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Dietary specialisations are important determinants of ecological structure, particularly in species with high per-capita trophic influence like marine apex predators. These species are, however, among the most challenging in which to establish spatiotemporally integrated diets. We introduce a novel integration of stable isotopes with a multidimensional nutritional niche framework that addresses the challenges of establishing spatiotemporally integrated nutritional niches in wild populations, and apply the framework to explore individual diet specialisation in a marine apex predator, the white shark Carcharodon carcharias. Sequential tooth files were sampled from juvenile white sharks to establish individual isotopic (δ-space; δ

Teeth are an integral component of feeding ecology, with a clear link between tooth morphology and diet, as without suitable dentition prey cannot be captured nor broken down for consumption. Bull sharks, Carcharhinus leucas, undergo an ontogenetic niche shift from freshwater to marine habitats, which raises the question: does tooth morphology change with ontogeny? Tooth shape, surface area and thickness were measured using both morphometrics and elliptic Fourier analysis to determine if morphology varied with position in the jaw and if there was an ontogenetic change concordant with this niche shift. Significant ontogenetic differences in tooth morphology as a function of position in the jaw and shark total length were found, with upper and lower jaws of bull sharks presenting two different tooth morphologies. Tooth shape and thickness fell into two groupings, anterior and posterior, in both the upper and lower jaws. Tooth surface area, however, indicated three groupings, mesial, intermediate and distal, in both the upper and lower jaws. While tooth morphology changed significantly with size, showing an inflection at sharks of 135 cm total length, each morphological aspect retained the same tooth groupings throughout. These ontogenetic differences in tooth morphologies reflect tooth strength, prey handling and heterodonty.

Greater Sydney is the largest coastal city in Australia and is where bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) are present every summer and autumn. A decade of acoustic telemetry data was used to identify drivers of space use for bull sharks and their potential prey, according to standardised 6-h intervals using dynamic Brownian bridge movement models. Influences of environmental, physical, and biological variables on the areas of space use, location, and predator–prey co-occurrence were investigated with generalised additive mixed models. Rainfall in the catchment affected space use for all animals (i.e. teleost species and both sexes of sharks), with varying temporal responses. Male sharks responded most promptly to high rainfall moving upstream in Pseudocaranx georgianus) co-occurred in deep holes (> 30 m). Shark size influenced overlap between sexes, with smaller females less likely to co-occur with larger males (~ 50 cm). Variability in space use suggests spatial segregation by sex and size in bull sharks, with individuals targeting similar prey, yet either in different areas or at different times, ultimately enabling them to exploit different resources when in the same habitats.

Between 1963 and 1998, 55 mortalities of southern right whales and a further three ‘possible right whale’ mortalities were recorded on theSouth African coastline. Of the known right whale mortalities, 31 could be classified as ‘calves of the year’, 8 as juveniles and 14 as adults.Relatively few (6.5-16.1%) of the calf mortalities could be attributed to anthropogenic factors, compared to juveniles (25-50%) and adults(35.7-57.1%). Apparent causes of death included ship strikes (4 definite, 7 possible) and entanglement (4 definite, 1 possible), with oneharpooning incident. Five non-fatal ship strikes and 16 instances of non-fatal entanglement were also recorded. Whilst the gear mostcommonly involved in non-fatal entanglement was crayfish trap lines, three of the four entanglement fatalities involved longline gear. Theincidence of scars attributable to previous entanglement remained constant amongst mature females from 1979-1997, at 3-4%. Recordedmortalities increased over the period 1963-1997 at a rate no different from that of population growth over the same period. The current levelof anthropogenic mortality does not seem to be affecting population recovery.

1. Acoustic telemetry enables spatial ecologists to collect movement data from a variety of aquatic species. In estuaries and rivers, accounting for the complex shape of water bodies is challenging. Current methods for analysing utilization distributions are restricted to using the locations of receivers where animals have been detected, which limits the information available to estimate movement paths.2. We present a new R package (RSP – Refined Shortest Paths) for analysing the movements of animals tracked with acoustic transmitters in environments constrained by landmasses. The method estimates the shortest in-water locations of monitored animals between pairs of detections using least-cost path analysis. It then applies dynamic Brownian Bridge Movement Models to calculate utilization distribution areas. Intra- and inter-specific overlaps in space and time are calculated and can be used, for example, to investigate potential influencing environmental factors. 3. Tracks refined with RSP follow the estuary shape, yielding substantially longer, but more realistic travel distances. Showcased examples demonstrate how RSP can be used to analyse intra- and inter-specific movement patterns; determine similarities in habitat use; identify the environmental conditions responsible for influencing the size of the space use areas; and assess levels of spatial overlap between different species.4. The RSP toolkit generates more realistic movements of tracked animals than those derived using receiver locations alone. An incidental benefit is its ability to deal with receiver loss, a common problem in acoustic telemetry studies. The analysis can be readily customized to suit different study species, array configurations and habitat shapes.

