Order: Lamniformes
Family: Alopiidae
Genus: Alopias Rafinesque, 1810

Alopias vulpinus (Bonnaterre, 1788)
En: Thresher shark - Du: Voshaai

Rare species in Dutch coastal waters, where it only has been found in summer and autumn (Nijssen & de Groot, 1987, p. 54; Nijssen, 2001, p. 33).

Angling data:

August 1995 According to a newspaper-report in 'de Telegraaf' dated 7 August 1995, a specimen with a length of 153 cm was obtained by an angler in Molengat (de Jong & Verhulst, 1995, p. 87).

Fisheries data:

May 1998 Specimen with a length of 4 m and a weight of 203 kg caught by the Dutch vessel SH19, no further details (EcoMare, 2001).
May 1998 Thresher shark with a length of 4 m caught by the pair fishing Dutch vessels SC10/SC35, no further details (EcoMare, 2001).
May 1998 Thresher shark with a length of 3.6 m and a weight of 200 kg caught by the German vessel NC304, 15 miles off shore, no further details (EcoMare, 2001).
September 1997 Specimen with a length of 4.5 m and a weight of 350 kg caught by the twin fishing Dutch vessels SL7/SL45 in Diepe Gat near Texel island (EcoMare, 2001).
October 1995 A threshers shark with a weight of 200 kg was caught just off shore by the pair fishing Dutch vessels OD6/OD8, no further details (Rotterdams Dagblad, 25 October 1995; EcoMare, 2001).
October 1995 Specimen with a weight of 300 kg caught by the Dutch vessel TH43 in the southern North Sea, no further details (Rotterdams Dagblad, 25 October 1995; EcoMare, 2001).
October 1995 A number of smaller thresher sharks have been caught within a few weeks period off the Dutch coast by fishing vessels, no further details (Rotterdams Dagblad, 25 October 1995; EcoMare, 2001).
9 June 1995 An immature female with a total length of 161 cm (fork length 79 cm) was caught 6-7 miles off the coast of Walcheren [51°30'N, 3°40'E] at a depth of less than 12 m (de Jong & Verhulst, 1995, p. 83, fig. 1).
August, 1990 According to a newspaper-report in 'de Telegraaf' dated 1 September 1990, a specimen with a length of 6 m was captured near the Dutch coast. The shark was sold to the wholesale trade and consumed (de Jong & Verhulst, 1995, p. 84).
August, 1986 Northwest off Schouwen, no further details (Nijssen & de Groot, 1987, p. 54).
1983 Thresher shark caught in the Dutch part of the North Sea, no further details (EcoMare, 2001).
21 September 1971 Juvenile specimen with a total length of 140 cm (fork length 62 cm) caught 4 miles off Scheveningen by the pair trawling Dutch vessels UK142/UK236 (de Groot, 1972: p. 29, photo p. 28; de Groot, 1979: p. 429, photo p. 430).
1959 Two thresher sharks caught in the Dutch part of the North Sea, no further details (EcoMare, 2001).
1958 Two thresher sharks caught in the Dutch part of the North Sea, no further details (EcoMare, 2001).
July 1951 Off Noordwijk, no further details (Nijssen & de Groot, 1987, p. 54).
1948 Thresher shark caught in the Dutch part of the North Sea, no further details (EcoMare, 2001).


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