scholarly journals Patterns in abundance and size of sharks in northwestern Australia: cause for optimism

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-82
Author(s):  
Matias Braccini ◽  
Brett Molony ◽  
Nick Blay
Keyword(s):  
Life Histories ◽  
Shark Species ◽  
Sandbar Shark ◽  
Carcharhinus Plumbeus ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Scalloped Hammerhead ◽  
Carcharhinus Obscurus ◽  
Northwestern Australia ◽  
Mean Size ◽  
Catch Rates

Abstract Reliable information for population assessments is rare for sharks. We quantified patterns in catch rates and mean size for numerous tropical and subtropical species from 15 years of fishery-independent surveys (2002–2017) in northwestern Australia. This study region represents an area of ~0.8 million km2 which was closed to commercial shark fishing from 1993 or 2005 onward due to the very high State-wide catches of sandbar (Carcharhinus plumbeus) and dusky (Carcharhinus obscurus) sharks. A total of 43 shark and ray species were sampled, with sandbar shark being the most commonly caught species, followed by milk (Rhizoprionodon acutus), spot-tail (Carcharhinus sorrah), tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier), blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus and Carcharhinus tilstoni), dusky and sliteye (Loxodon macrorhinus) sharks, and scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini). For sandbar shark, catch rates increased between 2008 and 2017 whereas for other taxa catch rates were mostly stable (albeit fluctuating). Mean size at capture fluctuated across years with no particular trends. Unlike for other parts of the world, catch rates and mean size of northwestern Australian sharks have been stable or increased in recent years. Though most shark species have conservative life histories, when science, management and enforcement work synergistically, sustainable resource use, recovery and conservation outcomes can all be achieved.

Demography of the central california population of the Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciata)

1992 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 183 ◽  
Author(s):  
GM Cailliet
Keyword(s):  
Population Growth ◽  
Reproductive Rate ◽  
Shark Species ◽  
Sandbar Shark ◽  
Lemon Shark ◽  
Carcharhinus Plumbeus ◽  
Net Reproductive Rate ◽  
Leopard Shark ◽  
Triakis Semifasciata ◽  
Leopard Sharks

Demographic analyses can be quite useful for effectively managing elasmobranch fisheries. However, they require valid estimates of age-specific mortality and natality rates, in addition to information on the distribution, abundance, habits and reproduction of the population, to produce reliable estimates of population growth. Because such detailed ecological information is usually unavailable, complete demographic analyses have been completed for only four shark species: the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias; the soupfin shark, Galeorhinus australis; the lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris; and most recently the sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus. In California, reliable estimates of age, growth, mortality, age at maturity, and fecundity are available only for the leopard shark, Triakis semifasciata. A demographic analysis of this species yielded a net reproductive rate (Ro) of 4.467, a generation time (G) of 22.35 years, and an estimate of the instantaneous population growth coefficient (r) of 0.067. If the mean fishing pressure over 10 years (F= 0.084) is included in the survivorship function, Ro and r are reduced considerably, especially if leopard sharks first enter the fishery at early ages. A size limit of 120 cm TL (estimated age 13 years), especially for female sharks, is tentatively proposed for the leopard shark fishery.

Can shark resources be harvested sustainably? A question revisited with a review of shark fisheries

1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terence I. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Shark Species ◽  
Carcharhinus Plumbeus ◽  
Common Assumption ◽  
Sphyrna Tiburo ◽  
Rhizoprionodon Terraenovae ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Modelling Techniques ◽  
Catch Rates ◽  
Galeorhinus Galeus ◽  
Slow Growing

Sharks and other chondrichthyans are often described as long lived, slow growing and producing few offspring. These biological characteristics, together with the common assumption that recruitment is directly related to stock, and pessimistic stock prognoses obtained from application of demographic analysis, have led to doubts that sharks can be harvested sustainably. Developed over the past 40 or so years from studies of only a few shark species, these doubts have been reinforced by declining catch rates in industrial, artisanal and recreational fisheries and in fishing programmes designed to reduce the risk of sharks attacking humans at bathing beaches. However, more recent studies and application of modelling techniques allowing for density-dependent responses to the effects of stock reduction indicate that shark stocks can be harvested sustainably and, if carefully managed, can provide very stable fisheries. It is now understood that some species (such as Galeorhinus galeus, Carcharhinus plumbeus, Carcharodon carcharias and several species of dogfish) have low productivity, whereas other species (such as Mustelus antarcticus, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, Sphyrna tiburo and Prionace glauca) have higher productivity. This paper reviews the use of shark products, the effects of fishing on shark populations of the world, and recent developments in assessment of shark fishery stocks.