In the face of accelerating climate change, conservation strategies will need to consider how marine animals deal with forecast environmental change as well as ongoing threats. We used 10 yr (2009-2018) of data from commercial fisheries and a bather protection program along the coast of New South Wales (NSW), southeastern Australia, to investigate (1) spatial and temporal patterns of occurrence in bull sharks and (2) environmental factors affecting bull shark occurrence along the coast of NSW. Predicted future distribution for this species was modelled for the forecast strengthening East Australian Current. Bull sharks were mostly harvested in small to larger estuaries, with average depth and rainfall responsible for contrasting patterns for each of the fisheries. There was an increase in the occurrence of bull sharks over the last decade, particularly among coastal setline fisheries, associated with seasonal availability of thermal gradients >22°C and both westward and southward coastal currents stronger than 0.15 and 0.60 m s-1, respectively, during the austral summer. Our model predicts a 3 mo increase in the availability of favourable water temperatures along the entire coast of NSW for bull sharks by 2030. This coastline provides a uniquely favourable topography for range expansion in the face of a southerly shift of warmer waters, and habitat is unlikely to be a limiting factor for bull sharks in the future. Such a southerly shift in distribution has implications for the management of bull sharks both in commercial fisheries and for mitigation of shark-human interactions.

Aerial surveys of large marine wildlife in nearshore areas can support management actions to ensure conservation of this megafauna. While most aerial surveys of marine wildlife have been carried out using manned aircraft, unmanned aerial systems (commonly known as drones) are being increasingly used. Here, we compare the relative accuracy and precision of marine wildlife surveys from a multirotor drone and a manned helicopter for the first time. At two locations on the east coast of Australia, we simultaneously surveyed sharks (including white sharks, Carcharodon carcharias), dolphins, rays, and sea turtles in nearshore coastal areas using a multirotor drone (DJI Inspire I) and a helicopter (Robinson 44 Clipper II) over 26 separate flights. Sampling included the real-time quantification of marine wildlife by an observer in the helicopter and the pilot of the drone. The video feed from the drone was then later re-sampled in the laboratory. Of the three methods, post-hoc analysis of drone video footage is likely to provide the most accurate and precise estimates of marine wildlife in nearshore areas. When real-time data are required (e.g., for shark-risk mitigation), manned helicopters (over larger stretches of coast) and drones (across localised beaches) will both be useful.

Australian cownose rays (Rhinoptera neglecta) and whitespotted eagle rays (Aetobatus ocellatus) are large myliobatiform rays that co-occur off temperate eastern Australia. Here, we performed stable-isotope analyses (δ

Conservation measures often result in a “wicked problem,” i.e., a complex problem with conflicting aims and no clear or straightforward resolution without severe adverse effects on one or more parties. Here we discuss a novel approach to an ongoing problem, in which actions to reduce risk to humans, involve lethal control of otherwise protected species. To protect water users, nets are often used to catch potentially dangerous sharks at popular bathing beaches, yet in Australian waters one of the targeted species, the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is listed as Vulnerable, while bycatch includes the Critically Endangered grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus). Recent, highly publicised, shark attacks have triggered demands for improved bather protection, whilst welfare and conservation organisations have called for removal of lethal measures. This leaves management and policy makers with a wicked problem: removing nets to reduce impacts on threatened species may increase risk to humans; or leaving the program as it is on the premise that the benefits provided by bather protection are greater than the impact on threatened and protected species. We used multivariate analysis and generalised additive models to investigate the biological, spatial-temporal, and environmental patterns influencing catch rates of threatened and of potentially dangerous shark species in the New South Wales shark nets over two decades to April 2019. Factors influencing catches were used to develop a matrix of potential changes to reduce catch of threatened species. Our proposed solutions include replacing existing nets with alternative mitigation strategies at key beaches where catch rate of threatened species is high. This approach provides stakeholders with a hierarchy of scenarios that address both social demands and threatened species conservation and is broadly applicable to human-wildlife conflict scenarios elsewhere.

