ORCID Profile
0000-0002-0295-2238
Current Organisations
University of Tasmania
,
James Cook University
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Marine And Estuarine Ecology (Incl. Marine Ichthyology) | Evolution of Developmental Systems | Zoology | Ecosystem Studies And Stock Assessment | Animal Structure and Function | Evaluation Of Management Strategies | Vertebrate Biology | Fisheries Sciences
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Living resources (incl. impacts of fishing on non-target species) | Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences | Marine protected areas | Fisheries—commercial |
Related Links
Publications
Habitat use of a Critically Endangered elasmobranch, the largetooth sawfish Pristis pristis, in an intermittently flowing riverine nursery
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 05-09-2017
DOI: 10.3354/ESR00837
Temporal and spatial activity‐associated energy partitioning in free‐swimming sea snakes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-05-2017
The thin edge of the wedge: Extremely high extinction risk in wedgefishes and giant guitarfishes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-04-2020
DOI: 10.1002/AQC.3331
Abstract: The process of understanding the rapid global decline of sawfishes (Pristidae) has revealed great concern for their relatives, the wedgefishes (Rhinidae) and giant guitarfishes (Glaucostegidae), not least because all three families are targeted for their high‐value and internationally traded ‘white’ fins. The objective of this study was to assess the extinction risk of all 10 wedgefishes and six giant guitarfishes by applying the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Categories and Criteria, and to summarize the latest understanding of their biogeography and habitat, life history, exploitation, use and trade, and population status. Three of the 10 wedgefish species had not been assessed previously for the IUCN Red List. Wedgefishes and giant guitarfishes have overtaken sawfishes as the most imperilled marine fish families globally, with all but one of the 16 species facing an extremely high risk of extinction through a combination of traits: limited biological productivity presence in shallow waters overlapping with some of the most intense and increasing coastal fisheries in the world and overexploitation in target and by‐catch fisheries, driven by the need for animal protein and food security in coastal communities and the trade in meat and high‐value fins. Two species with very restricted ranges, the clown wedgefish ( Rhynchobatus cooki ) of the Malay Archipelago and the false shark ray ( Rhynchorhina mauritaniensis ) of Mauritania, may be very close to extinction. Only the eyebrow wedgefish ( Rhynchobatus palpebratus ) is not assessed as Critically Endangered, with it occurring primarily in Australia where fishing pressure is low and some management measures are in place. Australia represents a ‘lifeboat’ for the three wedgefish and one giant guitarfish species occurring there. To conserve populations and permit recovery, a suite of measures will be required that will need to include species protection, spatial management, by‐catch mitigation, and harvest and international trade management, all of which will be dependent on effective enforcement.
Bright spots of sustainable shark fishing
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.CUB.2016.12.017
Abstract: Sharks, rays and chimeras (class Chondrichthyes herein 'sharks') today face possibly the largest crisis of their 420 million year history. Tens of millions of sharks are caught and traded internationally each year, many populations are overfished to the point where global catch peaked in 2003, and a quarter of species have an elevated risk of extinction [1-3]. To some, the solution is to simply stop taking them from our oceans, or prohibit carriage, sale or trade in shark fins [4]. Approaches such as bans and alternative livelihoods for fishers (e.g. ecotourism) may play some role in controlling fishing mortality but will not solve this crisis because sharks are mostly taken as incidental catch and play an important role in food security [5-7]. Here, we show that moving to sustainable fishing is a feasible solution. In fact, approximately 9% of the current global catch of sharks, from at least 33 species with a wide range of life histories, is biologically sustainable, although not necessarily sufficiently managed.
Investigating links between thermal tolerance and oxygen supply capacity in shark neonates from a hyperoxic tropical environment
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2021
Mixed-marker approach suggests maternal philopatry and sex-biased behaviours of narrow sawfish Anoxypristis cuspidata
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 28-09-2018
DOI: 10.3354/ESR00912
An investigation into ciguatoxin bioaccumulation in sharks
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.TOXICON.2016.06.007
Abstract: Ciguatoxins (CTXs) produced by benthic Gambierdiscus dinoflagellates, readily biotransform and bioaccumulate in food chains ultimately bioconcentrating in high-order, carnivorous marine species. Certain shark species, often feeding at, or near the top of the food-chain have the ability to bioaccumulate a suite of toxins, from both anthropogenic and algal sources. As such, these apex predators are likely sinks for CTXs. This assumption, in conjunction with anecdotal knowledge of poisoning incidents, several non-specific feeding trials whereby various terrestrial animals were fed suspect fish flesh, and a single incident in Madagascar in 1994, have resulted in the widespread acceptance that sharks may accumulate CTXs. This prompted a study to investigate original claims within the literature, as well as investigate CTX bioaccumulation in the muscle and liver of 22 in idual sharks from nine species, across four locations along the east coast of Australia. Utilizing an updated ciguatoxin extraction method with HPLC-MS/MS, we were unable to detect P-CTX-1, P-CTX-2 or P-CTX-3, the three primary CTX congeners, in muscle or liver s les. We propose four theories to address this finding: (1) to date, methods have been optimized for teleost species and may not be appropriate for elasmobranchs, or the CTXs may be below the limit of detection (2) CTX may be biotransformed into elasmobranch-specific congeners as a result of unique metabolic properties (3) 22 in iduals may be an inadequate s le size given the rare occurrence of high-order ciguatoxic organisms and potential for CTX depuration and (4) the ephemeral nature and inconsistent toxin profiles of Gambierdiscus blooms may have undermined our classifications of certain areas as CTX hotspots. These results, in combination with the lack of clarity within the literature, suggest that ciguatoxin bioaccumulation in sharks remains elusive, and warrants further investigation to determine the dynamics of toxin production, accumulation and transformation throughout the entire food-web.
