Converted Alaska Crabber Pursues Sharks For Science

A ship anchored five miles southwest of Montauk Point Light on Long Island for several weeks last August had an unusual profile — a large boxy deckhouse far aft and high bow with significant open deck space in between.

- Will Van Dorp

M/V Search, measuring 126 by 32 feet, may be the only repurposed Bering Sea crabber off the East Coast of the United States. On deck, a crane and a starboard mounted lift platform present a unique configuration of machinery. And the Park City, Utah, port of registry painted on its stern adds another intriguing detail. Aboard the vessel, stickers and patches display a plethora of logos — Costa, Caterpillar, Yeti, SAFE, Contender, DYT Yacht Transport, Yamaha, Landry’s and more — giving the hint of a NASCAR racer. 

But it’s the mission of M/V Search and its crew that distinguishes it from any other vessel afloat. Search, the name of both the ship and the funding and advocacy organization, studies live sharks — focusing on arguably the ocean’s top predator, the great white. Search founder Chris Fischer points out that although dead sharks provide lots of information, his project gives scientists an opportunity to learn from live specimens. To do this, Search catches a shark, measures it, takes samples of tissue and various body fluids, removes parasites, attaches tracking devices and then releases it back into its habitat — all in less than 15 minutes. The key is the lift platform, approximately 20 by 25 feet and capable of raising at least 35 tons. The largest great white sharks caught have weighed less than 3 tons.