Red Cedar
More apocalypse, less angst
Elasmobranches of the Pacific
So – some of you will remember an odd posting I made about Basking Sharks that included this drawing an old-codger friend of my Dad’s made to demonstrate the way in which the sharks were killed by Fisheries and Oceans back in the day.
(Yes, it really did happen this way – a blade attached to the prow of the Comox Post would literally slice the sharks in half as they basked near the surface).
I’m not sure about the coincidence of this, but there has just been a book on the subject published – “Basking Sharks: The Slaughter of BC’s Gentle Giants” which I read this morning over breakfast. The book is brief (about 100 pages), and even though I have worked at DFO for many years, I have to confess there is an awful lot about elasmobranches (sharks, skates and rays) in our waters I had no idea about. In particular, the Basking Shark, once numerous along the BC coast is one of the three largest shark species in the world (second only to the Whale Shark, and larger than the Great White) coming in at up to 40 feet long and several tons in weight. Their livers alone can weigh up to 1000 pounds and produce 4-7 barrels of oil! And it is suspected that the many Cadborosaurus sightings over the years may in fact have been sightings of this shark species, which often “bask” at the surface of the water while feeding. Even more amazing is that these massive animals are believed to subsist as filter-feeders mainly off plankton.
I bet that even if you grew up in BC, as I did, learning about the great marine resources of the province – you never heard a peep about this amazing giant living right here in our waters. Only surprising until you realize that the reason we don’t talk about them is because in the 40s and 50s a series of government and industry eradication programs (not to mention commercial and sport fisheries that targeted these sharks) brought them to the brink of extinction. Generally considered a “pest” because they tangled with fish nets on commercial gillnetters and trawlers – or an “amusement” for those into thrill-killing – the basking shark is almost non-existent in BC today. Apparently there have been recent moves to have them listed as an endangered species in Canada – and their case will be reviewed by COSIEWIC in May 2007…..
In the meantime – I’ve discovered a new marine fascination – which is the world of elasmobranches. Years of working on files to do with marine mammals, salmon and rockfish…. I think it’s time I learn more about the elusive sharks and skates of BC before we just come to accept that they are gone for good.
One Comment on “Elasmobranches of the Pacific”
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Red Cedar 
I remember reading about basking sharks in books as a kid. I read pretty much any nature or science book i could find….but you’re right about never hearing about their presence in BC waters. Even when i frequented the vancouver aquarium as a kid and saw the big mock-up of a basking shark they used to have hanging from the ceiling in the guest shop, i always thought of it as another one of the exotic and weird animals from far-off lands that were in the rest of the aquarium.
One of my scuba diver friends was telling me about the great shark-watching off Hornby. Apparently there are several different kinds and some of them can get quite large.