Fisheries Research Articles

Acoustic monitoring reveals the broad-scale movements of commercially important sharks

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-18-2017

Journal Title

Marine Ecology Progress Series (MEPS)

ISSN

Print: 0171-8630 Electronic: 1616-1599

Keywords

Shark fisheries, Sustainability, Tagging, Residency, Management, Conservation

Disciplines

Acoustics, Dynamics, and Controls | Aquaculture and Fisheries | Behavior and Ethology | Data Science | Environmental Monitoring | Marine Biology | Natural Resources and Conservation | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Population Biology | Spatial Science | Survival Analysis | Sustainability

Abstract

Information on broad-scale movements is required for spatial management and improved conservation of large marine predators. We studied the mobility of the 4 most commercially important shark species of Western Australia (WA) using a network of acoustic receivers. Dusky sharks Carcharhinus obscurus showed very high mobility across WA. Sandbar C. plumbeus, gummy Mustelus antarcticus and particularly whiskery Furgaleus macki sharks were less mobile but can still move over long distances. The proportion of monitored time within different fisheries management zones varied among species. Dusky sharks showed the highest inter-connectivity among these zones, reflecting the high mobility and complex movement patterns of this species. Sandbar, gummy and whiskery sharks followed, showing less movement among zones. Our study demonstrates how acoustic telemetry can be used to determine the movement patterns of species at the scale of fisheries management and therefore contribute to improved management and sustainability.

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12251