Conservation Status of Shark Landed in Local Fish Market in Pangandaran Regency, Indonesia

Pangandaran has a great fishery potential. Therefore, fishing communities make fisheries a source of economy, especially in the fishing sector, namely by buying and selling the catch. Fish buying and selling activities are increasing in line with the fish consumption needs of the community. This has an effect on increasing fishing activity, causing a decrease in fish production. The study was conducted to find out information on the IUCN group of fish that are still sold in the fish market. The research was conducted by direct observation in the field at the Pangandaran fish market and its surroundings. Observations show that the Pangandaran fish market still sells fish that are listed in the IUCN. There are sharks and ray fish sold at the Pangandaran fish market. The species found were 3 species spread over five observation locations with details of one species listed IUCN-Least concern, and one species registered IUCN-Vulnerable for hammerhead shark and IUCN- Near Threatened for blacktip shark. The sharks identified as Appendix II species while the freshwater stingray belongs to Appendix III of CITES. Because endangered fish are still sold routinely, conservation is needed to preserve the biota. Fisheries management in the catching process also needs to be done so that endangered fish caught can be minimized.

Diet of the Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico

The stomach contents of 90 Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) specimens caught in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) were examined. Stomach contents were identified to the lowest possible taxon, and quantified using percent weight, percent number, percent frequency of occurrence, and percent index of relative importance (IRI). Teleosts were the dominant prey group (98.95% IRI), although most were unidentified (61.70% IRI). Of identified teleost species, Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) (28.43% IRI), and Gulf Menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) (2.31% IRI) were the most important. Crustaceans (0.65% IRI), mollusks (0.46% IRI), and elasmobranchs (0.03% IRI) formed a minor component of the diet. Suspected shrimp fishery discards were found in 11% of stomachs, highlighting the potential importance of this food source for the Blacktip Shark. Diet composition did not differ between male and female sharks, but did between juveniles and adults. Juvenile shark diets had greater proportions of unidentified teleost, Clupeidae and Penaeidae, while adult diets had greater proportions of Sciaenidae, Ariidae and cephalopods. Our results were similar, although not identical to, other studies of Blacktip Shark diets in the northwestern GOM. Of note is finding of the mantis shrimp Squilla empusa, a species previously unreported in Blacktip Shark stomach contents. This new finding, the high importance of unidentified teleosts, and the lack of asymptote in the prey accumulation curve emphasize the need for further study of the Blacktip Shark diet in the northwestern GOM.