Blue sharks and makos breach tuna cages across the Mediterranean, six fatal

A study in Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria documents six instances of large pelagic sharks breaching capture-based tuna cages and a salmon farm in the Mediterranean between 2018 and 2026. The events involved blue sharks and shortfin makos at Atlantic bluefin tuna operations and at an Atlantic salmon farm. In four cases, sharks entered through damaged netting; in two others, they were caught with tuna in purse seines, then transferred into transport cages. Three sharks were released alive and three died after entanglement. Feeding was observed in five events, and the authors caution the opportunistic record can’t show how often interactions occur or whether farms attract sharks.