The presence of the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) in the Mediterranean Sea is well documented, but encounters with this species are rare and all assumptions about its spatial and temporal distribution are heavily relying on anecdotal observations. To date, only one record off the Libyan coast has been reported, raising the question if this species is underreported in these waters or simply represents a rare occasional transient. We utilised citizen science-sourced data to document the presence of the great white shark off the Libyan coast, and found six additional records for this species from the period between 2017 and 2020. Our study points out the need for scientific monitoring of this species along the Libyan coast to facilitate the establishment of effective conservation plans to protect this critically endangered species.
Keywords
Elasmobranchiicartilaginous fishconservation biologyfisheriessocial mediathreatened species
Annales : Anali za istrske in mediteranske študije = Annali di Studi istriani e mediterranei = Annals for Istrian and Mediterranean studies. Series historia naturalis