alaska Shark Assessment Program

Bruce Wright created the Alaska Shark Assessment Program in response to many reports, mostly from fishermen, that sharks abundances in the north Pacific Ocean are at the highest levels ever observed. Hosted by the Conservation Science Institute.

American Elasmobranch Society

Dedicated to the scientific study of sharks, rays, and skates.

Bimini Biological Field Station

The BBFS Sharklab is a world famous facility owned and operated by renowned shark biologist, Dr. Samuel H. Gruber. The Sharklab is dedicated to the research and conservation of sharks, and the ecosystems in which they are a part of.

Canadian Shark Research Laboratory

An informative site dedicated to the study of the sharks of Atlantic Canada.

GEERG - Greenland Shark and Elasmobranch Education and Research Group

The GEERG website contains in-depth information and exclusive footage of the Greenland shark as well as other species inhabiting Canadian waters. GEERG has repeatedly managed to locate this elusive species and compile valuable information that will hopefully lead to a greater understanding of its habits and vulnerability. 

The International Shark Attack File

The ISAF is a compilation of all known shark attacks that is administered by the American Elasmobranch Society and the Florida Museum of Natural History.

The National Shark Research Consortium

The NSRC projects involve NMFS-related research activities required for assessing the status of shark stocks, managing U.S. shark fisheries, and helping the U.S. take the leading role in worldwide conservation and management of shark populations.

The Pacific Shark Research Center

The PSRC at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories conducts both basic and applied scientific research on the biology of Pacific Ocean chondrichthyans, serves as a resource center for scientific information on sharks to public policy makers, and participates in collaborative research on national and international issues involving shark, ray, and chimaera biology.

Pelagic Shark Research Foundation

PSRF is primarily involved in gathering data on sharks that occur in and around Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay. Besides providing tagging data important for assessing the abundance, distribution and migratory patterns of sharks, PSRF is researching and contributing to research which documents their behavior, biology and ecology.

ReefQuest

One of the most comprehensive shark sites on the internet. ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research is dedicated to shark and ray conservation through its scientific research and public education programs. The Centre maintains research equipment and facilities, reference collections of fossil and extant elasmobranch specimens, a scientific library, elasmobranch databases, and public education materials. ReefQuest data collection centres around seal island in South Africa wher they maintain an ongoing white shark tagging and research program.

Shark specialist group

(SSG) and its regional shark specialist groups are composed of elasmobranch specialists willing to donate their time in identifying the problems associated with the maintenance of elasmobranch stocks in their regions. They also propose recommendations regarding fishing quotas and CITIES listings.

Shark Research Committee

The Shark Research Committee's primary goal was to assist the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) in documenting shark attacks from the Pacific Coast of North America. Broadened to include conducting original research on the general biology, behavior and ecology of sharks indigenous to waters off the Pacific Coast of North America, with particular emphasis on potentially dangerous species.

Shark Research Institute

Promotes conservation and awareness and conducts expedition based research on various shark species. Maintains a tagging program in Utila to study whalesharks, in which sport divers are invited to participate. 

Neil4sharks.org

Website of Shark Researcher Neil Hammerschlag. Neil's website is designed to encourage dialog between researchers, students and educators, the media, conservationists, and shark junkies. It contains information on research programs that he and others are involved in, conservation information, and a gallery of Neil's shark photographs.

Whale Shark Mexico

Dedicated to researching the movements and biology of whale sharks in and around the Sea of Cortez.

 


ELASMOBRANCH IDENTIFICATION

Egg capsules of sharks, skates, and chimaera

Good descriptions and pictures to aid in the identification of egg cases.

Elasmo.com

The life and times of extinct and some extant Elasmobranch species 

Fishbase

A huge database containing the most comprehensive list of fish data on the web.

REEF

The Reef Environmental Education Foundation is a grass roots, non profit organization of recreational divers who regularly conduct fish biodiversity and abundance surveys during their dives.

