Sharks are apex predators at the top of the ocean food chain, and they have been successfully roaming the seas for over 400 million years. Sharks play an important role in regulating and maintaining healthy and balanced marine ecosystems.
Many shark species are vulnerable to heightening fishing pressure due to low reproduction rates, older maturity ages, and longer gestation periods. Protecting and conserving vulnerable apex predators like sharks is essential because their presence has complex consequences on marine ecosystems.
DEC Shark Spotter is a citizen science-based program that seeks public sightings of sharks in New York waters using an online digital survey. This program was developed to gather valuable data to gain a better understanding of local shark populations and their behavior. Check out the Shark Spotter Public Viewer for a catalog of sharks reported to DEC.
Visit DEC’s website for more information on Coastal Sharks in New York.
