Fiordland underwater camera captures curious great white shark

A team reviewing underwater footage in Fiordland were amazed to find a curious and endangered great white shark eyeballing their camera. 

Department of Conservation (Doc) staff and researchers from Sea Through Science were carrying out a survey in Tamatea/Dusky Sound, collecting data on the amount and diversity of fish species in Southland's fiords.

Sea Through Science researcher Adam Smith was the first to discover the great white, also known as a white pointer, while reviewing footage from an underwater camera. 

“At the end of the day, we download the footage back on the boat to see what has been attracted. 

“While reviewing the videos, I saw a mature male white pointer shark turn up to the BRUV (Baited Remote Underwater Video) - it was quite a shock! 

"We had been laughing about how cool it would be to see something like that. It’s very rare to get such great footage.” 

The curious shark can be seen heading straight to the camera unit, mouthing and shaking the bait pot a couple of times before slowly swimming away.  

Great white sharks are endangered and are protected under the Wildlife Act and the Fisheries Act.

The work was designed to get a better understanding of two of Fiordland’s 10 marine reserves and the health of the recreational fishery within the remote Sound.

Doc senior ranger Richard Kinsey said the surveys allow researchers to compare fish inside and outside the marine reserves and record how numbers change over time.

This information will also be helpful for assessing whether Fiordland’s new fishing regulations benefit fish stocks in the coming years. 

"It’s a great opportunity to collect valuable data and to see what species are attracted to the bait.”

More than 200 hours of footage would be analysed, and the team recorded several key species including hāpuku, blue cod, octopus and many shark species.

“It’s great to see these majestic creatures in their natural environment and to see how curious they are around the BRUVs,” Mr Smith said. 

“We’ve only seen a white shark once before during our surveys, at the Kermadec Islands, the other end of New Zealand.

“Over the next few months, the data we collected in Tamatea/Dusky Sound will be really useful in helping to better understand how our marine reserves function and how certain fish species are coping with fishing and other impacts.”

Doc wants the public to report details of sightings, captures or strandings of great white sharks to sharks@doc.govt.nz or 0800 DOC HOT.

- APL