Porbeagle

Overview

A cold-water lamnid shark of the North Atlantic and Southern Ocean. Endothermic, like the great white. Heavily fished for its meat; vulnerable globally. Sometimes confused with the great white due to similar body plan.

Habitat

Inshore to continental offshore fishing banks. They are occasionally in the open ocean, from less than 3.3 to 2296.6 ft [1 to 700 m] deep.

Distribution

The sharks are found in the north Atlantic, and cool water areas 33.8 to 64.4ºF [1 to18ºC] in the southern hemisphere. They are not found in equatorial seas.

Behavior

This is a migratory species that moves inshore and to the surface in the summer months. It spends the winter offshore in deeper water. Populations are segregated by age (size) and sex. The shark is inquisitive, and may approach boats and divers.