Evidence for the first multi-species shark nursery area in Atlantic Africa (Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde)

Frontiers in Marine Science

Marine Science

Tiago A. Marques¹  Rui Freitas²  Miguel Baptista³  Joana Castro⁴  José Ricardo Paula⁵  Tiago Repolho⁵  Rui Rosa⁶  Catarina Frazão Santos⁷  Emanuel Nunes⁸  Jaquelino Varela⁹  Vasco Pissarra⁹  Catarina Pereira Santos^1,10 

[1] Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal;Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal;Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland;Instituto de Engenharia e Ciências do Mar, Universidade Técnica do Atlântico, Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde;MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET – Aquatic Research Network, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Cascais, Portugal;MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET – Aquatic Research Network, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Cascais, Portugal;AIMM – Associação para a Investigação do Meio Marinho, Lisboa, Portugal;MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET – Aquatic Research Network, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Cascais, Portugal;Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal;MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET – Aquatic Research Network, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Cascais, Portugal;Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal;Sphyrna Association, Boa Vista Island, Sal Rei, Cape Verde;MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET – Aquatic Research Network, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Cascais, Portugal;Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal;Sphyrna Association, Boa Vista Island, Sal Rei, Cape Verde;Environmental Economics Knowledge Center, Nova School of Business and Economics, New University of Lisbon, Carcavelos, Portugal;MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET – Aquatic Research Network, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Cascais, Portugal;Inspeção Geral das Pescas, Ministério do Mar, Sal Rei, Boa Vista, Cape Verde;MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET – Aquatic Research Network, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Cascais, Portugal;Sphyrna Association, Boa Vista Island, Sal Rei, Cape Verde;MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET – Aquatic Research Network, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Cascais, Portugal;Sphyrna Association, Boa Vista Island, Sal Rei, Cape Verde;Environmental Economics Knowledge Center, Nova School of Business and Economics, New University of Lisbon, Carcavelos, Portugal;

关键词: elasmobranchs;    juveniles;    parturition area;    marine conservation;    Western Africa;    sharks;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fmars.2023.1077748

 received in 2022-10-23, accepted in 2023-01-13,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

This study describes the first potential multi-species shark nursery area in Atlantic Africa (Sal Rei Bay – SRB, Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde). From August 2016 to September 2019, 6162 neonates and juveniles of 5 different shark species were observed in SRB using beach gillnet-based bycatch surveys, namely milk (Rhizoprionodon acutus; n= 4908), scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini; n= 1035), blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus; n=115), Atlantic weasel (Paragaleus pectoralis; n= 93) and nurse (Ginglymostoma cirratum; n= 12) sharks. Except for nurse sharks, significant seasonal variations in shark relative abundance were observed, with higher levels being recorded during summer and autumn. These findings, together with local knowledge (interviews to fishermen), denote the consistent use of SRB by juvenile sharks and its preference relative to other areas in the region. Ensuring the protection and conservation of SRB nursery area is especially relevant as, according to IUCN, all identified shark species are threatened with extinction over the near-future – in particular, scalloped hammerheads (critically endangered) and Atlantic weasel sharks (endangered). The effective protection of SRB will not only support the conservation of shark populations, but also of other charismatic fauna (e.g., loggerhead turtles) and broader benthic and pelagic ecosystems.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Rosa, Nunes, Pissarra, Santos, Varela, Baptista, Castro, Paula, Repolho, Marques, Freitas and Frazão Santos