Strong trans-Pacific break and local conservation units in the Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) revealed by genome-wide cytonuclear markers
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-01-2018
A comparison between traditional kernel-based methods and network analysis: an example from two nearshore shark species
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2015
Troubled waters: Threats and extinction risk of the sharks, rays and chimaeras of the Arabian Sea and adjacent waters
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-08-2018
DOI: 10.1111/FAF.12311
Life history of the silvertip shark Carcharhinus albimarginatus from Papua New Guinea
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-01-2017
Age and growth of tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) from Western Australia
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2021
DOI: 10.1071/MF20291
Are we underestimating elasmobranch abundances on baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) using traditional metrics?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2018
Optimising the design of large-scale acoustic telemetry curtains
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1071/MF16126
Abstract: Broad-scale acoustic telemetry networks are being established worldwide. The 10-year anniversary of the Integrated Marine Observing System’s Animal Tracking Facility provided the opportunity to assess the efficiency of one of the first national-scale acoustic telemetry networks. Acoustic networks are comprised of acoustic receiver arrays that detect high-frequency transmitters attached to animals that pass within detection range. Herein we assessed the efficiency of eight curtains to detect passing animals by calculating the standardised mean number of detections and transmitters detected at each station. The aim was to determine how many receivers could be decommissioned from each curtain while maintaining its integrity (i.e. detection of all species passing the array). Pivotal locations were defined as the furthest station at which all species would still be detected and where at least 75% of the detections and transmitters would still be detected. By applying these criteria, we were able to improve the cost-effectiveness of our network significantly, reducing the number of stations from 132 to 85 (64% of the original network), yet still retaining 84% of total detections, 86% of transmitters and 100% of detected species. The present study provides a useful framework for refining acoustic telemetry networks.
Conservation successes and challenges for wide-ranging sharks and rays
Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Date: 23-01-2023
Abstract: Overfishing is the most significant threat facing sharks and rays. Given the growth in consumption of seafood, combined with the compounding effects of habitat loss, climate change, and pollution, there is a need to identify recovery paths, particularly in poorly managed and poorly monitored fisheries. Here, we document conservation through fisheries management success for 11 coastal sharks in US waters by comparing population trends through a Bayesian state-space model before and after the implementation of the 1993 Fisheries Management Plan for Sharks. We took advantage of the spatial and temporal gradients in fishing exposure and fisheries management in the Western Atlantic to analyze the effect on the Red List status of all 26 wide-ranging coastal sharks and rays. We show that extinction risk was greater where fishing pressure was higher, but this was offset by the strength of management engagement (indicated by strength of National and Regional Plan of Action for sharks and rays). The regional Red List Index (which tracks changes in extinction risk through time) declined in all regions until the 1980s but then improved in the North and Central Atlantic such that the average extinction risk is currently half that in the Southwest. Many sharks and rays are wide ranging, and successful fisheries management in one country can be undone by poorly regulated or unregulated fishing elsewhere. Our study underscores that well-enforced, science-based management of carefully monitored fisheries can achieve conservation success, even for slow-growing species.
