# 58326: Subject: ., Texas

Submitted by . (ip 131.95.240.81)

• Fished on 4/29/2010
• Report received: 4/29/2010

Water Temperature: .
Water Clarity: .
Seas: .
Weather: .
Fishing_for: .
Boat: .
captain: .

Report:
Biologists at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) in Ocean Springs, Mississippi need your help now more than ever!

The oil slick is already in an area of high whale shark occurrence. Based on their feeding mechanisms and the amount of time they spend feeding at the surface, an interaction with this oil could be fatal to these sharks.

It is pivotal to monitor the presence and distribution of whale sharks in the northern Gulf of Mexico at this time! If you encounter a whale shark, please help by participating in GCRL’s ONLINE WHALE SHARK SIGHTINGS SURVEY.

To Report a Sighting: Please complete the survey at http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/whaleshark

Information that is helpful to us includes: • Time and duration of encounter • Location (GPS coordinates) • Approximate size and number of sharks • Observed behavior • Associated species • Photos/video (especially of the region behind the gill slits on the left side of the animal—this is used for identification) • Any other distinguishing features (i.e. numbered marker tags located behind the dorsal fin—please notate number)

Your participation is greatly appreciated and vital to a better understanding of whale shark movements and habitat in the Gulf of Mexico. Thank you.

Now join us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/whalesharkresearch

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