Research & Conservation
Members do not tag sharks.
Shark FYVE is a catch-and-release recognition challenge, not a tagging program. Any future tagging work will be conducted only through approved scientific partnerships.
Our Position
Four commitments.
These are standing rules, not aspirations. They govern how every catch is verified and how the program expands.
No member-led tagging
We do not equip anglers with tags, do not accept member-applied tag data as verification, and do not incentivize tagging within the challenge.
Partner-led future work
Tagging will be introduced only in collaboration with permitted research institutions with published protocols, peer oversight, and species-appropriate methods.
Permits & training
Any Shark FYVE-branded research effort will require documented permits (NOAA HMS, state FWC / equivalent international bodies) and trained handlers.
Release-first ethic
Verified catches are release-only for prohibited species and encouraged for all others. Time-out-of-water is minimized. Protected species stay in the water.
Contact
Researchers interested in collaboration.
If you are a permitted research institution or fisheries scientist interested in partnering on a Shark FYVE research protocol, reach out to the board. We will not deploy any tagging or biological sampling program outside of a proper partnership.