Caroline (from over at CCU Shark Analysis Staff) stopped by the Fish Thinkers weblog to present us a run down on the place her analysis is headed and a sneak peak into the world of grad pupil shark analysis in the USA.
Hey, Caroline right here from the CCU Shark Analysis Staff! I’m a present graduate pupil at Coastal Carolina College (CCU) the place I research the native coastal shark species. Earlier than I get into the shark stuff here’s a tiny bit about our location- CCU is situated in Conway, South Carolina, which is an hour away ftom Winyah Bay, the 4th largest estuary on the US east coast when categorised by discharge charge. Winyah Bay is a blended estuary with river programs feeding into the bay and ocean tides flowing and ebbing into the bay. Relying on the tide and site throughout the bay, the water can vary from recent water to ocean water.
Okay phew! Now what all of us wish to hear about- sharks!!!
Working with Professor Dan Abel, the primary particular person to explain the shark populations in Winyah Bay, I hope to higher describe the demographics of the present shark inhabitants in Winyah bay. I plan to check present shark populations within the bay to earlier surveys, in addition to revealed literature. With the usage of longline surveys and acoustic telemetry, I additionally plan to higher describe the popular habitats of every species within the bay, the shark actions inside Winyah Bay, and the precise abiotic elements influencing shark distributions. My high precedence when working with these animals is to tag and launch the animal within the quickest, least disturbing means for the animal, despite the fact that generally it’s disturbing for me! By way of my analysis I don’t wish to influence the animals I’m learning in any means, however merely carry out “alien abductions” as I prefer to say, after which allow them to go about their common life! Every of our sharks we catch will get outfitted with a tag from the NOAA Shark Tagging Program, is measured, sexed, IDed, and the hook is at all times eliminated earlier than the animal is launched wholesome and energetic. We additionally take DNA and isotope samples, which we protect for lab evaluation.
In 2007 Professor Dan Abel revealed a scientific article describing the shark populations within the bay and the needs for which they make the most of the bay. Dr. Abel confirmed that the bay represents habitat and feeding grounds for 12 coastal species. The species current differ through the seasons as a result of water temperature. Sharks inhabiting the bay are migratory, with Spiny Dogfish, and Clean Dogfish, discovered through the colder months, and Sandbar, Blacktip, Spinner, Finetooth, Bull, Lemon, Scalloped Hammerhead, and Bonnethead sharks, discovered within the hotter spring and summer time months. Atlantic Sharpnose sharks are the one species which are discovered 12 months spherical. Abel additionally demonstrated that the bay might act as a main and secondary nursery grounds for a number of coastal species together with: Sandbar, Atlantic Sharpnose, and Finetooth sharks. The sharks we catch within the bay signify all sizes and age ranges, from younger of 12 months (lower than a 12 months previous) to mature adults, and all the things in between. A number of the smallest sharks we’ve got caught are the younger of 12 months Atlantic Sharpnose with a complete size of 40 cm! (Which is fairly small once we examine it to the 250 cm bulls and lemons we’ve got caught).
The Purple Drun (Sciaenops Ocellatus)
Not solely does Winyah Bay present a helpful habitat to those shark species, nevertheless it additionally supplies a house for a mess of different aquatic and terrestrial species. Atlantic stingrays, Southern stingrays, Sturgeon, Purple drums, Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins, Bald eagles, Loggerhead Turtles, Star drum, Blue crabs, Flounder, Oyster toadfish, and a plethora of various jellyfish species and marsh birds all inhabit the bay. And that’s only a few! Whereas we’re on the water, we frequently see leaping sturgeon, pods of dolphins swimming by the boat, bald eagles perched in timber or flying above us, and an assortment of seagulls and marsh birds going about their each day routines. I’ve even seen an alligator or two proper subsequent to our dock!
Tagging a Sandbar shark
Releasing a giant lemon shark after tagging
My professor and I holding Sandbars
Sandbar launch
Sandbar workup
Measuring the large lemon shark.
Now for the enjoyable half! Right here’s a bit about my discipline analysis. Since Could, I’ve caught and launched over 100 sharks representing a complete of 5 out of the ten summer time species! I’ve additionally deployed 5 acoustic transmitters thus far. These particular transmitters will always ping each 40 seconds with particular ID codes that receivers detect when the transmitters are inside a particular vary of the receiver. A few of my transmitters additionally emit information concerning the temperature and depth of the water the shark is at present in. Since there are receivers positioned all through the bay, these transmitters will hopefully assist me uncover the place the sharks are shifting and in what temperature and depths they reside. My first acoustically tagged shark is a feminine Finetooth shark named Eugenie after Eugenie Clark, a private idol and the final word “shark girl”.
This Sandbar met its match with a much bigger shark making a meal out of it (Fish Thinkers Ed: This image definitely bought lots of consideration on our social media -> Chomp!)
We now have had a enjoyable time amassing information these previous few months. Not solely have we caught a ton of fantastic sharks, however we additionally caught a HALF shark! Sharks preying on different sharks will not be unusual and may even begin within the womb for some species, however that doesn’t make it any much less cool to see an estimated 3 foot shark be cleanly bit in half from a a lot bigger shark! This summer time we’ve got additionally caught lots of younger of 12 months sharks, some with their umbilical scars nonetheless current! That is thrilling for the nursery side of my analysis as a result of it exhibits that new child sharks are using the realm. I additionally caught a feminine Blacktip who had bought tangled in what seemed like a big gill internet or trammel internet. The online traces had lower into her physique, gills, and underside a lot that her pores and skin had grown over the road (see photographs under). She nonetheless had deep lacerations from the web once we caught her, despite the fact that she was on the highway to restoration. Once I eliminated the netting, I needed to lower it into a number of areas and bodily pull it OUT of her physique. Take into account that we caught her more than likely half means by means of her therapeutic course of so the unique wounds will need to have been rather a lot worse. It makes you consider all of the gear folks have misplaced and is subsequently “ghost fishing” on the market. In different news- not solely did we additionally catch a 240 cm male Lemon shark this summer time, however we even have acquired recapture information from the NOAA Shark Tagging Program from a neighborhood fisherman who caught and launched one of many Sandbars we tagged! This information is extraordinarily thrilling not solely as a result of it exhibits sharks actions and development sizes; however as a result of it additionally exhibits that leisure fisherman are actively partaking within the tagging program and releasing tagged fish! When you see a tagged fish of any kind- Launch it and Report it! As a researcher, I want I may give everybody who reviews and releases my tag information Thank You notes- however their data is all blocked for privateness causes! Alas!
Feminine Blacktip submit entanglement.
By way of my analysis, I hope to contribute to total species migration information and assist preserve shark populations by means of outreach and schooling. Sharks are really wonderful and great creatures and we nonetheless have tons to find out about them! Thanks to everybody who took the time to learn this, I hope you realized some issues about what we do and respect sharks for the wonderful creatures they’re and never the senseless “maneaters” folks painting them as.
An enormous thanks to Fish Thinkers for reaching out to me, sharing some shark information, and supporting the CCU Shark Analysis Staff!!! We’re at all times comfortable to collaborate with fellow researchers on the market! If you’re desirous about testing extra of our analysis and adventures observe our Instagram and Fb accounts.
Caroline @CCUSharkResearchTeam!
