Detecting Seasonal Presence of Sharks in the Water with eDNA

We leave our DNA everywhere and sharks do, too. This cellular material is known as environmental DNA or eDNA. Typically, eDNA remains near the area where it is shed and only lingers a few hours or days, but it allows scientists to know if a species is or was recently in an area. It is another tool to monitor what is happening to sharks in the world's oceans.

Recently Florida International University (FIU) marine scientists and a collaborative team of researchers from New College of Florida and Havenworth Coastal Conservation were able to filter and extract eDNA of blacktip sharks, Carcharhinus limbatus, in water samples from Florida's Terra Ceia Bay.

“This study is an important step in the development of new methods to detect and monitor sharks,” said Bautisse