scholarly journals Fatal Infection in a Wild Sandbar Shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus), Caused by Streptococcus agalactiae, Type Ia-ST7

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 284
Author(s):  
Danny Morick ◽  
Nadav Davidovich ◽  
Eyal Bigal ◽  
Ezra Rosenbluth ◽  
Arieli Bouznach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Streptococcus Agalactiae ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Shark Species ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Sandbar Shark ◽  
Carcharhinus Plumbeus ◽  
Type Ia ◽  
Important Fish

Streptococcus agalactiae is one of the most important fish pathogenic bacteria as it is responsible for epizootic mortalities in both wild and farmed species. S. agalactiae is also known as a zoonotic agent. In July 2018, a stranded wild sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus), one of the most common shark species in the Mediterranean Sea, was found moribund on the seashore next to Netanya, Israel, and died a few hours later. A post-mortem examination, histopathology, classical bacteriology and advanced molecular techniques revealed a bacterial infection caused by S. agalactiae, type Ia-ST7. Available sequences publicly accessible databases and phylogenetic analysis suggest that the S. agalactiae isolated in this case is closely related to fish and human isolates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of a fatal streptococcosis in sandbar sharks.

Population status of 14 shark species caught in the protective gillnets off KwaZulu - Natal beaches, South Africa, 1978 - 2003

2006 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheldon F. J. Dudley ◽  
Colin A. Simpfendorfer
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Potential Effect ◽  
Catch Rate ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Shark Species ◽  
Population Status ◽  
Carcharhinus Leucas ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Carcharhinus Obscurus ◽  
Catch Rates

Shark nets have been set off the beaches of KwaZulu–Natal, South Africa, since 1952 to reduce the risk of shark attack. The nets fish in fixed localities 400 m from shore and both directly affect local shark populations and act as fisheries-independent monitoring devices. Reliable catch information at the species level was available for the period 1978–2003. Trends in catch rate and size were used to assess the population status of 14 commonly caught shark species. In addition, a demographic modelling approach was used in conjunction with the catch information to assess the potential effect of the nets on populations. Catch rates of four species (Carcharhinus leucas, C. limbatus, Sphyrna lewini and S. mokarran) showed a significant decline, as did the mean or median length of three species (Carcharhinus amboinensis, C. limbatus and female Carcharodon carcharias). For three species that showed declining catch rates or length the potential effect of the shark nets was assessed to be low, suggesting that other sources of catch were responsible for the declining status. The potential effect of the shark nets was assessed to be high for two species (Carcharhinus obscurus and Carcharias taurus, neither of which showed declines in catch rate or length), because of very low intrinsic rates of population increase.

interpretation of vertebral growth marks as annuli in the sandbar shark carcharhinus plumbeus: analysis of vertebrae of captive specimens

2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (5) ◽  
pp. 1167-1170 ◽  
Author(s):  
borja torres ◽  
gabriel morey ◽  
javier tomás
Keyword(s):  
Adult Female ◽  
Shark Species ◽  
Sandbar Shark ◽  
Carcharhinus Plumbeus ◽  
Short Period ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Juvenile Individual ◽  
Similar Distance ◽  
Pattern Distribution ◽  
Vertebral Growth

four captive specimens of sandbar shark carcharhinus plumbeus from the l'oceanogràfic aquarium (valencia, spain) were studied: one adult female (192 cm total length [tl]) reared for five months, her two new born pups (a female, 61 cm tl and a male, 60 cm tl), and one juvenile female, born in captivity, dead at nine months of age (90 cm tl). comparative measurements of length and diameter of vertebrae from three different regions of the vertebral column showed that vertebrae above the pelvic fins (nos. 59–63) are the biggest in this species. consequently, these vertebrae are preferred for age estimation given that growth marks are easier to identify. the only present mark in the vertebrae of the two neonate specimens was at the edge and was interpreted as the birth mark. a mark at a similar distance was present in the vertebrae of the juvenile and adult females.adult female vertebrae analysis shows 23 marks without any variation in the banding pattern distribution during free-range growth and short period of captivity. the juvenile individual shows two clear growth marks developed after birth. the presence of these marks in a 9-month old individual suggests that the counting of all vertebral growth marks as annuli may result in the overestimation of age for this shark species.