Shark Foundation Gallery

Containing many identification pictures of sharks. Part of the Swiss based Shark Foundation website.


SHARK ATTACK RESOURSES

Elasmodiver Shark Attack Page

Information on shark attack prevention and basic first aid.

ISAF

The International Shark Attack File headed by George Burgess. Contains archival information on all reported attacks and useful insights into how to avoid attack. The attack analysis is a very useful tool.

Sharkattacks.com

Info on recent attacks (needs updating), a graphic section on victims, an extensive links section, free email, shark images, shark paraphernalia and more.

Australian Shark Attack File

Info on recorded attacks in Australian waters.

Natal Shark Board

The Natal Sharks Board (NSB) is a service organisation that protects beach users in KwaZulu-Natal against shark attack.


SHARK CONSERVATION GROUPS

Bite-Back.com

"Bite-Back is about changing the way we regard sharks and encouraging individuals and organizations to stop buying or selling shark meat and fins"

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources - IUCN

IUCN is responsible for the compilation of the red list; an index of threatened species currently including over 12000 species!  An extract from the list showing the elasmobranchs that have been included is available here.

The Ocean Conservancy

Advocates of wild, healthy oceans. Active in many areas of shark and ray protection.

Sea Shepherd

Defenders of the oceans. Captain Paul Watson's organization dedicated to stopping illegal fishing. Sea Shepherd has a ship stationed in the Pacific, specifically commissioned with the job of disrupting the illegal longline fishing of sharks off the islands of the Galapagos and Cocos Island. Please lend your support. 

Shark Foundation

Founded to actively support the protection and preservation of endangered shark species and their natural surroundings

The Shark Trust

Dedicated to the fight to save our sharks. Please lend your support.

Wild aid

Campaigning for sharks and endangered creatures everywhere. Please lend your support.


SHARK DIVING OPERATORS AROUND THE WORLD

GENERAL
Big Fish Expeditions
An expert shark diving company that runs shark diving safaris all over the world. BFE runs all of the standard adventures and many that no other shark diving company offers.

 

SOUTHERN AFRICA

Incredible Adventures

Great white shark diving operator in False Bay, South Africa.

White-shark-diving

Gansbaai, South Africa.

Ultimate-Animals

South African based Great white shark diving operator. Running trips to Dyer Island. 

Shark Diving Unlimited

South African based Great white shark diving operator. Running trips to Dyer Island. 

Africa Shark Diving Safaris

Great white shark cage diving, white shark breaching, and diving tours in South Africa and Mozambique 

Dive South Africa

Extreme African scuba diving safaris including Great White shark cage diving, and reef diving in South Africa and Mozambique

Apex Predators

Chris Fallow's South African White shark photography and diving in the False Bay area.

 

UNITED KINGDOM

Porthkerris Divers

Runs dedicated basking shark encounters and is knowledgeable on other elasmo species in the area.

Basking Shark Scotland

Snorkelling company based in Oban that offers Basking Shark tours during the summer months.

Sealife Surveys

Whale watching company in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. Offers basking shark snorkeling for group bookings during the summer months.

 

USA

Emerald Charters

Runs daily shark feeds out of Jupiter, Florida. Species seen may include tigers, lemons, bulls, reef sharks, sandbar sharks, silkies and duskies.

Great White Adventures

Offers trips to see Great White Sharks up close in their natural environment in two locations: The largest White Sharks in the world at the Farallon Islands, and Isla de Guadalupe where the water is crystal clear and GWA has a 100% success record.

Islander Charters

Runs trips to Guadalupe Island to dive with great white sharks.

Sharkdiver.com

Absolute adventures great white shark dives at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico.

SDSharkdiving

San Diego based company running great white shark trips to Isla Gaudalupe.

Olympus Dive Centre

Located in Moorhead City, North Carolina. Runs Sandtiger trips to the Outer Banks.

Pelagic Expeditions

Blue and Mako snorkeling in Rhode Island

Ravencroft Lodge

Fishing lodge offering Salmon Shark Diving in Alaska.

