Fishermen snag ‘large’-eyed ocean predator in first-of-its-kind catch in Philippines
Off the coast of the Philippines, fishermen hauled in a “large”-eyed ocean predator and took it to a nearby port. The animal was likely intended for a fish market but caught the attention of visiting scientists instead — and for good reason.
It turned out to be a first-of-its-kind catch.
A team of researchers spent two years visiting fish markets and ports “as part of a larger project to re-survey the diversity of marine fishes” on the two islands of the Western Visayas, “a region of the central Philippines with highly intensive coastal fisheries,” according to a study published March 20 in the peer-reviewed journal Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria.
The team focused on cartilaginous fish, a broad group that includes sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras, or ghost sharks, and bought specimens “directly” from fishermen, the study said. The specimens were then taken to a laboratory for DNA testing and further analysis before being preserved.
Overall, researchers found 14 species of mostly sharks and rays.
One of the most important finds included the country’s “first verified report” of a sandbar shark, researchers said. Three of these sharks were purchased at a fishing port in July 2020.
Sandbar sharks, also known as Carcharhinus plumbeus, are commercially sought-after sharks because of their “moderate size, palatable meat, and high fin-to-carcass ratio,” according to the Florida Museum. The species is “vulnerable to over-exploitation” because of its “slow growth rate” and long reproduction cycle.
Photos show two of the endangered sandbar sharks found in the Western Visayas. They have “large” eyes, “dark gray” heads and fins with “dusky” tips, the study said.
Researchers were surprised by the small size of these sharks, which measured between 14 and 15 inches in length and were smaller than previous “size-at-birth” estimates. The finding “indicates an urgent need to enact monitoring and management policies” for the species.
At another landing site, researchers found a pair of Philippine guitarfish, a critically endangered species with a “highly restricted geographic range,” the study said. Photos show the brown adult and spotted juvenile, which was also a first-of-its-kind record.
Researchers also found a ghost shark, several other species of shark, two unidentified rays and some known ray species.
“This study lays a strong foundation for future research,” the team wrote. “Information gathered in this study is essential for effective conservation planning and sustainable management of marine resources.”
The research team included Roxanne Cabebe-Barnuevo, Dianne Frances Penuela, Emmanuel Delloro Jr., Ricardo Babaran, Hiroyuki Motomura and Maria Celia Malay.
This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 12:58 PM with the headline "Fishermen snag ‘large’-eyed ocean predator in first-of-its-kind catch in Philippines."
