Anthropogenic injury and site fidelity in Maldivian whale sharks (Rhincodon typus)

1. Whale sharks collect in predictable seasonal aggregations across the tropics. South Ari Atoll in the Maldives is one of a few aggregation sites where whale sharks can be encountered year-round. Here, areas with high levels of tourism-related boating traffic overlap with the whale shark hotspot, increasing the probability of anthropogenic injury. Whale sharks have been reported to remain faithful to this aggregation site following injury, despite the costs of injury and the risk of re-injury. However, the impacts of injury on site fidelity and residency behaviour are not fully understood.
2. Encounter data on individual sharks from the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme database (2006–2018) were analysed to assess the relationship between injury and site fidelity in whale sharks. There was no difference in geographic site use, with injured and non-injured individuals being encountered in the same areas. However, there were differences in residency timings: injured resident whale sharks (individuals repeatedly encountered over 6 months or longer) spent significantly more time at the atoll and less time absent, and were seen more consistently than non-injured residents. Increased residency duration, return rate and number of residency periods correlated with increasing injury number.
3. These differences in behaviour imply a cost to injury, with whale sharks potentially remaining at this site to recover. With boat traffic being concentrated at the aggregation site, injured sharks may be more vulnerable to further injury. Alternatively, these individuals may remain at the atoll despite injury because the benefits gained from this area outweigh the potential costs, with more resident individuals facing greater exposure to anthropogenic threats. These findings highlight the importance of this location and emphasize the need for improved management of anthropogenic activities, particularly boating traffic, at aggregation hotspots to reduce injury rates and any subsequent impacts on behaviour and fitness.

     

Scarring patterns of whale sharks,Rhincodon typus,at a provisioning site in the Philippines

1. Shark-based tourism continues to be a rapidly growing industry, and thus understanding the impacts of such activities is essential to mitigate the potential negative effects on the target species. The consequences of provisioning on whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are not fully understood, although changes to the local environment, ecology, behaviour, and site visitation patterns have been highlighted. Here, the scarring patterns of whale sharks were investigated at a provisioning site in Oslob, Cebu, Philippines, as an indicator of the physical impacts of tourism activities on individual sharks. Photographic identification was used to attribute scars to individual animals (n = 152) between March 31, 2012 and January 31, 2015.
2. Scars were categorized by type and body location, and were compared with non-provisioned aggregations in Australia, Mozambique, and Seychelles. Oslob whale sharks were more scarred than other studied populations, with 94.7% (n = 144) having at least one scar, and with 90.8% (n = 138) having more than one scar. Scarring incidence was found to be significantly higher in sharks that regularly visited the provisioning site, and analysis of scarring over time in highly resident sharks showed that all individuals gained scars through periods of consistent re-sightings. A significantly higher incidence of minor scar types was found, most commonly on the dorsal side of the animal, probably resulting from sustained proximity to boats and ropes throughout the provisioning activities. The consequences of interactions with propeller boats were observed, despite a ban on their use in the provisioning site, highlighting the risk to the species beyond the study site.
3. We recommend the strict enforcement of a minimum distance between boats and sharks, a zero-contact policy during interactions, the expansion of the provisioning site, and the implementation of a no-boat-access zone around the perimeter of the provisioning site to mitigate potential collisions.

     

Cetacean occurrence,habitat preferences and potential for cetacean–fishery interactions in Iberian Atlantic waters: results from cooperative research involving local stakeholders

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The shark fishery in the United Arab Emirates: an interview based approach to assess the status of sharks

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Catching sharks: recreational saltwater angler behaviours and attitudes regarding shark encounters and conservation

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Accuracy and precision of archival tag data: a multiple-tagging study conducted on a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) in the Indian Ocean

Pop‐up satellite archival tags (PSATs) are now widely used to document the geographic and vertical movements of large pelagic fishes. These instruments record measurements of ambient light, depth and temperature at regular intervals and the light data are used to compute daily estimates of latitude and longitude. Several methods have been developed to improve those estimates, including the application of Kalman filter models and matching sea surface temperatures (SST) from tags with remotely sensed SSTs. Despite their widespread use, few studies have evaluated the accuracy of raw estimates of location from PSATs or quantified the improvements that may result from refinement techniques. To assess the accuracy of raw and refined estimates of locations from PSATs, we attached two PSATs and one Argos satellite‐linked transmitter (SAT tag) to one whale shark (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. The root mean square error (RMSE) in raw estimates of location provided by the PSATs was 5.16° latitude and 2.00° longitude. Estimates were more accurate after processing the data with a Kalman filter (RMSE = 2.97° latitude and 0.78° longitude) and most accurate after processing with a Kalman filter model that integrates SST measurements (RMSE = 1.84° latitude and 0.78° longitude). We also assessed the precision of the PSAT‐derived locations, and depth and temperature measurements by comparing the data from the two PSATs. Our findings support the use of archival tag data to reconstruct the large‐scale movements of marine animals and demonstrate the significant improvements that may result from two refinement techniques.     

Incidental capture of leatherback sea turtles in fixed fishing gear off Atlantic Canada

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Predictive spatial modelling of seasonal bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) distributions in the Mississippi Sound

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From land and sea,long‐term data reveal persistent humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breeding habitat in New Caledonia

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Behavioural changes of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) after marine boulder reef restoration: Implications for coastal habitat management and Natura 2000 areas

While marine reefs are degraded globally, the responses of fish to marine reef restoration remain uncertain, particularly in temperate waters. This study measured the effect of marine boulder reef restoration on the behaviour of Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua L., in a Natura 2000 area using acoustic telemetry. Cod were tagged and released in the study area before and after the restoration and tracked continuously for six months. A larger fraction of the released fish remained in the study area after restoration (94%) than before (53%). Moreover, throughout the study period, cod spent significantly more hours per day and prolonged their residence time in the study area after the restoration. The study indicates that marine reefs subjected to boulder extraction can be restored and function as favourable cod habitats. Temperate marine boulder reef restoration represents a valuable management tool to improve habitats for temperate fish species.     

