Divers film rare great white shark off Sicily during net cleanup
Why it matters: Researchers say the footage could aid study of a critically endangered Mediterranean population and bolster calls for protected waters.
Divers removing abandoned fishing nets in the Strait of Sicily captured what conservationists believe is the first underwater footage of an adult great white shark in the Mediterranean. The sighting came during a cleanup mission led by the Healthy Seas Foundation and partners between Sicily and North Africa. Volunteer diver Derk Remmers filmed the shark, which was accompanied by pilot fish, while the team worked on a shipwreck site hit by ghost nets and heavy fishing pressure. Scientists say great whites are rarely seen in the region and that overfishing has pushed the species close to extinction there. Researchers said the footage may help study the shark’s distribution and behavior, while conservationists urged stronger marine protections.