Recalculated Diet and Daily Ration of the Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) with a Focus on Quantifying Predation on Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Recalculated diet and daily ration of the shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus), with a locus on quantifying predation on bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) in the northwest Atlantic Ocean were analyzed. Stomach contents were examined from shortfin mako. The diet of the sharks sampled during the study was quantified by three basic prey indices, including percentage by number, percentage by weight, and percentage by occurrence. The majority of sharks sampled contained at least one prey item in their stomach. The results showed that bluefish dominated the current diet of shortfin makes, accounting for 71.2 percent of the prey by number, 92.6 percent by weight, 87.5 percent by occurrence, and 99.2 percent index of relative importance (IRI).