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A16 LOCAL
Wednesday 11 september 2019

At least ten reef-associated shark species in the Dutch Caribbean

WAGENINGEN, THE NETHER- habitat use, migration and between areas were rare,
LANDS — Wageningen Ma- connectivity between is- and found for two Carib-
rine Research reported ten lands. The telemetry study bean reef sharks and one
reef-associated shark spe- tracked two shark species, nurse shark which travelled
cies in the Dutch Caribbean Caribbean reef shark (Car- between Saba and Saba
in a recent published study charhinus perezi) and nurse bank. The two Caribbean
as part of Dutch Caribbean shark (Ginglymostoma cir- reef sharks made short di-
Nature Alliance (DCNA)’s Caribbean reef shark in the Man of War Shoal Marine Park , Sint ratum) around Saba (from rected journeys back and
Save Our Sharks Project. Maarten. Photo credit: Melanie Meijer zu Schlochtern 2014) and then around forth, whereas the nurse
The most common species Sharks are some of the Dutch Caribbean islands. Saba Bank, Sint Maarten shark after two years ab-
are the nurse shark and most misunderstood spe- and Sint Eustatius (from sence showed up at the
the Caribbean reef shark. cies. For generations sharks There were two methods 2015). Saba Bank before returning
Overall, more sharks were had an undeserved bad used by the researchers to to Saba. One nurse shark
observed in conservation reputation. People tend to study sharks. One method Findings from another study on the
areas than in unprotected see them as terrifying ani- used Baited Remote Under- In BRUVs deployed around US Virgin Islands was de-
areas, highlighting the im- mals that pose a danger water Video (BRUV) which Sint Maarten, Curaçao and tected in the network on
portance of these zones in to everything that swims in used a device consisting Bonaire the most common the Saba Bank, a distance
shark conservation. the ocean, including hu- of two cameras set in front detected shark species of at least 160 kilometres.
mans. But we now know of a baited feed bag. The were Caribbean reef shark,
More than 100 million sharks that is very far from the idea is that as sharks come with Sint Maarten also fre- Importance of Protected
are killed each year as a truth; these magnificent near the bait bag to feed, quently showing nurse Areas
result of fishing and shark creatures are essential to video footage can be sharks. Overall, more sharks Both the BRUV and acous-
finning activities, twice the healthy oceans and risks to collected to identify and were observed in marine tic telemetry studies
rate at which they can re- humans are small. count local shark popula- parks or areas of conserva- showed higher presence of
produce. The demand for tions. The other method tion than in unprotected reef associated sharks with-
fins and other shark prod- DCNA’s Save Our Sharks was acoustic telemetry to areas, highlighting the im- in the conservation zones,
ucts has driven a number Project track sharks. In this method, portance of these zones in along with high site fidel-
of species close to extinc- There is a lack of knowl- a small acoustic tracking shark conservation. Further- ity and small home ranges.
tion. Sharks are especially edge concerning the dis- device is implanted within more, when comparing Furthermore, as some lon-
vulnerable to overfishing tribution and abundance the shark. Acoustic receiv- the BRUV surveys from Sint ger distance movements
and habitat degradation of shark and ray species ers are installed at specific Maarten, Curaçao and Bo- were also documented,
as they are late to mature throughout the Dutch Ca- locations, and whenever naire to previous BRUV stud- interconnectivity between
and produce few young. ribbean. To combat this sharks with these transmit- ies from Aruba, Saba, Sint these areas is just begin-
The main threats to sharks knowledge gap, from 2015- ters travel near the receiver Eustatius and Saba Bank, it ning to be understood. The
in our waters are acciden- 2018, DCNA ran the “Save (within a range of 450 to showed that the Aruba sur- ongoing study on acous-
tal bycatch, habitat deg- our Sharks” (SOS) project 850 metres) they are re- vey had the largest shark tic telemetry (funded by
radation and the risk of a for the Dutch Caribbean, corded. diversity (8 species) and the Ministry of Agriculture,
shark fin market develop- funded by the Dutch Post- the Bonaire survey the low- Nature and Food Quality
ing, which would lead to code Lottery. In this project The first studies using BRUV est (2 species). The Saba (LNV)) will yield more data
targeted fishing of sharks. DCNA collaborated with lo- were conducted on Saba, survey documented 5 shark on this. Therefore, not only
cal fisherman and scientists Saba Bank and St. Eustatius species, Saba bank had are local marine parks cru-
We need healthy oceans and aimed to build popu- to better understand the 4 shark species with Cura- cial for the conservation
and healthy oceans need lar support for shark and local population of sharks çao, Sint Eustatius and Sint efforts of sharks and rays,
sharks ray conservation amongst and rays and their relative Maarten each registering 3 but larger conservation
Sharks keep our oceans the local community, as abundances, and were shark species. There was an networks, such as the Yarari
healthy. These top preda- well as increasing knowl- funded by the Dutch Gov- additional BRUV submarine Marine Mammal and Shark
tors remove sick or weak edge about shark and ray ernment. Starting in 2015, test at 300 metres deep off Sanctuary which com-
members of their prey species within the region as part of the SOS project, Curaçao which found an promises all the waters of
populations. A decrease by conducting a number additional studies were additional shark species Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eu-
in number of sharks leads of research projects. conducted to include the (Cuban dogfish). In total, statius, are vital to protect
to a disturbed natural bal- waters around Bonaire, Cu- at least 10 shark species entire populations.
ance in the sea. This can Shark Research raçao and Sint Maarten. were seen within the Dutch
affect the overall fish popu- A recently published study In 2017 a BRUV survey was Caribbean in the different More information
lation, and good fish stocks by Wageningen Marine Re- done at Aruba, financed BRUV surveys. Winter, H.V., de Graaf, M.
are not only important for search as part of DCNA’s by Global Finprint. (2019). Diversity, abun-
fishermen that depend on SOS Project established a The acoustic telemetry stud- dance, distribution and
fishing but also for (dive) baseline for current shark In addition, as part of the ies demonstrated that both habitat use reef-associated
tourism and the local com- diversity, distribution, abun- SOS project, acoustic te- the Caribbean reef shark sharks in the Dutch Carib-
munity. dance, spatial behaviour lemetry was also used to and nurse shark have small bean. Wageningen Uni-
and population structure better understand the home ranges and strong versity & Research report
Respect, not fear, sharks for inshore reefs around the movements of sharks, site fidelity. Large crossings C105/18. q