Long-term stability in core habitat of an endangered population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus): Implications for spatial management

1. A small population of approximately 68 bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, resident in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand, is subject to physiologically challenging conditions, and is exposed to anthropogenic pressure from tourism.
2. A voluntary Code of Management incorporating dolphin protection zones (DPZs), in which tour boat access is limited, was established in 2008.
3. Kernel density estimation (KDE) was used to quantify dolphin habitat use over a 13-year period in order to describe seasonal variation in habitat use and consistency of habitat use over a decadal period, and to provide quantitative estimates of the extent of overlap between DPZs and core areas (50% volume contour) of habitat use.
4. Habitat use varied seasonally, with the inner fjord area used more frequently in warmer months, and with a shift in use to the outer fjord in colder months. Patterns in habitat use were highly consistent over the 13-year duration of the study.
5. The spatial overlap between the area of core dolphin habitat and DPZs was low (<18%) overall, and some DPZs were rarely used during colder periods.
6. Consistency in habitat use through time vindicates spatial management, but low overlap between core habitat and current DPZs suggests that an expansion of the DPZ areas would confer greater protection.

     

基于栖息地指数的东太平洋长鳍金枪鱼渔场分析

长鳍金枪鱼(Thunnus alalunga)是东太平洋海域重要的金枪鱼种类之一,也是我国金枪鱼延绳钓的主要捕捞对象之一。本文根据2009~2011年美洲间热带金枪鱼委员会(IATTC)在东太平洋海域(20°N~30°S、85°W~150°W)长鳍金枪鱼延绳钓生产统计数据,结合海洋遥感获得的表温(SST)和海面高度(SSH)的数据,运用一元非线性回归方法,以渔获产量、单位捕捞努力量CPUE为适应性指数,按季度分别建立了基于SST和SSH的长鳍金枪鱼栖息地适应性指数,采用算术平均法获得基于SST和SSH环境因子的栖息地指数综合模型,并用2012年各月实际作业渔场进行验证。研究结果显示,在东太平洋长鳍金枪鱼的栖息地预测中,以CPUE为适应性指数的栖息地指数模型比以渔获量为适应性指数的栖息地指数模型预测更为准确。2012年中心渔场的预报准确性达75%以上,具较高预报准确度,可为金枪鱼延绳钓渔船寻找中心渔场提供指导。     

Long-term catch trends and risk assessment of the Critically Endangered white-spotted wedgefish (Rhynchobatus djiddensis) from South Africa

1. The white-spotted wedgefish (Rhynchobatus djiddensis) is a Critically Endangered shark-like ray in the family Rhinidae. Throughout its Western Indian Ocean distribution, it is targeted for its valuable meat and fins and is reported to have undergone major population declines. However, there remains a need for species specific time-series data to accurately assess localized population declines.
2. This study used two independent long-term (37 and 40 years) time-series catch data from competitive shore angling and shark nets to investigate the size composition and catch per unit effort (CPUE) and conduct a risk assessment for the population on the east coast of South Africa.
3. From 1977 to 2017 the competitive shore fishery captured 7,703 individual R. djiddensis, whilst shark nets in the same region captured 2,856 individuals from 1981 to 2017. Individuals captured in the nets had a sex ratio of 1.8:1 females to males, and were larger than those caught by the anglers. Although the mean annual sizes of net-caught individuals were above the size of reported sexual maturity, there was little evidence to suggest that any individuals captured were reproductively active.
4. Both the competitive shore fishery and shark net catches exhibited strong seasonal trends with the majority of R. djiddensis catches occurring from October to May peaking in austral summer. Standardized CPUE from the competitive shore fishery declined substantially between 1977 and 2017 and shark net catches exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) fourfold decline in annual nominal CPUE from 1981 to 2017.
5. Ultimately, a risk assessment showed a 65.1% decline in abundance over a period of three generation lengths, which indicates that the sampled population of R. djiddensis in South Africa should be classified as Endangered according to the IUCN Red List using criterion A2b. The conservation implications of this are discussed.

     

Population structure,distribution and habitat use of the Critically Endangered Angelshark,Squatina squatina,in the Canary Islands

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基于栖息地适宜指数的浙江南部近海黄鲫最适栖息地分布

根据2016-2018年4个季节的浙江南部近海黄鲫（Setipinna taty）的调查数据与水温、水深和盐度等水文数据构建栖息地适宜性指数（habitat suitability index,HSI）模型,探究黄鲫的适宜栖息地空间分布特征,预测最适宜栖息地分布。结果显示,黄鲫最适栖息水温为11.2~33.6℃,最适水深为19~46.6 m,最适盐度为27.8~33.2。通过交叉验证发现,基于几何平均模型（geometric mean model,GMM）拟合的栖息地适宜性指数模型精确度较高。最优模型预测结果显示,黄鲫的最适栖息地分布存在一定季节变化,全年HSI高值区出现在春季和夏季,其次为冬季和秋季。春季适宜性较高的栖息地集中在28°N以南、121.5°E以西,夏季分布在27.5°N~28.5°N、122°E以东,秋季分布在27.5°N~29°N、122.5°E以西和27.5°N以南、121.33°E以西两个区域,冬季分布在122.5°E以西。黄鲫是浙江南部近海重要的渔业种类,本研究通过探索黄鲫的栖息地分布和变化,旨在为黄鲫资源的变化预测与养护策略提供科学证据。