Researchers have documented live goblin sharks in their natural deep-sea environment for the first time, significantly extending the known geographic range and depth of the elusive species. Previously, observations were limited to sharks caught on fishing lines that soon died.
These observations significantly expand the known geographic range and depth of the goblin shark, a poorly understood deep-sea species. This new information is crucial for conservation efforts and understanding marine biodiversity in previously uncharted areas.
For the first time, researchers have successfully studied a rare goblin shark alive in its natural deep-sea habitat. The findings, reported in the Journal of Fish Biology by a team from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, significantly extend the known geographic range and depth of this elusive species.
Previously, live goblin sharks were only observed after being accidentally caught on fishing lines and brought to the surface, where they would soon die. The new research details two separate sightings: one from a 2019 expedition exploring deep-sea ecosystems near Jarvis Island, a protected wildlife refuge approximately 1,305 nautical miles south of Honolulu, and another from a 2024 expedition in the Tonga Trench.
Study lead author Aaron Judah discovered the 2019 sighting by reviewing footage from an expedition that was not initially focused on goblin sharks. He expressed surprise, as the species was not previously known to inhabit the Central Pacific. Alan Jamieson, who documented the 2024 sighting in the Tonga Trench, described seeing the shark alive and healthy in its natural environment as an "amazing" and "incredible" experience.
Judah noted that the observation from the Tonga Trench slope was nearly 700 meters deeper than the species was previously known to live. He emphasized that such discoveries highlight the vast unexplored nature of the deep ocean and the importance of including species like the goblin shark in regional management and biodiversity lists, especially given their newly expanded known range.