Last year we received a record number of sightings of a brude, a friendly giant shark. Shark researcher Claudia Junge is again encouraging people to report sharks along the Norwegian coast.

Three years ago, HI asked people who saw farms along the Norwegian coast to report it. Last year, a record number of observations were received, and researchers have worked hard to get past all of them.

– We received a total of 149 messages from people who have observed usage in 2021, and we dare to be optimistic that we expect more this year. One of the messages we received last year actually goes back to 1961, when fishermen got the reins in the net, Junge said.

When the project started in 2019, there were reports of 43 bridging observations. 28 reports relate to observations made in the same year, while some go back to 2012. In 2020, 48 reports were received. Most of the observations were made in the areas of Møre og Romsdal, Sør-Trøndelag and in Lofoten.

– We want observations from across the country, from along the coast and out to sea. So whether you see a shark from a dock, a boat, or an oil rig, we want people to report. The areas around Hitra, Frøya and Smøla, as well as Lofoten are especially attractive now that summer is approaching, Junge said.

See the bridge from observation in 2021

It’s not dangerous…

Brugda is the largest shark in Norwegian waters, and can grow up to eleven meters. The bridge is completely harmless to humans, although it can be scary if you find a shark’s fin protruding above the water’s surface in the ocean.

– Brugda is the second largest fish in the world, but unfortunately we know too little about this shark species, Junge said.

Most often observed on surfaces with open gaps of up to 1 meter. It then filters the seawater for zooplankton, which is the bride’s menu.

Needles in the “shark pile”

Since the bridge is a relatively rare sight, researchers want more knowledge about where it wanders. This is why it is important for people to report if they see use.

– Then we can map where it migrated, and where it was in different periods. This in turn increases the likelihood that we might be able to find brides we can look up to, so we can follow them and learn more about the bride, Junge said.

This summer, the researchers will be in the area outside Lofoten in the last week of June and first week of July. Then Junge hopes that people will not only report sightings, but that they will call him if they see the bride.

– Our brand expert is at Lofoten then on another brand project, and then we have a good chance of using that brand too if people say if they see it, he pushes.