Stochastic demographic analyses of the silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus) and the common blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) from the Indo-Pacific
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2017
Where technology meets ecology: Acoustic telemetry in contemporary Australian aquatic research and management
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/MF17054
Abstract: Acoustic telemetry is used to investigate a erse suite of questions regarding the biology and ecology of a range of aquatic species, and is an important tool for fisheries and conversation management. Herein we present a brief review of the Australian acoustic telemetry literature in the context of key areas of progress, drawing from several recent studies and identifying areas for future progress. Acoustic telemetry has been increasingly used in Australia over the past decade. This has included substantial investment in a national acoustic array and the associated development of a national acoustic telemetry database that enables tag deployment and detection data to be shared among researchers (the Integrated Marine Observing System Animal Tracking Facility). Acoustic telemetry has contributed to important areas of management, including public safety, design and management of marine protected areas, the use of closures in fisheries management, informing environmental flow regimes and the impacts of fisheries enhancements, and is most powerful when used as a complementary tool. However, in idual variability in movement often confounds our ability to draw general conclusions when attempting to characterise broad-scale patterns, and more work is required to address this issue. This overview provides insight into the important role that acoustic telemetry plays in the research and management of Australian aquatic ecosystems. Application of the technology transcends aquatic environments and bureaucracies, and the patterns revealed are relevant to many of the contemporary challenges facing decision makers with oversight of aquatic populations or ecosystems.
Reef-scale variability in fish and coral assemblages on the central Great Barrier Reef
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 17-08-2018
Age, growth and maturity of oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) from Papua New Guinea
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/MF16165
Abstract: Oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus) in the Western Central Pacific have been overfished and require improved assessment and management to enable planning of recovery actions. S les from 103 in iduals (70 males and 33 females 76.0–240- and 128–235-cm total length (TL) respectively) were used to estimate age, growth and maturity parameters from sharks retained by longline fisheries in Papua New Guinea. Back-calculation was used because of the low number of juveniles and a multimodel framework with Akaike’s information criterion corrected for small s le size (AICc) estimated growth parameters. The von Bertalanffy growth model provided the best fitting growth model for both sexes. Parameter estimates for males were: asymptotic length (L∞)=315.6cm TL growth coefficient (k)=0.059 year–1 and length at birth (L0)=75.1cm TL. For females, the parameter estimates were: L∞=316.7cm TL k=0.057 year–1 and L0=74.7cm TL. Maximum age was estimated to be 18 years for males and 17 years for females, with a calculated longevity of 24.6 and 24.9 years respectively. Males matured at 10.0 years and 193cm TL, whereas females matured at 15.8 years and 224cm TL. C. longimanus is a slow-growing, late-maturity species, with regional variation in life history parameters, highlighting increased vulnerability to fishing pressure in this region.
Measuring niche overlap between co-occurring Plectropomus spp. using acoustic telemetry and stable isotopes
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/MF16120
Abstract: Investigating niche overlap in exploited fish species can reveal behavioural information necessary to improve conservation and fisheries management at a species level. The present study examined spatial and dietary overlap between two co-occurring reef fish, namely Plectropomus leopardus and P. maculatus, at an inshore reef in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park using acoustic telemetry and stable isotopes. Movements of tagged fish within an acoustic array of 19 receivers deployed along a narrow reef portion of Orpheus Island were monitored for up to 3 years. Although space use was similar between species, spatial overlap was rare and P. maculatus (n=30) was consistently deeper than P. leopardus (n=32). Dietary overlap between species was high based on overlapping δ15N and δ13C isotopic niches in muscle tissue (n=20). The complementary stable isotope and acoustic telemetry data revealed these species had similar isotopic niches but distinct space use patterns, which may be a product of competition for resources. These findings show species-specific behaviours within a genus commonly managed or reported as a single entity, and provide new information on partitioning of resources by Plectropomus spp. in inshore reef environments.
Population productivity of shovelnose rays: Inferring the potential for recovery
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 21-11-2019
Widespread diversity deficits of coral reef sharks and rays
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Date: 16-06-2023
Abstract: A global survey of coral reefs reveals that overfishing is driving resident shark species toward extinction, causing ersity deficits in reef elasmobranch (shark and ray) assemblages. Our species-level analysis revealed global declines of 60 to 73% for five common resident reef shark species and that in idual shark species were not detected at 34 to 47% of surveyed reefs. As reefs become more shark-depleted, rays begin to dominate assemblages. Shark-dominated assemblages persist in wealthy nations with strong governance and in highly protected areas, whereas poverty, weak governance, and a lack of shark management are associated with depauperate assemblages mainly composed of rays. Without action to address these ersity deficits, loss of ecological function and ecosystem services will increasingly affect human communities.