Shark bites on humans are rare but are sufficiently frequent to generate substantial public concern, which typically leads to measures to reduce their frequency. Unfortunately, we understand little about why sharks bite humans. One theory for bites occurring at the surface, e.g. on surfers, is that of mistaken identity, whereby sharks mistake humans for their typical prey (pinnipeds in the case of white sharks). This study tests the mistaken identity theory by comparing video footage of pinnipeds, humans swimming and humans paddling surfboards, from the perspective of a white shark viewing these objects from below. Videos were processed to reflect how a shark's retina would detect the visual motion and shape cues. Motion cues of humans swimming, humans paddling surfboards and pinnipeds swimming did not differ significantly. The shape of paddled surfboards and human swimmers was also similar to that of pinnipeds with their flippers abducted. The difference in shape between pinnipeds with abducted versus adducted flippers was bigger than between pinnipeds with flippers abducted and surfboards or human swimmers. From the perspective of a white shark, therefore, neither visual motion nor shape cues allow an unequivocal visual distinction between pinnipeds and humans, supporting the mistaken identity theory behind some bites.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-29T08:30:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-09-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Extreme climate changes during the Cenozoic Era strengthened different biogeographical barriers that decreased the connectivity among populations, triggering lineage diversification of different species worldwide. The mitochondrial DNA control region was employed to explore the phylogeography of Sphyrna zygaena, a globally distributed species threatened by unsustainable, illegal, unreported and unregulated fisheries triggered by the international shark fin trade. It is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN Red List and its trade is regulated by CITES Appendix II. Only 13 haplotypes were found with low genetic diversity levels (hd = 0.686 ± 0.014; π = 0.00206 ± 0.00004) compared with other species of the Sphyrnidae family. The species has a very strong phylogeographic population structure among the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans (ΦST = 0.79132). Worldwide, there are six distinct populations with some haplotype sharing. These populations are probably connected by a stepping-stone dispersal of a small number of migrants per generation from the Indo-Pacific towards the Atlantic. Modelling suggests that S. zygaena diverged into two lineages around 6.96 million years ago which have been isolated in glacial refuges in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans; and after deglaciation, a population expansion probably permitted secondary contact. Conservation plans to establish differentiated management units should be adopted in each of the identified populations. Among these, the Eastern Central Atlantic and West Indo-Pacific are the most important areas for the species considering the historical migration routes that act as a bridge connecting the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Oceans while the Gulf of Guinea connects the Atlantic populations. Still, further studies are required to know if these populations are also linked with nursery areas for the species. The results herein can help to delimit the main evolutionarily significant units to implement effective policies to establish differentiated management units as starting points to genetic monitoring programmes for Sphyrna zygaena. Laboratório de Genética da Conservação Universidade Santa Cecília Laboratório de Genética Pesqueira e Conservação Instituto do Mar Universidade Federal de São Paulo Campus Baixada Santista Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Centro de Ciências do Mar Universidade de Algarve New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Fisheries Research Sydney Institute of Marine Science Molecular Fisheries Laboratory School of Biomedical Science University of Queensland Laboratório de Biologia e Genética de Peixes Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu Universidade Estadual Paulista ‘Júlio de Mesquita Filho’ Laboratório de Biologia e Genética de Peixes Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu Universidade Estadual Paulista ‘Júlio de Mesquita Filho’ FAPESP: BIOTA/FAPESP 2011/23787-0 CNPq: CNPq 470762/2013-6 FAPESP: FAPESP 2017/17605-3

Understanding the movement ecology of marine species and connectivity of populations is required for effective fisheries management. This is especially the case for species with wide-ranging distributions for which movement can span across several jurisdictions with different management regulations. We used the Australian national network of acoustic receivers facilitated by the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) to describe the extent and frequency of movements for two large epipelagic shark species, the bronze whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus) and dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus). A total of 210 sharks (117 bronze whalers and 93 dusky sharks) were tracked for a 10-year period during which 21% and 9% of detected bronze whalers and dusky sharks, respectively, moved between Australian states. Bronze whalers showed more variable inter-state movements, mostly between Western Australia and South Australia but also eastwards to New South Wales (NSW). Although no dusky sharks tagged in Western Australia undertook inter-state movements, ∼50% of the sharks tagged in South Australia went to Western Australia. Five of the 14 dusky sharks tagged in NSW (36%) were detected across different states but remained on the east and southeast coasts (Queensland, NSW, Victoria, and Tasmania). The IMOS receivers also detected six bronze whalers in Ningaloo Reef, representing an extension of the previously known Australian distribution. Our findings highlight the value of collaboration between researchers and the value of national infrastructure, by providing a more accurate understanding of inter-state movements. This new information will allow the development of more adequate population dynamic models for stock assessment and management advice, requiring collaboration among state agencies for coordinating research activities, sharing data and resources, and establishing appropriate cross-jurisdictional policies. This is essential to achieve successful management and conservation outcomes for highly migratory species.

Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) are known to frequent nearshore environments, particularly estuaries, resulting in interactions with humans. Knowledge of the behaviour of large individuals in temperate, estuarine environments is limited. This acoustic telemetry study reports on residency and movement patterns of 40 sub-adult and adult bull sharks in Sydney Harbour, a large temperate estuary, over seven years. Bull sharks exhibited clear seasonal patterns in their occurrence during the austral summer and autumn, with abundance peaking in January and February. This pattern was consistent between sexes and across all sizes. Bull sharks displayed weak diel differences in their spatial distribution, with individuals using areas further from the Harbour entrance more frequently during the day and at low tides. A diel pattern in depth use was apparent, with sharks utilising deeper water during daytime and moving shallower at night. Bull sharks had high individual inter-annual variability in their spatial distribution, however, when data were aggregated among all individuals and years, two locations of increased use were identified. Water temperature was the key predictor for seasonal movements and return behaviour to this estuary, suggesting that increasing water temperatures as a result of climate change may lead to higher shark abundance and possibly longer periods of residency in Sydney Harbour. Understanding the drivers for bull shark abundance and distribution will hopefully facilitate better education and shark smart behaviour by estuarine water-users, especially during summer and autumn months.

