Historically sharks have been seen either as a source of income through harvesting or as a nuisance and danger. However, with increased knowledge, changing media exposure and shark tourism, the general perception of sharks has changed. Shark conservation and protection has taken over from mass killing of sharks when they were seen as a problem for fisheries.
Part of this change of attitude towards sharks is the increased exposure to shark encounters in the media including social media. There is an abundance of videos and pictures of people getting close to sharks like tiger sharks in the Bahamas, whale sharks in a number of places and hammerhead sharks at the Cocos Islands, just to name a few.
Interestingly in the northeast area of the Pacific Ocean shark encounters are less known, more rare and not well documented. This may be due to fewer targeted opportunities for encounters, lower success rates and the slow recovery rates of shark populations that were previously targeted. This is the case despite increased conservation and education efforts by a number of organizations including the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Coast Guard in Canada and NOAA in the United States. Let’s have a look at some of the local species: their history, their known biology, where to see them, what to do in an encounter, and how to help with conservation efforts.
© Torbjörn Gylleus
Spotted Ratfish (Hydrolagus Colliei)
The spotted Ratfish is technically not a true shark but a chimaera. However, it is closely related to ancient sharks and part or the elasmobranchs which includes sharks, rays, skates and chimaera. The name Chimaera comes from Greek mythology being a fire-breathing monster with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a snake. Hydrolagus comes from the Greek water hare and may stem from the big buck teeth this fish has. Their lineage goes back as far as 420 million years when they split off from ancestorial shark line.
Chimaera are typically deep water dwellers but in the warmer months they come up into diveable depth. Like some of the old species in BC they have been around for a long time and have not changed their basic design. Their eyes are adapted to deep water and look a green color in a diver’s dive light. But shining your light in their eye blinds them and they will often swim into rocks or the seafloor because they are blinded by the excessive light. The most interesting encounters are those when you see them feed, lay eggs or hunt.
For food they swim low over the seafloor and sense bioelectric signs or scents of little fish and crustaceans buried in the sand. Females carry two egg pods and they get expelled by shaking them out or swimming with the egg pods partially out until they get caught on something and are then pulled out completely. Males have a white “dot” on their forehead and this is a grabbing organ that is used during mating when the male lines up next to the female and uses the grabbing organ to hold on to her fin. He then inserts a spermatophore with his clasper into the female. This is a rarely observed behavior, but you have a chance to see this in summer with August being the most active month. One word of caution here: Ratfish have a spine in their dorsal fin, and it can inject a toxin into your hand when you touch the spine. The toxin is mild but can be very painful.
Pacific Spiny Dogfish (Squalus Suckleyi)
This is a true shark and part of the “squaliformes” which is what most people have in their mind when they think of a shark. The Atlantic and Pacific dogfish were once seen as one species, but genetic research has determined them to be two separate species. Dogfish are mostly seen during summer and are fast and active swimmers. Historically they were seen either as a source for lubricating oil and thus actively harvested, or caught and exported for fish and chips. They grow to around 4-5 feet maximum and they take about 25 years to reach full maturity.
This slow growth rate combined with the intensive fishery on the species in the past has resulted in a decline in the numbers in our inshore waters. Divers reported seeing larges schools of dogfish of more than 100 individuals in the 70s and 80s. These days divers will mostly see 1 or 2 individuals on a dive. Dogfish feed on a wide variety of species ranging from fish, octopus, squid, crabs and even jellyfish.
Their lifespan has been documented as 70 years and tagged dogfish have been found to migrate great distances, even crossing the Pacific Ocean to Japan. Like ratfish they have venomous spines at both their dorsal fins. Their reproduction is ovoviviparous which means that they produce eggs that are developed inside their body and the newborn sharks are born as live miniature versions of the adult shark.
