NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WLNE) — A crew of marine biologists and students at the University of Rhode Island are leading a change to conserve the mako sharks population.

“Mako sharks have a worldwide distribution. They’re mostly in temperate tropical waters all around the world. They’re pretty common off of the U.S. east coast, especially in the summertime, they make their way up the coast,” URI Professor Dr. Brad Wetherbee said.

The sharks swim up the coast and right to the coastal waters of Rhode Island.

“Our waters are rich in biodiversity, and there’s a lot of great people doing great work here,” URI marine biology student JoJo Macdonald said.

That work begins at URI, where Dr. Wetherbee is leading the charge on one of the biggest mako research programs in the world.

“We’ve tagged ab

See Full Page