Assessments of fisheries interactions with non-target species are crucial for quantifying anthropogenic threatening processes and informing management action. We perform the first multi-jurisdictional analysis of spatial and temporal trends, data gaps and risk assessment of cetacean interactions with fisheries gear for the entire Australian Exclusive Economic Zone. Bycatch and entanglement records dating from 1887 to 2016 were collected from across Australia (n = 1987). Since 2000 there has been a substantial increase in reported bycatch and entanglements and this is likely the result of improved monitoring or recording by some jurisdictions and fisheries as well as changing fishing effort, combined with continuing recovery of baleen whale populations after cessation of commercial whaling. A minimum of 27 cetacean species were recorded entangled, with over 30% of records involving interactions with threatened, vulnerable or endangered species. Three times the number of dolphins and toothed whales were recorded entangled compared to baleen whales. Inshore dolphins were assessed as most vulnerable to population decline as a result of entanglements, though humpback whales, common bottlenose dolphins, and short-beaked common dolphins were the most frequently caught. Only one-quarter of animals were reported to have survived entanglement, either through intervention or self-release from fishing gear. Spatial mapping of the records highlighted entanglement hotspots along the east and west coast of the continent, regions where high human population density, high fishing effort, and high density of migrating humpback whales all occur, augmented by high captures of dolphins in shark control gear along the east coast. Areas of few entanglements were more remote, highlighting substantial bias in entanglement reporting. Our gap analysis identified discrepancies in data quality and recording consistency both within and between jurisdictions. Disparities in the types of fisheries data provided for the analysis by different state agencies limited our ability to compile bycatch data in a representative and systematic way. This research highlights the need for improved standardised data recording and reporting by all agencies, and compulsory sharing of detailed fisheries interaction and effort data, as this would increase the value of entanglement and bycatch data as a conservation and management tool.

Few studies have considered linkages of mobile predators across large spatial scales despite their significant and often critical role in maintaining ecosystem function and health. The bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is a large, widespread coastal predator capable of undertaking long-range movement, but there is still limited understanding of intra-regional differences in movement and habitat connectivity across latitudes within the same coastline. This study used acoustic telemetry data and network analyses to investigate long-range movements, residency patterns and seasonal habitat linkages of sub-adult and adult C. leucas along the east coast of Australia. Our results revealed that C. leucas tagged in Sydney Harbour were mainly present within this temperate estuary in summer and autumn; the rest of the year individuals were detected in tropical and subtropical habitats from southern and central Queensland. In contrast, the detection probability of C. leucas tagged in the Townsville Reefs (central Great Barrier Reef) peaked in spring, with a portion of the tagged population migrating south during the summer months. Differences in residency time between tagging locations were also detected, as all C. leucas tagged in Sydney Harbour were absent between June and November, but 35% of the tropical-reef tagged population remained resident year-round. Network analyses complemented these findings by revealing different seasonal habitat use between regions, thus highlighting complex seasonal-habitat linkages of C. leucas along the coast. Our findings support the hypothesis that the timing, duration, and drivers involved in the long-range movements and connectivity of sub-adult and adult C. leucas vary between latitudinal regions, most likely driven by the interaction between seasonal temperature changes, foraging and reproduction.

International audience; Oceanic islands are productive ecosystems, and so have higher densities of many marine predators. We investigated the dynamics of elasmobranch and teleost predators in coastal waters off Réunion Island, Indian Ocean, using fisheries-independent data from a preventative shark fishing program from January 2014 to December 2019. We developed a moonlight index that calculates exact moonlight through incorporating lunar azimuth, elevation angle and island topography. We quantified spatial–temporal and environmental drivers of occurrence using zero-inflated mixed models and assessed species-specific catchability in the program. A consistent segregated pattern was observed with higher occurrence of all species at dusk and after-dusk associated with lower luminosity. Scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) and giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis) were found to patrol coastal waters earlier in the day than the other species. Tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier) and bull (Carcharhinus leucas) sharks showed high spatial segregation, potentially reducing competition. Teleost predators were found more frequently inside the coral reef environment of the Marine Protected Area but there was no clear pattern for sharks. Seasonality was observed for giant trevally, stingrays, bull sharks, and giant guitarfish (Rhynchobatus australiae), with higher presence during early winter periods related to turbidity, photosynthetically available radiation, and temperature. Inter-annual variation in catch rates suggested that juvenile tiger sharks might be replacing bull sharks in nearshore habitats, and the consequences for mitigation of shark bite hazard are discussed. Operational alternatives are proposed to enhance reducing the impacts of preventative shark fishing upon critically endangered species, improve their conservation and ensure local ecosystem balance.

Stable isotopes are often used to determine the ecological role of different age classes of animals, but particularly for young animals this approach may be compromised. During gestation and or incubation body tissues of the young are derived directly from the mother. In neonates or post hatching, there is a period of transformation as the young grow and forage independently, but during this period different organs will continue to reflect the maternal isotopic signature as a function of their turnover rate. How long this maternal hangover persists remains poorly understood. We applied a multi-tracer approach (δ15N, δ13C and δ34S) to stable isotope signatures in juvenile bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) up to 6.5 years post parturition. We found that maternal provisioning was detectable for up to 3.5 years after birth in muscle but only detectable in young-of-the-year for liver. Inclusion of sulphur revealed when maternal signatures disappeared from low-turnover tissue, while also identifying the spatial and trophic ecology patterns from fast-turnover tissue. These results reveal the importance of sampling fast turnover tissues to study the trophic ecology of juvenile elasmobranchs, and how the use of only δ15N and δ13C isotopes is likely to make maternal patterns more difficult to detect.

