Shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus)
Possibly the fastest shark and certainly one of the most active, the shortfin mako is only found in tropical and warm temperate seas. During summer months, shortfin makos follow patches of warm water.
Shortfin mako sharks are both targeted by longline fisheries for their meat and caught incidentally as bycatch. They are also a popular game fish since they will often leap out of the water when hooked. They are currently considered “Critically Endangered” on IUCN’s regional Mediterranean Red List and “Vulnerable” globally.
The Atlantic shortfin mako shark population is declining as a result of fishing practices. Oceana is working to introduce new management measures in the Atlantic that will prevent the shortfin mako from becoming overfished.