A 2.5ft baby Sixgill shark. © Peter Mieras
Bluntnose Sixgill Shark (Hexanchus Griseus)
This might be the most iconic and sought after shark in British Columbia and Washington State. It is part of the Cowshark familie that comprises 4 shark species. This shark is different from other sharks in one aspect in that it has 6 gill slits instead of the 5 that most shark species possess. It is also one of the rarest sharks to see as their numbers have dwindled, partly due to an ill-conceived fishery. In the late 80s and early 90s Sixgill sharks were relatively common to see and there was a thriving eco-tourism industry based on seeing them underwater in their natural habitat. With hotspots such as Hornby Island and Barkley Sound divers flocked every summer to these destinations to see them. At the same time salmon fisheries were having difficulty and a subsidized fishery on these sharks was started. They were marketed as “snow shark” and the relatively easy to catch sharks were pulled up in large numbers. This fishery was based on little to no knowledge about abundance, reproductive rates etc.
As with many sharks’ reproductive cycles, Sixgill reproduction is slow and starts late in the animal’s lifecycle. A 4-meter (13ft) female is considered sexually mature. Over time it became evident that both the meat was unappealing, and the stock was drying up quickly and eventually the fishery was abandoned. Currently the species has near-threatened status and no fisheries are allowed on this species. However, the recovery of the population seems to be slow.
A diver enjoying a Sixgill shark encounter © Peter Mieras
Between 2010 and 2018 a specific set of dive weeks were held under the name “Shark Survey Week”. These were held in August and apart from seeing Sixgill sharks and collecting data, participants enjoyed lectures by shark researchers. This initiative developed a datasheet and managed to compile a lot of data during the many encounters. The data was shared with the Seattle Aquarium and researchers worldwide. In addition, the datasheet and the sighting data became the main part of the DFO shark sighting initiative. As the number of sightings of Sixgill sharks trailed off, Shark Survey Week was discontinued. But in the last number of years sightings in BC have slowly increased with a number of sightings in Alberni Inlet/ Barkley Sound area, Nanaimo and even Whytecliff Park. In Washington State, Redondo has seen sightings increase in the last 5 years as well. Some of these sightings are reported to the DFO database and it will hopefully restart a more continuous data collection and give us better insight into this hard to study species.
While summer is the main season for divers to see Sixgill sharks during a dive (mostly subadults 6-9ft), winter might be important for this species as well. On a number of occasions deceased adult female sharks have been found floating or washed up in or close to estuaries and freshwater rivers in January and February. Upon examination of these sharks, it was found that they had a large number of completely developed baby sharks inside. This might indicate that females that are about to give birth to live young may move into areas where it is safer for the little sharks as there are less predators present.
© Tiffany Poon
Broadnose Sevengill Shark (Notorynchus Cepedianus)
A direct fellow member of the family of cow sharks, like the Sixgill shark, is the bluntnose Sevengill shark. As its name indicates, this shark distinguishes itself from other sharks by having seven gill slits instead of 5 or 6. Like its cousin the Sixgill shark, it is an ancient species and its origins can be traced back to Jurassic time. They can be found from spring to mid-summer in the kelp forests in California.
© Tiffany Poon
But in recent times and possibly due to warming waters here in the Northern part of the Pacific Ocean, they have been spotted in Washington State and it is not inconceivable that their possible range extension may go into BC. One of the most interesting things about this shark is that the spots on its head (around eye and gills) have found to be a unique pattern that can identify individual sharks. So if you happen to see this shark, count the gill slits to see if it is a seven gill shark and if you can, take pictures of its head to help ID the individual.
© Shane Wasik / Basking shark Scotland
Basking Sharks (Cetorhinus Maximus)
These sharks used to be plentiful in BC and one of the few plankton feeding shark species in the world. They swim close to the surface and their common name may come from the idea that they were “basking in the sun” so close to the surface. They are slow swimmers and do not evade boats. As they were seen as interfering with salmon gillnet fisheries in BC, an eradication program between 1955 and 1970 took out most of the population in BC. Nowadays they are protected in BC waters. Despite the fact that they are a migratory species it is still extremely rare to see this shark. One of these sightings was in 2016. If you are lucky enough to see one of these sharks it is important to report this encounter. One can only imagine the ecotourism industry there might have been, similar to the ones in Scotland and around the Isle of Mann, if these sharks were still here in good numbers.
© Boone Hodgin
Salmon Sharks (Lamna Ditropis)
Salmon sharks are another rarely seen visitor to BC waters. Looking like a miniature Great White shark, they are a fast-swimming shark. They need to be as (like their common name indicates) they hunt salmon for food. Typically, at the time of year that salmon return to rivers but the water levels are too low for the salmon to go up the river, these sharks find their prey. But they also feed on squid, herring and occasionally sea otters. Count yourself lucky if you see one of these sharks.