Improved detection sensitivity using an optimal eDNA preservation and extraction workflow and its application to threatened sawfishes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-04-2021
DOI: 10.1002/AQC.3591
Abstract: Pressures on coastal ecosystems are increasing and aquatic species that are restricted to these habitats are facing the threat of extinction. However, the true extent of many threatened and rare aquatic species, especially elasmobranchs, remains unclear due to high levels of data deficiency and poor efficacy of traditional survey methods. Sawfishes (Pristidae), a family of shark‐like rays, are among the most threatened and rare elasmobranch species and are difficult to detect in turbid, coastal habitats. Reliable cost‐effective tools to detect these species are urgently needed to increase their conservation potential. Characterization of environmental DNA (eDNA) extracted from water s les has garnered significant appeal for detection of rare and threatened species. To assist conservation and monitoring efforts for sawfishes using eDNA, species‐specific TaqMan quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays were developed and validated to detect 1.25–5 copies of a 12S rRNA gene fragment. Filter s les were collected in Northern Territory, Australia to assess the utility of the developed eDNA assays and compare the efficacy of preservation and extraction workflows for detecting rare species. Dwarf sawfish ( Pristis clavata ) were detected in three of 20 sites, and there was a significant effect of preservation and extraction workflow on total eDNA yield and subsequent detection success. Longmire's preserved s les extracted using glycogen‐aided precipitation yielded a significantly higher concentration of total eDNA ( n = 60 β = 1.27, t (95) = 8.172, P 0.0001) and yielded positive P. clavata eDNA detections compared to ethanol preserved s les extracted using QIAGEN DNeasy kit, which did not yield any positive detections. The optimized eDNA assays were developed to support monitoring efforts for endangered sawfishes. Importantly, this study demonstrates that choice of preservation and extraction workflow requires careful consideration, especially when detection of rare or threatened species can have important management and conservation outcomes.
Trophodynamics as a tool for understanding coral reef ecosystems
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 06-02-2018
Estimating marine protected area network benefits for reef sharks
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-07-2020
Sharks, rays and marine protected areas: A critical evaluation of current perspectives
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-11-2018
DOI: 10.1111/FAF.12337
How does marker choice affect your diet analysis: Comparing genetic markers and digestion levels for diet metabarcoding of tropical-reef piscivores
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/MF17209
Abstract: Tropical reefs are highly erse ecosystems, and reliable biomonitoring, through diet metabarcoding, is needed to understand present and future trophic relationships in this changing habitat. Several studies have assessed the reliability and effectiveness of single molecular markers however, a cross-marker validation has rarely been performed. This study identified crucial properties for 12S rDNA, 16S rDNA and COI metabarcoding in tropical-reef piscivores (Plectropomus spp.). In addition, three new versatile primer sets for 16S were designed in silico for metabarcoding of reef fish. Results showed that COI was overall better at recovering true ersity because of a well-supported database. Second, optimal 16S licon sizes ranged between 160 and 440 base pairs for full ersity recovery, with increased species detection for the 270-base pairs region. Finally, blocking of predator-specific COI sequences was not equally effective in all host species, potentially introducing bias when diet compositions are directly compared. In conclusion, this novel study showed that marker success for prey identification is highly dependent on the reference database, taxonomic scope, DNA quality, licon length and sequencing platform. Results suggest that COI, complemented with 16S, yields the best outcome for diet metabarcoding in reef piscivores. Findings in this paper are relevant to other piscivores and other metabarcoding applications.
Untangling the Indonesian tangle net fishery: Describing a data‐poor fishery targeting large, threatened rays (Superorder Batoidea)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-12-2022
DOI: 10.1002/AQC.3754
Abstract: Shark‐like rays (Order Rhinopristiformes) are among the most threatened families of marine fish, yet little is known about their populations. These rays are normally taken as opportunistic catch in fisheries targeting other species and are thus poorly reported. One exception is the Indonesian tangle net fishery, which targets shark‐like rays. Market surveys of Muara Angke landing site in Jakarta, north‐western Java were conducted between 2001 and 2005, and the landed catch from the tangle net fishery was recorded (the Muara Angke landing site includes landings from more than one fishery). In total, 1,559 elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) were recorded, comprising 24 species of rays and nine species of sharks. The most abundant species landed were the pink whipray Pateobatis fai and the bottlenose wedgefish Rhynchobatus australiae , the latter being the main target species. Catch composition varied based on differences in species catchability and may also be indicative of localized declines. The fishery was highly selective for larger sized in iduals, while smaller size classes of many ray species, including the target species, were also caught in other Indonesian fisheries, resulting in fishing pressure across all age classes. The decline of tangle net vessels in the fishery and the potential shift in catch composition in the Indonesian tangle net fishery increase concerns about the status of shark‐like rays and stingrays in Indonesia.
