Federal regulators will decide whether to list West Coast great white sharks as an endangered species, taking up an invitation by Northern California environmental groups to weigh added protections for the feared, near-mythical ocean predator.
The decision triggers a yearlong assessment of the shark population here, which is believed to number less than 400.
Despite their prominence in American popular culture, very little is known about white sharks, with even their numbers only recently being estimated.
Oceana joined with the Center for Biological Diversity, Shark Stewards and WildEarth Guardians for the petition. The groups hope the action leads to more research dollars, but also greater protections when it comes to fishing methods such as gill nets, long under fire from environmentalists.
One potential hurdle is that there simply is no baseline for shark populations -- no one knows their numbers.