Great White Shark (Carcharodon Carcharias)
It is extremely unlikely that a diver in BC will encounter a Great White shark in BC. However, in 2024 a deceased 13.5 ft (4 meter) Great White shark washed up on Haida Gwaii. This shark is a globally present species but is typically found more south on the Northeast Pacific Ocean coast. In 2019, a spear fisher in Oregon had a close call when his catch attracted one of these sharks. I do not want to speculate whether warmer ocean waters will bring in more Great White sharks into BC waters but it is not inconceivable that over time we may see a similar trend as the one in Nova Scotia were large numbers of Grey seals and warmer waters have shown an increased Great White shark presence.
Other shark species
Given the scope of this article, it would go too far to mention every shark species that is present in BC. Some of them simply live too deep, too far offshore or are rare visitors. However if you are interested here is a handy Sharks of BC poster.
© Tiffany Poon
How to get involved in shark conservation
To help with shark conservation is a general sense the generation of data is important. So, if you see one of the sharks in BC (except ratfish or dogfish) you should gather as much data as possible of your encounter. Species, depth, time of day / night, etc. Go to the DFO site to report a shark sighting. This database currently mostly holds data from Barkley Sound but hopefully as more people contribute this bias will disappear.
Another thing that is really helpful is to take videos and photos. With so many divers having anything from a GoPro to a professional camera kit, it is a great opportunity to take images. These will help to confirm the species and possibly the sex of the shark. To help with that (when safe and possible) the area directly behind the anal fins is important as it could show the presence (or absence) of claspers which are the reproductive organs. Please note that it is not always possible to see, as many of the sharks you may encounter, especially Sixgill sharks, are sub adults and these organs may not have developed enough to be seen.
Another thing you can do is to educate yourself and others about the importance of sharks and their role in the eco-system. Especially fishermen are not always aware of these aspects and still see them as a nuisance. No need to be confrontational but we have convinced many a gill netter to let dogfish go and not kill them. We even had one of them pull up to our dock proudly announcing he only got 3 salmon in his set but let 40 dogfish go.
The eye of a Sixgill shark 50 cm (1.5ft) baby that was discovered during a necropsy on a female in the winter of 2019. © Peter Mieras
How to act around a shark
A couple of things to keep in mind when you see a shark and how to make your encounter more enjoyable. Please note, these pointers are only based on BC species.
When you see a shark, the first thing you should do is to look at your remaining NDL and your air supply. It is so easy to get drawn in and forget the basics when an apex predator decides to check you out. As some of these encounters typically take place in deeper water, your NDL and air supply may run down quicker due to the excitement causing your breathing rate to go up. A dive computer such as the Shearwater Peregrine TX with integrated air reading will provide this information in one quick glance.
Don’t have people swim along both sides of the shark as they do not like this. Also try to avoid swimming higher and behind them (called six O’clock high). The best you can do is either let the shark just dictate where it wants to go or if you want to swim besides it, choose the deeper side so that when the shark wants to create distance it will likely go shallower.
Don’t touch sharks. Their skin is very rough and species like Sixgill sharks may seem docile but when feeling threatened they can turn on a dime and their mouth can open surprisingly wide.
And this may seem like a no brainer but don’t bait or feed sharks. Besides the fact that it habituates the shark and potentially creates an association between divers and food, if the smell of the bait gets onto you, the shark can then smell this and mistake you for food. NOT a good idea.
The best way to enjoy the sharks is to just be a visitor to their world and on their terms. Observe and enjoy!
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© 2025 Peter Mieras
Peter Mieras is a BC based owner operator of a diving lodge, an underwater cameraman / filmmaker, and author. He is the lead author on a chapter in a shark conservation book published by Elsevier science and initiator of Shark Survey Week. His diving career started in 1987 and spans many continents, oceans and shark species.
Acknowledgements:
I would like to thank the following people for the generous contribution of their images to this article: Marc Damant and Damant’s Digital Photography (feature photo), Tiffany Poon, Boone Hodgin, Shane Wasik, Torbjörn Gylleus, and Neil McDaniel.