© Copyright © 2020 Raoult, Trueman, Kingsbury, Gillanders, Broadhurst, Williamson, Nagelkerken, Booth, Peddemors, Couturier and Gaston. Determining the geographic range of widely dispersed or migratory marine organisms is notoriously difficult, often requiring considerable costs and typically extensive tagging or exploration programs. While these approaches are accurate and can reveal important information on the species, they are usually conducted on only a small number of individuals and can take years to produce relevant results, so alternative approaches may be preferable. The presence of latitudinal gradients in stable carbon isotope compositions of marine phytoplankton offers a means to quickly determine likely geographic population ranges of species that rely on productivity from these resources. Across sufficiently large spatial and temporal scales, the stable carbon isotopes of large coastal or pelagic marine species should reflect broad geographic patterns of resource use, and could be used to infer geographic ranges of marine populations. Using two methods, one based on a global mechanistic model and the other on targeted low-cost latitudinal sampling of fishes, we demonstrate and compare these stable isotope approaches to determine the core population geography of an apex predator, the great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran). Both methods indicated similar geographic ranges and suggested that S. mokarran recorded in south-eastern Australia are likely to be from more northern Australian waters. These approaches could be replicated in other areas where coastlines span predictable geographic gradients in isotope values and be used to determine the core population geography of highly mobile species to inform management decisions.

In response to a spate of shark attacks in Reunion Island in the southwest Indian Ocean since 2011, local authorities developed an experimental shark-control program based on those conducted for decades in Australia and South Africa. In order to greatly reduce, if not eliminate, the impact of such a shark fishing program on bycatch and undersized target shark species, the use of conventional “drumlines” was improved by the addition of an innovative “Catch-A-Live”® system, making the drumlines ‘SMART’ (Shark Management Alert in Real Time). This is a real-time strike alert system based on an adapted triggering mechanism, which links the fishing line to a GPS buoy connected to the Iridium satellite. This system alerts fishers on duty via a computer-based communication system within just a few minutes, enabling immediate intervention. Off Reunion Island, up to 20 SMART drumlines (SDLs) were deployed along the west and southwest coast in coastal waters to target bull (Carcharhinus leucas) and tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) in trials conducted between 2014 and 2017. During 58,770 h of fishing there were 269 catches of more than 14 species, of which 86.9% were retrieved alive. There were marked differences in survival among species. While the most fragile species were the giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis), scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) and small carcharhinid species, most of the other bycatch species (stingrays Dasyatis sp., giant guitarfish Rhyncobathus djiddensis, and tawny nurse sharks Nebrius ferrugineus) were generally found alive and in a condition suitable for tag and release. Of the target species, 94.8% of all individuals were found alive. These survival rates are far higher than those of other programs using conventional drumlines in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) and Queensland (Australia). There were strong diurnal and lunar catch patterns. This information is invaluable in planning fishing operations to maximise the catch of the target species, while reducing the chances of killing the bycatch. These results highlight the potential for use of SDLs in research programs aimed at tagging large sharks capable of tripping the trigger, especially in situations where catch rates are so low that it is impractical for the fishing vessel to remain at sea for the duration of each fishing operation.

Responses to unprovoked shark bite involve public policies and management approaches that contend with the needs of public safety and the responsibility to protect threatened species. In Australia (Queensland and New South Wales) and South Africa, methods that aim to capture and kill large sharks adjacent to popular beaches are a long-standing approach aimed at reducing the risk of shark bite. This paper reviews non-lethal alternatives to catch and kill methods, and suggests optimal conditions for non-lethal systems that will assist policy makers and beach authorities in choosing public safety responses that can be applied at the ocean beach scale. Deployment needs to be strategic with sufficient knowledge of their likely effectiveness under local conditions. At this stage we believe there is no single approach universally applicable to ocean beaches where unprovoked shark bite occurs, although well considered and locally appropriate mitigation measures can reduce risk.

Carcharhinus plumbeus (sandbar shark) and C. obscurus (dusky shark) occur in many global fisheries as targeted species and/or bycatch. However, little is known about their movement and the possible fate of discards. We redressed this lack of knowledge using pop-up satellite archival tags (PSAT) and acoustic tagging technologies off the eastern coast of Australia. Eight sharks of each species were caught by demersal longline, fitted with both types of tag and then released. PSATs indicated that 2 C. plumbeus and 1 C. obscurus died within 8 h of release, while tracks over periods of 1 to 60 d were obtained for 13 sharks. All surviving sharks first swam in an easterly, offshore direction to outer-shelf waters during the first 24 h. All C. plumbeus then moved approximately south (i.e. increasing latitude) by distances of up to ~350 km. In contrast, most C. obscurus moved approximately north by distances between 212 and 606 km. Over an 18 mo period following release, acoustic tag detections occurred for 4 C. plumbeus (mostly within 30 km of release, suggesting some philopatry) and 6 C. obscurus (~515 km south and ~310 km north). Both species spent ~85% of their time in waters