Crossing lines: A multidisciplinary framework for assessing connectivity of hammerhead sharks across jurisdictional boundaries
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-04-2017
DOI: 10.1038/SREP46061
Abstract: Conservation and management of migratory species can be complex and challenging. International agreements such as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) provide policy frameworks, but assessments and management can be h ered by lack of data and tractable mechanisms to integrate disparate datasets. An assessment of scalloped ( Sphyrna lewini ) and great ( Sphyrna mokarran ) hammerhead population structure and connectivity across northern Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) was conducted to inform management responses to CMS and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species listings of these species. An Integrated Assessment Framework (IAF) was devised to systematically incorporate data across jurisdictions and create a regional synopsis, and amalgamated a suite of data from the Australasian region. Scalloped hammerhead populations are segregated by sex and size, with Australian populations dominated by juveniles and small adult males, while Indonesian and PNG populations included large adult females. The IAF process introduced genetic and tagging data to produce conceptual models of stock structure and movement. Several hypotheses were produced to explain stock structure and movement patterns, but more data are needed to identify the most likely hypothesis. This study demonstrates a process for assessing migratory species connectivity and highlights priority areas for hammerhead management and research.
Thermal tolerance and hypoxia tolerance are associated in blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) neonates
Publisher: The Company of Biologists
Date: 15-07-2020
DOI: 10.1242/JEB.221937
Abstract: Thermal dependence of growth and metabolism can influence thermal preference and tolerance in marine ectotherms, including threatened and data-deficient species. Here, we quantified the thermal dependence of physiological performance in neonates of a tropical shark species (blacktip reef shark, Carcharhinus melanopterus) from shallow, nearshore habitats. We measured minimum and maximum oxygen uptake rates (ṀO2), calculated aerobic scope, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption and recovery from exercise, and measured critical thermal maxima (CTmax), thermal safety margins, hypoxia tolerance, specific growth rates, body condition and food conversion efficiencies at two ecologically relevant acclimation temperatures (28 and 31°C). Owing to high post-exercise mortality, a third acclimation temperature (33°C) was not investigated further. Acclimation temperature did not affect ṀO2 or growth, but CTmax and hypoxia tolerance were greatest at 31°C and positively associated. We also quantified in vitro temperature (25, 30 and 35°C) and pH effects on haemoglobin–oxygen (Hb–O2) affinity of wild-caught, non-acclimated sharks. As expected, Hb–O2 affinity decreased with increasing temperatures, but pH effects observed at 30°C were absent at 25 and 35°C. Finally, we logged body temperatures of free-ranging sharks and determined that C. melanopterus neonates avoided 31°C in situ. We conclude that C. melanopterus neonates demonstrate minimal thermal dependence of whole-organism physiological performance across a seasonal temperature range and may use behaviour to avoid unfavourable environmental temperatures. The association between thermal tolerance and hypoxia tolerance suggests a common mechanism warranting further investigation. Future research should explore the consequences of ocean warming, especially in nearshore, tropical species.
Life history characteristics of the silky shark Carcharhinus falciformis from the central west Pacific
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/MF17163
Abstract: In the central west Pacific region, silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis) are commonly taken in fisheries, forming up to 95% of incidental elasmobranch bycatch. The present study examined the life history of silky sharks (n=553) from Papua New Guinean waters. Age was analysed using sectioned vertebrae, and a multimodel approach was applied to the length-at-age data to fit growth models. Females ranged in length from 65.0- to 253.0-cm total length (TL), with the oldest estimated at 28 years. Males ranged in length from 68.4 to 271.3cm TL and were aged to a maximum of 23 years. The logistic model provided the best fitting growth parameter estimates of length at birth L0=82.7cm TL, growth coefficient g=0.14year–1 and asymptotic length L∞=261.3cm TL for the sexes combined. Females reached sexual maturity at 204cm TL and 14.0 years, whereas males reached maturity at 183cm TL and 11.6 years. The average litter size from 28 pregnant females was 8 (range of 3–13). The growth parameters and late ages of sexual maturation for silky sharks in the central west Pacific suggest a significant risk from fisheries exploitation without careful population management.
Australia’s continental-scale acoustic tracking database and its automated quality control process
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-01-2018
Abstract: Our ability to predict species responses to environmental changes relies on accurate records of animal movement patterns. Continental-scale acoustic telemetry networks are increasingly being established worldwide, producing large volumes of information-rich geospatial data. During the last decade, the Integrated Marine Observing System’s Animal Tracking Facility (IMOS ATF) established a permanent array of acoustic receivers around Australia. Simultaneously, IMOS developed a centralised national database to foster collaborative research across the user community and quantify in idual behaviour across a broad range of taxa. Here we present the database and quality control procedures developed to collate 49.6 million valid detections from 1891 receiving stations. This dataset consists of detections for 3,777 tags deployed on 117 marine species, with distances travelled ranging from a few to thousands of kilometres. Connectivity between regions was only made possible by the joint contribution of IMOS infrastructure and researcher-funded receivers. This dataset constitutes a valuable resource facilitating meta-analysis of animal movement, distributions, and habitat use, and is important for relating species distribution shifts with environmental covariates.
