New shark research begins at Cape Eleuthera

CAPE ELEUTHERA, Bahamas -- At the Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) the last survey for the baited video validation study was completed in early June and the results were quickly worked up to be presented at the annual American Elasmobranch meeting in Portland,
Oregon at the end of July.

Edd Brooks, the shark program manager, presented on the seasonal abundance, demographics and habitat use of the Caribbean reef sharks in the waters off Cape Eleuthera.

The second half of the summer saw the start of a new study aimed at quantifying the effects of longline capture on post-release survivorship and behavior of Caribbean reef sharks. The project began with the rearrangement of CEI’s array of 32 acoustic receivers and the deployment of 15 acoustic transmitters on Caribbean reef sharks.

This new type of transmitter transmits the depth of the shark as well as the average three-dimensional acceleration of the shark giving an overall measure of activity. Digital hook timers monitor the exact hooking duration of the candidate shark prior to the transmitter being deployed.

In addition to the attachment of the accelerometer a blood sample was taken from all sharks giving a snapshot of the physiological stress that an animal experiences across different hooking durations.

Thank you to the Save Our Seas Foundation for supporting us for another year, and also many thanks to the numerous Island School families who have also jumped onboard and supported this important work.

Shark Free Marinas - Official Website

For Immediate Release

Tuesday 19th May, 2009

Shark-Free Marina Initiative to reduce worldwide shark mortality

www.sharkfreemarinas.com

Shark- Free Marinas has a singular purpose, to reduce worldwide shark mortality. Today the not-for-profit company launches its strategy which intends to prevent the deaths of millions of vulnerable and endangered species of shark. The initiative aims to win over the fishing community by working with game fishing societies, tackle manufacturers, competition sponsors and marinas to form community conscious policy.

In the last five years over a half million sharks on average were harvested annually by the recreational and sport-fishing community in the United States alone. Many of these were breeding age animals and belong to vulnerable or endangered species. Research has shown that removal of adult sharks from the population is occurring at such an extreme rate that many species stand no chance of survival, severely damaging the delicate ecological balance of the oceans ecosystem.

“There’s a lot of talk about the atrocity of shark fining and fishing worldwide” says the SFMI’s Board Director, Marine Biologist Luke Tipple “but not a lot of measurable action towards reversing the damage. The time has come to stop simply ‘raising awareness’ and start implementing sensible management techniques to protect vulnerable species of sharks from inevitable destruction.”

The Shark-Free Marina Initiative works by prohibiting the landing of any caught shark at a participating marina. By promoting catch-and-release fishing the sport of shark fishing can actively participate in ongoing research studies and collect valuable data. The initiative is based on the Atlantic billfish model which banned the mortal take of billfish in response to population crashes in the 80’s.

“Although the number of sharks killed by recreational fishermen each year is dwarfed by commercial catches, the current crisis facing shark stocks requires action wherever possible.” says marine scientist and SFMI Advisor Edd Brooks “We are not asking fishermen to stop fishing, only asking them to start releasing their catch.”

Collaborating with the Cape Eleuthera Institute in the Bahamas and the Fisheries Conservation Foundation in the USA the SFMI has had an early impact with interest from marinas and non-profits nation-wide. Currently Shark-Free Marinas is able to subsidize the cost of signs and literature but hope that future investment will help make a nationwide impact.

“Shark-Free Marinas is a necessary response to the culture of mature shark harvest” says Tipple “Our effect will be immediate, measurable and, together with saving millions of sharks, will establish a new global standard for responsible ocean management.”

Visit the Shark-Free Marina website at www.sharkfreemarinas.com or contact the Director at staff@sharkfreemarinas.com

Cape Eleuthera Institute, Shark Free Marinas

Last year we launched an "open source" shark conservation measure called the Shark Free Marinas Initiative .

"Open source" is something you'll typically find with software development. It's a way of taking a concept and allowing a community to tweak and slightly change the concept to make it better. Thus far a few members of our community have done so and Kudos to those who have seen the potential and wanted to help.

"Open source" is an experiment in shark initiatives and one we're happy to say is slowly taking on shape and form in the Bahamas where another industry member has signed on and pushed this effort forward on the island of Eleuthera, with the Cape Eleuthera Institute.

Last week Edd Brooks featured the SFMI in the Save our Seas Blog retelling another story of senseless shark slaughter in the Bahamas for "trophy sharks":

"So a little while ago the son of one of our visiting scientists was wandering the docks of the local marina and spotted a large bull shark.Unfortunately the shark was dead, killed in the early hours of the morning by a group of guys who were having a party in which the side entertainment was killing this young female shark."

Kudos for joining the SFMI - the new website will go live next week featuring the Cape Eleuthera Institute.