Virginia Institute of Marine Science

- About
- With 500+ faculty, staff and students and three campus locations, VIMS is equipped to tackle pressing challenges through research, education and advisory service.
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- Research & Advisory
- VIMS celebrates 50 years of shark research, a milestone for marine conservation.
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- Academics
- Research published in Nature Communications by Ph.D. student Mary Bryan Barksdale shows coastal landscapes are at risk of a diminished, fleeting blue carbon stock.
  
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- Engage
- Marine Science Day 2024 drew 2,000+ with educational exhibits and hands-on activities for all ages.
  
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- News & Events
- A new report by VIMS emphasizes a collaborative approach to mitigating sudden oyster mortality syndrome.
  
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- Giving
- Lifetimes dedicated to environmental science inspired Fu-Lin Chu Ph.D. '82, P '97, P '12 and William Chu P '97, P '12 to create a fellowship for graduate students in the School of Marine Science.
  
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Smooth Hammerhead Shark

Sphyrna zygaena

These sharks are uncommon visitors to lower Chesapeake Bay and adjacent coastal waters in summer and fall.

Maximum size

Approximately 10 feet total length (3 m) for females and 8.4 feet (2.6 m) for males.

Range

Inhabits warm-temperate coastal waters in the western Atlantic from Nova Scotia to Florida and Brazil to Argentina.

Diet

Bony fishes, stingrays, and small sharks

Depth range

Coastal zone to 600 feet (200 meters)