Factors affecting elasmobranch escape from turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in a tropical penaeid-trawl fishery
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2020
Assigning shark fin origin using species distribution models needs a reality check
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 07-2021
M-Risk: a framework for assessing global fisheries management efficacy of sharks, rays and chimaeras
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-07-2022
DOI: 10.1111/FAF.12695
Abstract: Fisheries management is essential to guarantee sustainable capture of target species and avoid undesirable declines of incidentally captured species. A key challenge is halting and reversing declines of shark and ray species, and specifically assessing the degree to which management is sufficient to avoid declines in relatively data‐poor fisheries. While ecological risk analyses focus on intrinsic ‘productivity’ and extrinsic ‘susceptibility’, one would ideally consider the influence of ‘fisheries management’. Currently, there is no single management evaluation that can be applied to a combination of fishery types at the scale of in idual country or Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs). Here, we outline a management‐risk (M‐Risk) framework for sharks, rays and chimaeras used to evaluate species' risk of overfishing resulting from ineffective management. We illustrate our approach with application to one country (Ecuador) and RFMO (Inter‐American Tropical Tuna Commission) and illustrate the variation in scores among species. We found that while both management units assessed had similar overall scores, the scores for in idual attributes varied. Ecuador scored higher in reporting‐related attributes, while the IATTC scored higher in attributes related to data collection and use. We evaluated whether the management of in idual species was sufficient for their relative sensitivity by combining the management‐risk score for each species with their intrinsic sensitivity to determine a final M‐Risk score. This framework can be applied to determine which species face the greatest risk of overfishing and be used by fisheries managers to identify effective management policies by replicating regulations from countries with lower risk scores.
Latitudinal and seasonal variation in space use by a large, predatory reef fish, Plectropomus leopardus
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-01-2019
Application of the Acoustic Propagation Model to a deep‐water cross‐shelf curtain
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-06-2017
Refining mortality estimates in shark demographic analyses: a Bayesian inverse matrix approach
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-04-2018
DOI: 10.1002/EAP.1687
Abstract: Leslie matrix models are an important analysis tool in conservation biology that are applied to a ersity of taxa. The standard approach estimates the finite rate of population growth (λ) from a set of vital rates. In some instances, an estimate of λ is available, but the vital rates are poorly understood and can be solved for using an inverse matrix approach. However, these approaches are rarely attempted due to prerequisites of information on the structure of age or stage classes. This study addressed this issue by using a combination of Monte Carlo simulations and the s le-importance-res ling (SIR) algorithm to solve the inverse matrix problem without data on population structure. This approach was applied to the grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) from the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in Australia to determine the demography of this population. Additionally, these outputs were applied to another heavily fished population from Papua New Guinea (PNG) that requires estimates of λ for fisheries management. The SIR analysis determined that natural mortality (M) and total mortality (Z) based on indirect methods have previously been overestimated for C. amblyrhynchos, leading to an underestimated λ. Updated distributions of Z and λ were produced for the GBR population and corrected obvious error in the demographic parameters for the PNG population. This approach provides opportunity for the inverse matrix approach to be applied more broadly to situations where information on population structure is lacking.
Estimating oxygen uptake rates to understand stress in sharks and rays
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-04-2019
Post-release survival of two elasmobranchs, the eastern shovelnose ray (Aptychotrema rostrata) and the common stingaree (Trygonoptera testacea), discarded from a prawn trawl fishery in southern Queensland, Australia
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/MF17161
Abstract: Post-trawl survival (PTS) is an important metric used in determining the ecological risk posed by prawn (shrimp) trawling on discarded elasmobranchs. Despite this, PTS of elasmobranchs is poorly understood. The present study quantified the PTS of two small batoids caught incidentally by prawn trawlers in southern Queensland, Australia, namely the common stingaree (Trygonoptera testacea) and the eastern shovelnose ray (Aptychotrema rostrata). Field studies using on-board tanks revealed that A. rostrata were more resilient to trawl capture and release than T. testacea. For both species, survival was found to increase with size, whereas increasing time on deck resulted in lower survival. Female T. testacea were found to be more resilient than males, and increased tow duration resulted in lower survival for A. rostrata. The mean (±s.e.m.) PTS for female and male T. testacea was 33.5±6.0 and 17.3±5.5% respectively, compared with a mean PTS for A. rostrata of 86.8±3.2%. The survival estimates derived in the present study provide an insight into the effects of trawling on these species and will improve their ecological risk assessment and management.
