Global Shark Tracker

Never be caught unawares by a shark again with the Global Shark Tracker. There are apps for mobile platforms, but it doesn't work very well on a small display. Always go with a bigger boat.

In a collaborative environment established by Founding Chairman and Expedition Leader Chris Fischer, OCEARCH shares real-time data through OCEARCH's Global Shark Tracker, inspires current and future generations of explorers, scientists, and stewards of the ocean, and enables leading researchers and institutions to generate previously unattainable data. OCEARCH has completed 26 worldwide expeditions.

In 2015, OCEARCH open sourced the data on the Global Shark Tracker to 2.3 million users, achieved an annual global reach of more than 12.2 billion media impressions, a Facebook reach of 150 million impressions, and a Twitter reach of 36 million impressions.

OCEARCH expeditions and digital outreach platforms are enabled through the support of Costa Sunglasses, YETI, Yamaha, Contender, SAFE Boats, and oneQube.

You can follow the OCEARCH tagged sharks by accessing the near-real time, free online Global Shark Tracker, by downloading the Global Shark Tracker App available for Apple and Android platforms, or by following OCEARCH on all social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

As fascinating as the map is, its creators are described as unscientific Jacques Cousteau wannabes whose methods of tagging sharks are held in some disrepute.

"Shark Wranglers" is the same crew (minus Dr. Michael Domeier) formerly featured on the show "Shark Men" on the National Geographic Channel, which itself used to be called "Expedition: Great White." These guys specialize in a unique, possibly unnecessarily-invasive procedure to catch and tag large sharks. Their methods involve hooking the sharks and attaching buoys until the animal tires, at which point it is lead up to a movable platform on the side of the boat, raised out of the water, and has a satellite tag bolted to its dorsal fin. These methods have been controversial, and it doesn't help that the Shark Wranglers are developing a reputation for being bad guests.The first major controversy involving the then-Shark Men was the apparent foul-hooking and mutilation of the white shark "Junior" off the Farallones. This proved to be unrelated, but still nearly cost the team their permit to work in the marine preserve. Then this spring, a bodyboarder was killed by a shark attack not far from where the Shark Wranglers had been working in South Africa. Again, officially no direct responsibility was found, but two possible incidents in two years is impossible to ignore.