Migratory Group V (Stock E1) humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae are at risk of entanglement with fishing gear as they migrate north and south along the east coast of Aus- tralia. This study investigated the effectiveness of 2 distinct tones for use as an alarm to acousti- cally alert whales to fishing gear presence and therefore reduce the chance of entanglement. We compared how whales responded in terms of changes of surface behaviour and changes in direc- tion of travel in response to 2 acoustic tones and when there was no alarm. These 2 acoustic tones were a 5 kHz tone (5 s emission interval and 400 ms emission duration, similar to but higher fre- quency than the signal from a Future Oceans F3 TM 3 kHz Whale Pinger®) and a 2�2.1 kHz swept tone (8 s emission interval and 1.5 s emission duration). A total of 108 tracks (focal follows) were collected using a theodolite at Cape Solander, Sydney, Australia, during the whales' 2013 north- ern migration. Linear mixed effects models were used to determine the effect of the different acoustic tones on whale direction (heading), and behaviour (dive duration and speed). Whales showed no detectable response to either alarm. Whale direction and surfacing behaviour did not differ whether the alarm was 'on' or 'off'. Although the response may have been different if the alarms were attached to fishing gear, the lack of measurable response suggests that the types of tones used are not likely to be effective in alarms intended to reduce entanglement of northward migrating Australian humpback whales.

Populations of sharks are declining globally, largely due to fishing pressure. There is a lack of fisheries-independent data on the demographics of many species, particularly those inhabiting deeper waters. The common sawshark (Pristiophorus cirratus) is a benthic-associated shark endemic to southeastern Australia that has been fished for over 90 years. Despite regular landings, little is known about their lifespan. To assess the age of P. cirratus, we first assessed their vertebral morphology to determine the best method for band pair elucidation. Based on morphology, vertebrae located in the post-branchial region were identified as the largest and least variable for band pair analysis. A total of eight different age-determination methods were then applied to shark vertebrae from this region to test the viability of traditional and nontraditional techniques in elucidating band pairs. Band pairs were indeterminable across all treatments. This research calls for further work into age validation and development of novel techniques to accurately age sawsharks.

Sawsharks are one of the least well-known groups of sharks globally, yet they are caught in large numbers in south-eastern Australia. In this study we assessed spatiotemporal patterns of distribution of two co-occurring species of sawsharks, namely the common sawshark (Pristiophorus cirratus) and the southern sawshark (Pristiophorus nudipinnis), to guide future research in this area. To identify where the animals may occur in greater numbers, this study used the major commercial fishery datasets in the region, containing nearly 180000 catch records from 1990 to 2017. Several general patterns were evident. Sawsharks occurred at shallower and deeper depths than previously thought, and their geographical range was larger than documented in previous studies. Depth distributions of both species overlapped, but P. cirratus appeared more common in deeper water (at depths up to 500m), with peak common sawshark catch rates at ~400m. Seasonal standardised catch patterns across fishing methods suggested that migrations from deeper to shallower waters may occur in the Australasian autumn and winter. The greatest concentration of sawsharks, inferred by standardised catch rates, occurred to the east and west of Bass Strait between Tasmania and mainland Australia. Although standardised catch rates of sawsharks declined in gill-net fisheries by ~30%, primarily in the Bass Strait and Tasmania, sawsharks appear to be caught at consistent rates since the 1990s, inferring a possible resilience of these sharks to current levels of fishing pressure.

Conservation concerns exist for many sharks but robust estimates of abundance are often lacking. Improving population status is a performance measure for species under conservation or recovery plans, yet the lack of data permitting estimation of population size means the efficacy of management actions can be difficult to assess, and achieving the goal of removing species from conservation listing challenging. For potentially dangerous species, like the white shark, balancing conservation and public safety demands is politically and socially complex, often leading to vigorous debate about their population status. This increases the need for robust information to inform policy decisions. We developed a novel method for estimating the total abundance of white sharks in eastern Australia and New Zealand using the genetic-relatedness of juveniles and applying a close-kin mark-recapture framework and demographic model. Estimated numbers of adults are small (ca. 280–650), as is total population size (ca. 2,500–6,750). However, estimates of survival probability are high for adults (over 90%), and fairly high for juveniles (around 73%). This represents the first direct estimate of total white shark abundance and survival calculated from data across both the spatial and temporal life-history of the animal and provides a pathway to estimate population trend.

Total lengths (LT) at age and growth rates for south-west Pacific Galeocerdo cuvier were estimated from vertebral growth-band counts of 202 sagitally sectioned centra from 112 females (71–430 cm LT), 79 males (72–351 cm LT) and 11 of unknown sex. Captive growth data were also examined to complement vertebral age estimations. The sexes combined modelled growth coefficient (k =0⋅08) was smaller than previously reported for G. cuvier populations elsewhere. Split-band and narrow banding patterns were identified as potential sources of age underestimation in this species.

Sharks are important apex predators in marine systems but many populations have experienced large declines, which has resulted in adverse effects on marine food webs. Sharks are also economically important, as their fins are valued in Asian markets. In response to concerns about declining shark populations, a number of nations, including Australia, have developed national plans of action for their conservation and management. As part of New South Wales’ (NSW) efforts to understand the characteristics of their shark fishery, data were collected on the depth of capture, species, sex, body length and weight, fin weight, and reproductive status of individuals caught in the NSW commercial ‘large shark’ demersal set-line fishery. We created models of the relationship between fin to body weight and wastage (discarded or low value portions of the carcass) and compared the ratios of whole, landed, trimmed, and fin weight to determine the relationship between fin weight and wastage to length by species. Our results indicate that length, sex, and the interactions between length with species and sex account for differences in the relative fin weight of sharks; whereas species, length, and their interaction account for differences in the proportion of a shark carcass that is wasted. The data reveal that catching smaller sharks will increase relative fin weight and decrease wastage. Given these results, we recommend that managers consider weight ratio data information in their decision making to promote a sustainable and profitable shark fishery.