Untangling the Indonesian tangle net fishery: describing a data-poor fishery targeting large threatened rays (Order Batoidea)
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 18-04-2019
DOI: 10.1101/608935
Abstract: Shark-like rays (Order Rhinopristiformes) are among the most threatened families of marine fish. Yet little is known about their populations, as these rays are normally taken as opportunistic catch in fisheries targeting other species and are thus poorly reported. One exception is the Indonesian tangle net fishery, which targets shark-like rays. Market surveys of Muara Angke landing site in Jakarta, north-western Java (including one frozen shipment from Benoa Harbour, Bali), were conducted between 2001 and 2005, and recorded landed catch for this fishery. Recent catch data from Indonesian Capture Fisheries (2017 – 2018) were also examined to provide contemporary information about landed catch. 1,559 elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) were recorded, comprised of 24 species of rays and nine species of sharks. The most abundant species landed were the pink whipray Pateobatis fai and the bottlenose wedgefish Rhynchobatus australiae , the latter being the main target species. Catch composition varied based on differences in species catchability and may also be indicative of localized declines. The fishery was highly selective for larger sized in iduals, however smaller size classes of target species were also caught in other Indonesian fisheries resulting in fishing pressure across all age classes. Evidence of substantial declines in global landings of wedgefish species, and the observed shift in catch composition in the Indonesian tangle net fishery, increases concerns about the status of shark-like rays and stingrays in Indonesia.
Can multi‐species shark longline fisheries be managed sustainably using size limits? Theoretically, yes. Realistically, no
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-07-2020
Telemetry reveals spatial separation of co-occurring reef sharks
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 23-02-2018
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS12423
Batoid nurseries: Definition, use and importance
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 14-05-2018
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS12545
Drivers of reef shark abundance and biomass in the Solomon Islands
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 30-07-2018
Biological and environmental effects on activity space of a common reef shark on an inshore reef
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 17-05-2017
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS12107
Genome-wide SNPs reveal low effective population size within confined management units of the highly vagile Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-04-2017
Population productivity of wedgefishes, guitarfishes, and banjo rays: inferring the potential for recovery
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 21-03-2019
DOI: 10.1101/584557
Abstract: Recent evidence of widespread and rapid declines of wedgefishes, guitarfishes, and banjo ray populations (Order Rhinopristiformes), driven by a high demand for their fins in Asian markets and the quality of their flesh, raises concern about their risk of over-exploitation and extinction. Using life history theory and incorporating uncertainty into a modified Euler-Lotka model, maximum intrinsic rates of population increase ( r max ) were estimated for nine species from the four families of rhinopristiforms. Estimates of median r max varied from −0.04 to 0.60 year −1 among the nine species, but generally increased with increasing maximum size. In comparison to 115 other species of chondrichthyans for which r max values were available, the families Rhinidae and Glaucostegidae are relatively productive, while most species from Rhinobatidae and Trygonorrhinidae had relatively low r max values. If the demand for their high value products can be addressed, then population recovery for this species is likely possible but will vary depending on the species.
Challenges and Priorities in Shark and Ray Conservation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.CUB.2017.04.038
Abstract: Sharks, rays, and chimaeras (Class Chondrichthyes herein 'sharks') are the earliest extant jawed vertebrates and exhibit some of the greatest functional ersity of all vertebrates. Ecologically, they influence energy transfer vertically through trophic levels and sometimes trophic cascades via direct consumption and predation risk. Through movements and migrations, they connect horizontally and temporally across habitats and ecosystems, integrating energy flows at large spatial scales and across time. This connectivity flows from ontogenetic growth in size and spatial movements, which in turn underpins their relatively low reproductive rates compared with other exploited ocean fishes. Sharks are also ecologically and demographically erse and are taken in a wide variety of fisheries for multiple products (e.g. meat, fins, teeth, and gills). Consequently, a range of fisheries management measures are generally preferable to 'silver bullet' and 'one size fits all' conservation actions. Some species with extremely low annual reproductive output can easily become endangered and hence require strict protections to minimize mortality. Other, more prolific species can withstand fishing over the long term if catches are subject to effective catch limits throughout the species' range. We identify, based on the IUCN Red List status, 64 endangered species in particular need of new or stricter protections and 514 species in need of improvements to fisheries management. We designate priority countries for such actions, recognizing the widely differing fishing pressures and conservation capacity. We hope that this analysis assists efforts to ensure this group of ecologically important and evolutionarily distinct animals can support both ocean ecosystems and human activities in the future.
