Sail-World.com : New tagging research reveals Mako shark journey in high resolution
New tagging research reveals Mako shark journey in high resolution
|
A satellite reporting tagging device know as a SPOT tag, attached to a shortfin mako shark dubbed 'Carol' in New Zealand five months ago, is providing scientists with remarkable and previously unknown details of the timing and long-distance migratory movements of this species.
The Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) at Nova Southeastern University is collaborating with the New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) on the tagging experiment with Carol the shortfin mako shark.
The SPOT tag is revealing that Carol is spending a lot of time at the oceans surface, reporting her location to the satellite several times daily.
'The unexpectedly frequent daily detections are providing us with a really high resolution view of the migration of this animal,' said GHRI Director Dr. Mahmood Shivji. 'We've found that Carol has traveled over 5,700 miles in five months, averaging 60 miles per day during some parts of her migration--and this is just a juvenile shark!'
To follow Carol's travels on a GHRI interactive website go to:
http://www.nova.edu/~johnmatt/makosharks.htm
'Conventional identification tags tell us little about the timing of mako shark movements, the route that they take or distance traveled,' said Dr Malcolm Francis, who is leading the NIWA effort on this study.
'The SPOT tag, revealing Carol's detailed travels from New Zealand to Fiji and back, shows theses sharks have an amazing internal navigation system that keeps them on course over long journeys.'
Given the high fishing pressure on makos for their fins and meat, this species is showing declining population trends in parts of its range, which has resulted in the species being listed as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.
Based on the amazing results from this initial trial, the GHRI and NIWA are expanding their mako migration study off New Zealand starting in January 2013, according to Dr. Shivji. The GHRI and Dr. Guy Harvey are also working with Captain Anthony Mendillo of Keen M International to compare the migratory patterns of mako sharks in the Atlantic by tagging them off the coast of Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
About the Guy Harvey Research Institute at NSU:
Established in 1999, the Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) at NSU is a collaboration between the renowned marine artist, scientist and explorer, Dr. Guy Harvey, and Nova Southeastern University's Oceanographic Center. The mission of the GHRI is to provide the scientific information necessary to understand, conserve, and effectively manage the world's marine fishes and their ecosystems. The GHRI is one of only a handful of private organizations dedicated exclusively to the science-based conservation of marine fish populations and biodiversity. The research, education and outreach activities of the GHRI are supported by the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, AFTCO Inc., extramural research grants, philanthropic donations by private businesses and individuals, and NSU.
More at www.nova.edu/ocean/ghri/index.html
by Guy Harvey Research Institute
Click on the FB Like link to post this story to your FB wall
http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?nid=103539
9:46 PM Mon 5 Nov 2012GMT
Click here for printer friendly version
Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story.
|
|
|
Our Advertisers are committed to our sport, please support them!
This site and its contents are © Copyright TetraMedia Pty. Ltd and/or the original author, photographer etc. All Rights Reserved.
Photographs are copyright by law. If you wish to use or buy a photograph you must contact the photographer directly (there is a hyperlink in most cases to their website, or do a Google search.) with your request.
Please do not contact
Sail-World.com
as we cannot give permission for use of other photographer’s images.
Only if the photographer named on the image is Sail-world.com, Powerboat-world.com, Marinebusiness-world.com or NZBoating-World.com.
Contact us
.
Ph: +61 2 8006 1873
or complete our
feedback form
Contact us
.
View our Privacy Policy.
[ Go Home]
[ Banner Advertising Specification]
[Bot Archive ]
Customised news feeds -Marine Industry companies, Clubs and Associations have their own customised version of our news feed on their website.
Look_here_to_see_examples
|
CLD
| | |
_USA_05-13[3].gif)
