A team of researchers from the University of La Laguna has documented for the first time the presence of a live goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni), in the waters of the Canary Islands.

The discovery, published this week in Thalassas: The International Journal of Marine Sciences, represents a significant advance in understanding the geographical distribution of the rarely-spotted species. 

The shark, approximately 250 cm in length, was accidentally captured by recreational fishers at a depth of 900 m off San Cristóbal, Gran Canaria. It was later released alive.

Sightings of these unusual-looking sharks are exceptionally rare: to date, fewer than 250 of these sharks have been documented worldwide. 

Their flattened, elongated, spatula-like snouts and protruding jaws complete with sharp, needle-like teeth have earned them their unflattering name.

Goblin sharks are thought to be sparsely distributed across most of the planet; in both tropical and temperate waters, at depths of about 250 metres to 1500 metres. Their presence has been recorded in the northeast Atlantic in Galicia, Madeira, Moroccan waters and near Portugal. 

This first-of-its kind sighting in the Canary Island expands the known areas where this elusive shark resides, and highlights the significance of deep-water habitats around the Spanish archipelago.

Scientists believe the absence of bottom trawling since the 1980s, and the lack of active targeted fisheries for elasmobranchs like rays and skates, has created a potentially important refuge for deep-sea sharks. 

In fact at least 20 shark species known to live in depths greater than 200m have been found in the archipelago’s local waters.

This sighting also further informs the hypothesis that goblin sharks live in different geographic areas depending on their size and age.  The eastern Atlantic mostly corresponds to juvenile or subadult goblin sharks, while adults have mostly dominated in the western Atlantic. The reason why goblin sharks are distributed in this way is not known, but it could reflect ecological or reproductive factors which are not yet fully understood.

“This record constitutes a notable expansion of the species’ known distribution range in the Central-Eastern Atlantic,” said the research team. 

“The finding highlights the ecological significance of deep-sea habitats in the region and underscores the need for continued exploration and monitoring of these poorly studied environments,” they added.

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