Trophic niche and spatio-temporal changes in the feeding ecology of two sympatric species of coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus and P. laevis)
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 20-01-2017
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS11971
Assessment of a data-limited, multi-species shark fishery in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and south-east Queensland
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2016
Atlantic cod individual spatial behaviour and stable isotope associations in a no‐take marine reserve
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-10-2023
A review on the morphology of ovarian follicles in elasmobranchs: A case study in Rhizoprionodon taylori
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-02-2017
DOI: 10.1002/JMOR.20644
Abstract: The identification of the elasmobranch secondary ovarian follicles and their function can be challenging and the inconsistent use of terminology derived from other taxa is a matter of ongoing debate. In this study, the available information on the histology of the elasmobranch secondary ovarian follicles derived from atresia (preovulatory follicles) or ovulation (postovulatory follicles) is reviewed highlighting their morphology and steroidogenic capacity. Based on this literature review, the ovarian follicles of the Australian sharpnose shark Rhizoprionodon taylori were classified according to their preovulatory or postovulatory origin. Two types of secondary follicles originating from atresia of developing follicles (atretic previtellogenic follicles) and ripe follicles (atretic vitellogenic follicles), and one type of postovulatory follicle were identified throughout the reproductive year of this species. Morphological similarities of the elasmobranch secondary ovarian follicles and their variations in different species denote the difficulty to classify them. Given the multiple origins of ovarian follicles, their poorly understood functions and capacity to supply steroids, visual identification of these structures and the use of terminology derived from mammalian and other vertebrate studies (with the exception of the corpora lutea as a temporary endocrine gland) is not advisable. J. Morphol. 278:486-499, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Continental-scale animal tracking reveals functional movement classes across marine taxa
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-02-2018
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-018-21988-5
Abstract: Acoustic telemetry is a principle tool for observing aquatic animals, but coverage over large spatial scales remains a challenge. To resolve this, Australia has implemented the Integrated Marine Observing System’s Animal Tracking Facility which comprises a continental-scale hydrophone array and coordinated data repository. This national acoustic network connects localized projects, enabling simultaneous monitoring of multiple species over scales ranging from 100 s of meters to 1000 s of kilometers. There is a need to evaluate the utility of this national network in monitoring animal movement ecology, and to identify the spatial scales that the network effectively operates over. Cluster analyses assessed movements and residency of 2181 in iduals from 92 species, and identified four functional movement classes apparent only through aggregating data across the entire national network. These functional movement classes described movement metrics of in iduals rather than species, and highlighted the plasticity of movement patterns across and within populations and species. Network analyses assessed the utility and redundancy of each component of the national network, revealing multiple spatial scales of connectivity influenced by the geographic positioning of acoustic receivers. We demonstrate the significance of this nationally coordinated network of receivers to better reveal intra-specific differences in movement profiles and discuss implications for effective management.
Moray eels are more common on coral reefs subject to higher human pressure in the greater Caribbean
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2021
Integrating complementary methods to improve diet analysis in fishery‐targeted species
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-08-2018
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.4456
Beware silent waning of shark protection
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Date: 18-05-2018
Sympathy for the devil: a conservation strategy for devil and manta rays
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 14-03-2017
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.3027
Abstract: International trade for luxury products, medicines, and tonics poses a threat to both terrestrial and marine wildlife. The demand for and consumption of gill plates (known as Peng Yu Sai , “Fish Gill of Mobulid Ray”) from devil and manta rays (subfamily Mobulinae, collectively referred to as mobulids) poses a significant threat to these marine fishes because of their extremely low productivity. The demand for these gill plates has driven an international trade supplied by largely unmonitored and unregulated catches from target and incidental fisheries around the world. Scientific research, conservation c aigns, and legal protections for devil rays have lagged behind those for manta rays despite similar threats across all mobulids. To investigate the difference in attention given to devil rays and manta rays, we examined trends in the scientific literature and updated species distribution maps for all mobulids. Using available information on target and incidental fisheries, and gathering information on fishing and trade regulations (at international, national, and territorial levels), we examined how threats and protective measures overlap with species distribution. We then used a species conservation planning approach to develop the Global Devil and Manta Ray Conservation Strategy, specifying a vision, goals, objectives, and actions to advance the knowledge and protection of both devil and manta rays. Our literature review revealed that there had been nearly 2.5-times more “manta”-titled publications, than “mobula” or “devil ray”-titled publications over the past 4.5 years (January 2012–June 2016). The majority of these recent publications were reports on occurrence of mobulid species. These publications contributed to updated Area of Occupancy and Extent of Occurrence maps which showed expanded distributions for most mobulid species and overlap between the two genera. While several international protections have recently expanded to include all mobulids, there remains a greater number of national, state, and territory-level protections for manta rays compared to devil rays. We hypothesize that there are fewer scientific publications and regulatory protections for devil rays due primarily to perceptions of charisma that favour manta rays. We suggest that the well-established species conservation framework used here offers an objective solution to close this gap. To advance the goals of the conservation strategy we highlight opportunities for parity in protection and suggest solutions to help reduce target and bycatch fisheries.
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