A research team conducting an underwater survey in Dusky Sound have been stunned when a great white shark made a surprise appearance in their underwater footage.

DOC staff and researchers from Sea Through Science (STS) were carrying out a Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) survey in Tamatea/Dusky Sound in February to collect data on the abundance and diversity of fish species in the fiords.

STS researcher Adam Smith was the first to look at the video footage.

“While reviewing the videos, I saw a mature male white pointer shark turn up to the BRUV – it was quite a shock."

"We had been laughing about how cool it would be to see something like that. It’s very rare to get such great footage.” 

The curious white shark can be seen heading straight to the BRUV unit and mouthing the bait pot a couple of times before slowly swimming away.

Great white sharks are endangered and are protected under the Wildlife Act and the Fisheries Act.

“It’s great to see these majestic creatures in their natural environment and to see how curious they are around the BRUVs,” Smith said.

“We’ve only seen a white shark once before during our surveys, at the Kermadec Islands, the other end of New Zealand.”

The research team has collected and will be analyzing over 200 hours of video footage which includes several key species including hāpuku, blue cod, octopus and many shark species.

The work was designed to get a better understanding of two of Fiordland’s ten marine reserves and the health of the recreational fishery within Tamatea/Dusky Sound.

DOC Senior Ranger, Richard Kinsey said the information would be helpful for assessing whether Fiordland’s new fishing regulations benefit fish stocks in the coming years.

DOC urges the public to report any sightings, captures, or strandings of great white sharks to [email protected] or phone 0800 DOC HOT.