 

MEXICO

Phantom Divers

The original bull shark feed in Playa del Carmen. Operated by Jorge Loria

Cabo Shark Dive

Blue and Mako Shark Snorkelling in Cabo San Lucas, Baja.

 

COSTA RICA

Undersea Hunter

Runs live aboard trips to see schooling Scalloped hammerheads, Silkies, Whitetips, Silvertips, Galapagos, and Blacktip sharks.

 

BAHAMAS

Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures

Jim Abernethy runs high quality charters to the outer reefs of the Bahamas in search of Great Hammerheads and Tiger sharks. Their trips are the best in the world for outside the cage action with big sharks. Also included on many of their trips is the chance to see Bull, Lemon, Dusky, Caribbean Reef, Silky, and Nurse Sharks. Highly recommended

Stuart Cove

Resort in Nassau offering dives  with Caribbean reef sharks.

Bimini Scuba Centre

Great Hammerhead dive company in Bimini, Bahamas.

Epic Diving

Oceanic Whitetip Shark Diving company in Cat Island, Bahamas. Also offers tours to Tiger Beach.

 

CARIBBEAN

Dive Safaris

Caribbean Reef Shark feed operator in St Maarten, Netherland Antilles.

Ocean Explorers

Caribbean Reef Shark feed operator in St Maarten, Netherland Antilles.

 

HAWAII

North Shore Shark Adventures

Shark cage encounters with Galapagos and Sandbar sharks.

Hawaii Shark Encounters

Shark cage encounters with Galapagos and Sandbar sharks.

 

AUSTRALIA

Exmouth Dive Centre

Runs Whale shark encounters on the Ningaloo Reef and Pier dives that include Tasseled wobbegong sightings.

Fish Rock Dive Centre

Dive operator in Southwest Rocks, NSW. Goes to Fish Rock to dive with banded, dwarf ornate and spotted wobbegongs as well as grey nurse sharks, shark rays and more.

Rodney Fox Shark Experience

Rodney Fox is a famous spear fisherman and shark attack victim turned shark watcher. Rodney now runs white shark cage diving trips out of Southern Australia.


FRESHWATER STINGRAY SITES

Potamotrygon.de

An excellent freshwater stingray husbandry site (in German), with an extensive gallery.

Fresh water stingray information pages

Peter Piermarini's informative research pages describing the processes by which some stingrays have adapted to tolerate a fresh water existence.


SHARK FISHING

Elasmodiver does not promote shark fishing but some shark fishing websites contain useful geographic information, pictures, and species descriptions.

Capt. Tom's New England Sharks

A great site full of info on sharks of the north east coastal area. Although this site is structured for fishing enthusiasts it has excellent general information for shark nuts. 


MORE SHARK LINKS

Classic Diving Books - Sharks

Reviews of some very rare and obscure shark books

The Dedicated Shark Site

General shark info from a big shark fan 

Oceanicdreams

The shark photography of Wolfgang Leander. Amazing black and white portraits.

Shark Academy

A large site (in Italian) by shark fanatic Ricardo Sturla Avogadri featuring hundreds of pictures of sharks, fossil teeth, shark models, shark books and comics, movies, memorabilia, and much more.

Shark Diver Magazine

An awesome quarterly magazine specifically for the shark diving enthusiast. No longer published.

Shark Friends

Contains an easily digested overview of shark biology and species. 

Underwater Times - Shark News

Links to shark related content in the news.

Sharkyear Magazine

Links to shark related content in the news and updates from the world of academia.


GENERAL INTEREST

BC Marine Life

An index of marine species from the North Eastern Pacific Region. This site is maintained by Photographer Andy Murch and is permanently under construction. New species are added whenever possible.

Marine Life Pics

A large image database of fishes and aquatic invertebrates.

 

 

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CONTACT ELASMODIVER

elasmodiver@gmail.com

250-588-8267

P.O.Box 8719 Station Central, Victoria, BC., V8W 3S3, Canada