This study investigates mortality of sharks in a commercial longline fishery in Australia. To examine the rate and biological, environmental and technological factors contributing to at-vessel mortality, four setlines with 120 gangions possessing ‘hook timers’ were deployed daily (for 7h and 14h) using conventional gears from two commercial fishing vessels during 2013. A total of 689 animals across 22 species and including 18 elasmobranchs were landed. For the five species ( Carcharhinus spp.), and one genus ( Sphyrna spp) where there were sufficient numbers for analysis, generalised linear mixed models showed that species and the elapsed time spent on the line after hooking were the strongest predictors of at-vessel mortality, with spinner ( Carcharhinus brevipinna ), blacktip ( C. limbatus ) and hammerhead ( Sphyrna spp) sharks exhibiting the highest death rates. The variables which best explained mortality, included: (i) sex of the caught sharks, and the interaction between species with (ii) capture depth, and (iii) the elapsed time spent on the line after hooking. For the subset of dusky ( C. obscurus ) and sandbar ( C. plumbeus ) sharks examined for physiological status at the point of capture, very few of the 13 chosen blood analytes varied significantly. Given the observed high mortality rates and stress associated with the time spent on the line after capture, operational changes to reduce these adverse impacts should be considered. Even simple changes such as shorter soak times could considerably mitigate these impacts.

Accurate assessments of population parameters, such as survival and abundance, are critical for effective wildlife conservation. In order for wildlife managers to undertake long-term monitoring of populations, the data collection must be as cost-effective as possible. Two demographic modelling techniques commonly used are mark-recapture and mark-resight. Mark-resight can be used in conjunction with biotelemetry methods and offers a more cost effective alternative to the traditional mark-recapture models. However, there has been no empirical comparison of the demographic parameters obtained from the two modelling techniques. This study used photographs of natural markings to individually identify wobbegong sharks (Orectolobus maculatus) sighted during underwater surveys over a 2 year period, during eight distinct sampling periods, and analysed with Pollock’s robust design mark-recapture models. These estimates were then compared, using z tests, with Poisson-lognormal mark-resight models that used resightings of sharks previously tagged with telemetry transmitters, and the telemetry data to calculate the number of marked animals present in each sampling period. Sharks were categorised into four groups according to their sex and age-class (adult/juvenile). The results indicated that there was a high degree of transience in the population, with 62 % of sharks only being sighted in one sampling period. Based on normalized Akaike weights, there was no single ‘best’ model for either type of modelling technique and model averaging was used to determine the demographic estimates. Both models showed higher abundance of wobbegongs in the austral spring and summer seasons, however, the models produced statistically different results for five of the eight sampling periods. The mark-recapture model estimated apparent survival between 78 and 95 %, whereas the mark-resight models estimated it between 48 and 97 %. Crucially, there was no statistical difference between the survival estimates from corresponding sex/age-class. The temporary emigration parameters differed substantially between the model types. The mark-recapture model showed support for Markovian movement, whereas the mark-resight supported random emigration. The timing of the tagging events likely biased the abundance and temporary emigration parameters estimated by mark-resight models and must be taken into consideration when designing a mark-resight study. Despite this, this study shows that robust demographic estimates, that are comparable to labour intensive mark-recapture estimates, can still be obtained using mark-resight methods. Given the substantial increase in biotelemetry studies of medium and large sized vertebrates, mark-resight models may play an important future role in estimating demographic parameters.

Cetacean entanglements in fishing gear cost governments, fishermen and stakehold- ers millions of dollars a year, and often result in serious injury or death of the entangled animals. Entanglements have been implicated in preventing the recovery of some large whale populations. Acoustic deterrents on fishing nets are widely used to reduce incidental captures of dolphins and porpoises, but there is little evidence as to whether they effectively deter large whales. We tested whether a low-frequency whale alarm (3 kHz Whale Pinger®, 135 ± 5 db, 5 s emission interval and 400 ms emission duration) deterred Southern Hemisphere humpback whales Megaptera novae - angliae from approaching a potential source of entanglement. Northerly migrating humpback whale pods were tracked by an observer blind to alarm status (on/off) as they passed an alarm moored in the centre of the peak migration path. Of 137 pods tracked, 82 (60%) passed within the assumed detectable range (500 m) of the alarm, 51/78 (65%) when it was on and 31/59 (52%) when it was off (p = 0.18). There was no discernible response to the alarm. Whale pods did not dif- fer in directionality, course heading or dive duration when within detectable range of the alarm, whether it was on or off, and a number of pods passed directly over the alarm while it was opera- tional. This suggests that single alarms as currently configured and attached to a trap or pot line are unlikely to effectively deter humpback whales from approaching potential hazards, at least during their northerly migration phase.

