Clerkin, P.J. Shark Discoveries: new species of deepwater sharks from seamounts in the Indian Ocean. Community Science Lecture Series, Friends of Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing, California, September 2012.
About the Talk
It had taken a week of travel to reach the remote fishing grounds east of Madagascar. Seamounts in the area created a unique marine ecosystem that promised to make it a hotspot of biodiversity. Paul’s purpose on the trawler was to examine the shark bycatch taken during the vessel’s fishing operations. Although Paul had studied descriptions of the species he was likely to encounter, several specimens fell outside those descriptions and are believed to be new species. Join us for an evening with Paul J. Clerkin as he tells us about his adventures and discoveries on the Indian Ocean.
Published by pauljclerkin
Paul J. Clerkin is a researcher with a master’s degree from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories currently working on his PhD at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Clerkin specializes in rare and deep-sea chondrichthyans and focuses on new species descriptions, taxonomy, life histories, genetics, and tagging of poorly understood shark species. His outside-the-box approach combines working with local fishers and high-tech innovative research techniques such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), specialized deep-sea cameras, and satellite archival tags.
His research has granted him a variety of opportunities including leading workshops for the United Nations, serving as a shark expert for a Food and Agriculture Organization’s research cruise, and producing several shark documentaries. He has conducted research projects aboard ships in the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans. Clerkin has discovered over a dozen new species of sharks and has gotten in the water to tag some of the rarest sharks on the planet including the ultra-rare Megamouth Shark.
Paul Clerkin is currently describing new species that he has discovered, preparing a workshop for the Republic of Mauritius regarding their National Plan of Action for sharks, and organizing an international research program for sharks.
His research interests include: shark taxonomy, robotics, artificial intelligence, eDNA, biologgers, and marine conservation policy.
Find him @
deepblueresearchfoundation.org
https://pauljclerkin.com/
Twitter: @PaulJClerkin
Instagram: paul_j_clerkin
Facebook: @PaulJClerkin
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Paul J. Clerkin 