Mystery solved: Fish that vanished with satellite tag in 2013 was in predator’s belly

A satellite-tagged tuna that evaded scientists in the Gulf of Mexico for six years may have been more unlucky than clever.

The tracking device was recovered on a Texas beach -- minus the tuna -- and it appears to have spent a lot of time in a shark’s belly, according to a Jan. 8 Facebook post by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

It’s even possible the fish died almost as soon as it was tagged, the state suggested.

“This was originally placed on a yellowfin tuna tagged in 2013 (8/06/2013) at a deepwater drillship (Noble Jim Day) in the Gulf. This tag had never reported back to us,” state officials wrote.

“Turns out the tuna was eaten by a deepwater shark and the tag stayed in the shark’s gut for several months.”

Researcher’s didn’t say whether the shark pooped the tag or regurgitated it. But data collected from it indicates the predator was a bluntnose sixgill shark, the post reported.

That’s a large shark species that is rare in the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana officials said. “The data will from the tag will be further analyzed for additional details,” the post concluded.

Bluntnose sixgill sharks are a “highly migratory” species averaging 15 to 16 feet in length, and they have a penchant for ambushing prey, according to The Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville.

In other words, the tuna likely didn’t see it coming.

The bluntnose sixgill is not considered a danger to humans, according to Sea and Sky.

“It rests along the bottom during the day to depths of 6,500 feet, swimming close to the surface or moving into shallow waters at night to feed,” The Florida Museum reports.

“Little is known about the behavior and migration habits of the bluntnose sixgill shark due to the depths at which its spends most of its life,” the museum says.

This story was originally published January 8, 2020 at 11:48 AM.