NOTE Kohler et al.: Length-weight relationships for 1 3 species of sharks 



417 



in this group had the lowest HSI value (14.6%) al- 

 though it was longer than four heavier fish. The dif- 

 ference in body weight between the 458 cm ( 15.0 ft) 

 FL and the 463 cm (15.2 ft) FL fish is 360 kg (793 

 lbs). When the weights of sharks without livers are 

 compared, the difference between these two fish is 

 reduced to 239 kg (526 lbs). Thus, eliminating the 

 liver accounted for 34% of the weight difference be- 

 tween these two sharks of similar length. The same 

 is true for large mako sharks. The HSI for one of the 

 longest mako sharks (338 cm, 11. 1 ft FL; 382 kg, 841 

 lbs) was 5.4% as contrasted with 17.9% for the 323 

 cm (10.6 ft) FL fish weighing 490 kg ( 1,080 lbs). When 

 the two makos are compared without livers, the dif- 

 ference in body weights is reduced from 108 kg (239 

 lbs) to 41 kg (91 lbs). 



Acknowledgments 



The data for this study could not have been collected 

 without the help and cooperation of thousands of fish- 

 ermen who allowed us to measure their shark catches 

 over the last 29 years. The scientists, officers, and 

 crew of several research vessels also assisted in ob- 

 taining specimens during sampling cruises. We are 

 particularly grateful to tournament officials and par- 

 ticipants from New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, 

 and Rhode Island from whose catches a large part of 

 the data were collected. Further, we would like to 

 thank the past and present members of the Apex 

 Predator Investigation of the National Marine Fish- 

 eries Service, including Chuck Stillwell, Lisa J. 

 Natanson, Ruth Briggs, H. L. Pratt, and Gregg 

 Skomal for their assistance and support. 



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