Abstract ContextA series of unprovoked shark attacks on New South Wales (Australia) beaches between 2013 and 2015 triggered an investigation of new and emerging technologies for protecting bathers. Traditionally, bather protection has included several methods for shark capture, detection and/or deterrence but has often relied on environmentally damaging techniques. Heightened environmental awareness, including the important role of sharks in the marine ecosystem, demands new techniques for protection from shark attack. Recent advances in drone-related technologies have enabled the possibility of real-time shark detection and alerting. AimTo determine the reliability of drones to detect shark analogues in the water across a range of environmental conditions experienced on New South Wales beaches. MethodsA standard multirotor drone (DJI Inspire 1) was used to detect shark analogues as a proxy during flights at 0900, 1200 and 1500 hours over a 3-week period. The 27 flights encompassed a range of environmental conditions, including wind speed (2–30.0kmh−1), turbidity (0.4–6.4m), cloud cover (0–100%), glare (0–100%), seas (0.4–1.4m), swells (1.4–2.5m) and sea state (Beaufort Scale 1–5 Bf). Key resultsDetection rates of the shark analogues over the 27 flights were significantly higher for the independent observer conducting post-flight video analysis (50%) than for the drone pilot (38%) (Wald P=0.04). Water depth and turbidity significantly impaired detection of analogues (Wald P=0.04). Specifically, at a set depth of 2m below the water surface, very few analogues were seen by the observer or pilot when water turbidity reduced visibility to less than 1.5m. Similarly, when water visibility was greater than 1.5m, the detection rate was negatively related to water depth. Conclusions The present study demonstrates that drones can fly under most environmental conditions and would be a cost-effective bather protection tool for a range of user groups. ImplicationsThe most effective use of drones would occur during light winds and in shallow clear water. Although poor water visibility may restrict detection, sharks spend large amounts of time near the surface, therefore providing a practical tool for detection in most conditions.

Determining the age of sharks using vertebral banding is a vital component of management, but the causes of banding are not fully understood. Traditional shark ageing is based on fish otolith ageing methods where growth bands are assumed to result from varied seasonal calcification rates. Here we investigate these assumptions by mapping elemental distribution within the growth bands of vertebrae from six species of sharks representing four different taxonomic orders using scanning x-ray fluorescence microscopy. Traditional visual growth bands, determined with light microscopy, were more closely correlated to strontium than calcium in all species tested. Elemental distributions suggest that vertebral strontium bands may be related to environmental variations in salinity. These results highlight the requirement for a better understanding of shark movements, and their influence on vertebral development, if confidence in age estimates is to be improved. Analysis of shark vertebrae using similar strontium-focused elemental techniques, once validated for a given species, may allow more successful estimations of age on individuals with few or no visible vertebral bands.

Sharks possess anterior electrosensory pores (ampullae of Lorenzini), which allow them to detect very weak electromagnetic fields. Powerful magnetic fields may overwhelm this sense, and repel sharks, even in the presence of an attractant. Using underwater video, we tested seven rare earth magnet configurations, two ferrite magnet configurations and two rare earth electropositive metals as means to reduce the rate at which Galapagos sharks ( Carcharhinus galapagensis ) depredated baited lines. Configurations of three 50 mm diameter rare earth magnet discs showed the most potential, with a vertical configuration of magnets alongside the bait reducing depredation by 50%, and a stacked configuration of the same magnets above the bait also producing significantly more aborted investigations of the bait prior to depredation. No other magnetic or electropositive metal configuration produced significant reductions in depredation rates, time taken to strike, or number of prior investigations. Our study showed that the overriding factor determining Galapagos shark behaviours towards baits was conspecific density. The number of sharks present increased as trials progressed, with a corresponding decrease in their time to depredate baits. This effect was particularly apparent when three or more animals were present. These higher shark densities diminished the effectiveness of our experiments as individuals engaged in non-selective “mob” rushes towards the closest bait. Although our results showed that social interactions between sharks outweighed individual responses to depredation-mitigation devices, magnetic deterrents have high potential for reducing shark bycatch for species that occur in lower densities, or which interact less vigorously with conspecifics than Galapagos sharks.

Genetic analyses of population structure can be placed in explicit environmental contexts if appropriate environmental data are available. Here, we use high-coverage and high-resolution oceanographic and genetic sequence data to assess population structure patterns and their potential environmental influences for humpback dolphins in the Western Indian Ocean. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA data from 94 dolphins from the coasts of South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and Oman, employing frequency-based and maximum-likelihood algorithms to assess population structure and migration patterns. The genetic data were combined with 13 years of remote sensing oceanographic data of variables known to influence cetacean dispersal and population structure. Our analyses show strong and highly significant genetic structure between all putative populations, except for those in South Africa and Mozambique. Interestingly, the oceanographic data display marked environmental heterogeneity between all sampling areas and a degree of overlap between South Africa and Mozambique. Our combined analyses therefore suggest the occurrence of genetically isolated populations of humpback dolphins in areas that are environmentally distinct. This study highlights the utility of molecular tools in combination with high-resolution and high-coverage environmental data to address questions not only pertaining to genetic population structure, but also to relevant ecological processes in marine species. © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved., link_to_OA_fulltext