Frequency of multiple paternity in an unexploited tropical population of sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus)

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toby S Daly-Engel ◽  
R Dean Grubbs ◽  
Brian W Bowen ◽  
Robert J Toonen
Keyword(s):  
Mating Systems ◽  
Multiple Paternity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Shark Species ◽  
Sandbar Shark ◽  
Carcharhinus Plumbeus ◽  
Polymorphic Microsatellite ◽  
Gravid Females ◽  
The Impact

Elasmobranch mating systems have received growing attention in the past few years because of worldwide overexploitation of shark populations. Few studies to date have examined mating systems in sharks because of difficulty in sampling. The sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus) is heavily harvested around the world and is the dominant species in the main commercial fishery for large coastal sharks in the United States. In contrast, Hawaii hosts one of the few unexploited populations of sandbar sharks and represents an opportunity to gather data on the reproductive biology of a vulnerable shark species without the confounding effects of fishing mortality. We examined the frequency of multiple paternity in Hawaiian sandbar sharks using 130 individuals (20 gravid females with three–eight pups each per litter) surveyed with six polymorphic microsatellite loci and determined that 8 of the 20 litters (40%) were multiple- sired. A Bayesian approach estimated the frequency of multiple mating in this population at 43.8%, with a 95% confidence interval of 23%–63%. We conclude that multiple paternity and genetic monogamy occur with roughly equal frequency in the Hawaiian sandbar shark population. This study may serve as groundwork for understanding the impact of commercial fishing pressure on elasmobranch mating systems.

World phylogeography and male-mediated gene flow in the sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 1994-2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID S. PORTNOY ◽  
JAN R. MCDOWELL ◽  
EDWARD J. HEIST ◽  
JOHN A. MUSICK ◽  
JOHN E. GRAVES
Keyword(s):  
Gene Flow ◽  
Sandbar Shark ◽  
Carcharhinus Plumbeus

Biology and Management of Dogfish Sharks

2009 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Juvenile Fish ◽  
Catch Rate ◽  
Spiny Dogfish ◽  
Commercial Fishery ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Strait Of Georgia ◽  
The Status ◽  
Mean Size ◽  
Catch Rates ◽  
Mature Fish

Abstract.—Spiny dogfish <em>Squalus acanthias </em>have been an important component of the Strait of Georgia fisheries from the late 1800s to the late 1940s, when the fishery collapsed owing to overfishing and changes in market demand. The stock population levels have sustained a commercial fishery of approximately 2,000 metric tons since 1978. Recent concerns regarding the status of dogfish stocks worldwide have reprioritized the status assessment of dogfish in British Columbia. Longline research surveys were conducted for dogfish in the Strait of Georgia in 1986, 1989, and 2005. Additional sources of information are catch and effort data collected through logbook records from the commercial longline fishery. Recent improvements in gear configuration resulted in a switch in the mid-1990s from traditional J hooks to circle hooks, which makes direct comparison of catch rates difficult. In November 2004 a calibration experiment using J hooks and circle hooks demonstrated that, overall, spiny dogfish catch per unit effort (CPUE) for circle-hook gear was 1.6–1.7 times higher than that for J-hook gear. After applying this conversion to the commercial longline CPUE data available for 1980–1984 and 2000–2004, no significant trend in catch rate over time was detected. The catch rate observed in the longline research survey actually increased in 2005 compared to 1986 and 1989. In both fisheries and research data, the proportion of smaller spiny dogfish in the size distribution has increased, reducing the overall mean size. The decline in mean size is probably due to an increase in recruitment of juvenile fish. However, caution in management of this stock is warranted given that the current commercial fishery is now landing a large proportion (estimated 80%) of immature fish. Increased fishing pressure on juveniles could have implications for the abundance of mature fish in upcoming decades.

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