USM Whale Shark Research

Ever wonder what life looks like as the ocean’s largest fish?

POV: You’re a 30-foot whale shark cruising the Gulf of America with a camera attached. 🌊

Location: Off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of America

Situation: You are hungry and just came upon a recent fish spawn!

Studying the ocean's largest fish is no small task. To learn about their feeding behavior, movements, and social interactions, our scientists use special tags—including some equipped with cameras! 🎥

Even though whale sharks are humongous (they can weigh up to 40 tons!), they survive on microscopic meals—especially fish eggs. Scientists at NOAA Fisheries Service, USM Center for Fisheries Research and Development, Blue World Research Institute, and FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute are collaborating to identify the exact fish species whose eggs are important to whale shark diets in the Gulf of America. This vital data helps us predict their movements and better protect these magnificent creatures.

Happy Shark Week!

Music Credit: Universal Production Music
Video Credit: Blue World Research Institute

Whale shark sighting coming in from a collaborative project we are also apart of! 🎥🦈

FWC FIM underwater video array caught a sighting of a whale shark on their annual S-BRUV survey. What an exciting find!

Collaboration between various groups around the Gulf and citizen participation in our sighting survey really helps us understand the spatial utilization of these spotted giants!

👀 Submit your sighting reports here: https://usmforms.formstack.com/forms/whale_shark_sighting_survey

Thank you for the write up The Boca Beacon!

Introducing Larry and Larry—both science rockstars! 🤩

Larry the whale shark owes his name to Dr. Larry Spetka, a generous vessel owner who welcomed our researchers aboard his private boat to track whale sharks in May 2025.

During an expedition off Tampa Bay, Florida, the team encountered a 26-foot male whale shark. The team decided to tag him, unaware of the incredible journey that was about to unfold. 🌊

Larry’s satellite tag has transmitted his location for 327 out of 355 days (nearly a full year) since being deployed—resulting in more than 6,000 data points. Larry continues to "ping" almost every day, offering a wealth of information on movement and behavior.

His travels have been extensive:
• He first headed south to the Dry Tortugas near the Florida Keys
• In June, he returned to Tampa Bay, where our researchers saw him again!
• By September, he traveled to Cuba and Honduras, then ventured over to the western Gulf for the winter
• He then followed the edge of the Loop Current (visible by the orange warm water in this sea surface temperature map) around the Gulf, likely feeding on plankton
• Currently, Larry is offshore of Charlotte Harbor, Florida and the team hopes to encounter him again this year.

While satellite tags can last up to 500 days, Larry is already pushing the boundaries of data collection. The team is eager to uncover more from his trek.

Reflecting on the mission, Dr. Spetka noted: "Nothing humbles a physician quite like standing beside real scientists on a whale shark tagging expedition—suddenly your white coat feels a lot less impressive next to people who can find, track, and understand a forty-foot fish in the open ocean."

If you spot Larry or any other whale sharks, please help support our research by reporting the sighting at: bit-ly/whale-shark-report 👈

NOAA Fisheries Service
Blue World Research Institute

Behind the scenes of a tagging mission. 🎥

Once we spot a whale shark, the clock starts. We shift the boat's motor into neutral and prep our gear—but we don’t chase. We wait.

Our goal is total respect for the animal’s space. We wait for them to approach us, allowing our scientists to slip into the water and attach specialized tags to the dorsal fin.

Our current research utilizes a sophisticated multi-tag approach:

🛰️ Satellite tags provide data on large-scale horizontal movements and habitat use

🔊 Acoustic tags focus on site fidelity and regional presence

📉 IMU tag analyze the biomechanics and fine-scale behavior of the shark

Through global collaboration, we’ve developed attachment systems that are non-invasive and completely removable to minimize impacts to these magnificent creatures. 🐋✨



NOAA Fisheries Service
Blue World Research Institute