Jon Dodd has an exciting job tracking sharks in Rhode Island. As executive director of the South Kingstown-based Atlantic Shark Institute, he and his team catch, tag, release, and track over 545 species of sharks along the East Coast.
Growing up in Providence, Dodd developed a passion for marine biology after watching “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau” at age 10. His first shark encounter was with a stranded blue shark he found with a friend near Watch Hill’s Sandy Point at 14. This sparked his lifelong interest in sharks.
Dodd’s institute deploys acoustic receivers to detect the movement of tagged sharks and other marine life, providing valuable data on species migration patterns and management. The data helps conserve species affected by warming waters and overfishing.
However, Dodd notes that not all shark species are at risk. Some, like the shortfin mako, are prohibited in the US and considered endangered. He is concerned about white sharks, which are no longer protected due to declining populations.
Despite this, Rhode Island is a relatively safe place for people, with zero shark-related fatalities on record. The largest colony of seals, Block Island, poses a greater threat to sharks than humans do.
Dodd’s most memorable encounter was with a mako shark that left him with teeth marks on his forearm. He emphasizes that sharks are not aggressive towards humans and deserve respect and conservation efforts.
Source: https://eu.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2025/01/21/atlantic-shark-institutes-jon-dodd-talks-about-sharks-off-ri-coast/77603472007