2014). The Alboran Sea is a relevant area for three globally threatened species:
Puffinus mauretanicus, the near-threatened Larus audouinii, and the endemic
Calonectris d. diomedea. Seabird experts have compiled the georeferenced information available to identify crucial areas in Mediterranean open seas (UNEP-MAPRAC/SPA 2010).
21.6.4 Shark Tagging Studies
In 1962, the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), in collaboration with
recreational anglers and commercial fishers, launched an extensive Cooperative
Shark Tagging Program (CSTP) using conventional tags. This programme was
designed to study the biology of blue sharks, shortfin makos, and porbeagles
(Kohler et al. 2002). The authors summarized the tagging and recapture information
collected between 1962 and 2000. Although there no tagging records of shortfin
makos and porbeagles, limited movements have been recorded of blue sharks tagged
in the Atlantic and recaptured in the Mediterranean. All of the immature males
tagged remained in the Mediterranean, whereas one subadult female moved a short
distance to the North East Atlantic. Only one adult male tagged in north-western
North Atlantic has been recaptured in the Mediterranean Sea. These results have led
scientists to consider the Mediterranean stock as separate from the Atlantic stock
(Fitzmaurice et al. 2005).
A review of 48 studies published between 1984 and 2010 that used archival
satellite tags showed that, during this period, 17 shark species representing 7 families
from 4 orders were satellite tagged (Hammerschlag et al. 2011). In general, the
studies addressed movement patterns (Shepard et al. 2006), the identification of
hibernation seasons and area (Sims et al. 2003), or post-release survival in sharks
bycaught on longline or tropical tuna purse seiners (Campana et al. 2009; Moyes
et al. 2006). None of these studies were performed in the Mediterranean Sea.
In 2014, a research programme was implemented in collaboration with the fishing
sector to investigate the impact of the French bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) fishery
on megafauna and to provide these fisheries with solutions to reduce interactions and
mortality (Poisson et al. 2015). The study aim was to characterize the habitats used
by blue sharks, their movements, and the risk of interaction with human activities. In
total, 30 blue sharks caught on commercial longliners were equipped with archival
satellite tags in the Gulf of Lion (23 individuals) and near Corsica (7 individuals).
The Ifremer and the Stellaris Association worked jointly with the IEO of Malaga and
a Spanish commercial longliner to deploy 14 archival tags in the Alboran Sea. The
ARGOS tracking data of the blue sharks can access on two dedicated websites
(http://amop-selpal.com/index.php/suivi-des-especes-marquees and http://www.
stellaris-asso.org/suivi-des-requins/).
This was the first time that archival tags have been deployed on this species in the
western Mediterranean.
21 Marine Megafauna and Charismatic Vertebrate Species
733
Puffinus mauretanicus, the near-threatened Larus audouinii, and the endemic
Calonectris d. diomedea. Seabird experts have compiled the georeferenced information available to identify crucial areas in Mediterranean open seas (UNEP-MAPRAC/SPA 2010).
21.6.4 Shark Tagging Studies
In 1962, the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), in collaboration with
recreational anglers and commercial fishers, launched an extensive Cooperative
Shark Tagging Program (CSTP) using conventional tags. This programme was
designed to study the biology of blue sharks, shortfin makos, and porbeagles
(Kohler et al. 2002). The authors summarized the tagging and recapture information
collected between 1962 and 2000. Although there no tagging records of shortfin
makos and porbeagles, limited movements have been recorded of blue sharks tagged
in the Atlantic and recaptured in the Mediterranean. All of the immature males
tagged remained in the Mediterranean, whereas one subadult female moved a short
distance to the North East Atlantic. Only one adult male tagged in north-western
North Atlantic has been recaptured in the Mediterranean Sea. These results have led
scientists to consider the Mediterranean stock as separate from the Atlantic stock
(Fitzmaurice et al. 2005).
A review of 48 studies published between 1984 and 2010 that used archival
satellite tags showed that, during this period, 17 shark species representing 7 families
from 4 orders were satellite tagged (Hammerschlag et al. 2011). In general, the
studies addressed movement patterns (Shepard et al. 2006), the identification of
hibernation seasons and area (Sims et al. 2003), or post-release survival in sharks
bycaught on longline or tropical tuna purse seiners (Campana et al. 2009; Moyes
et al. 2006). None of these studies were performed in the Mediterranean Sea.
In 2014, a research programme was implemented in collaboration with the fishing
sector to investigate the impact of the French bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) fishery
on megafauna and to provide these fisheries with solutions to reduce interactions and
mortality (Poisson et al. 2015). The study aim was to characterize the habitats used
by blue sharks, their movements, and the risk of interaction with human activities. In
total, 30 blue sharks caught on commercial longliners were equipped with archival
satellite tags in the Gulf of Lion (23 individuals) and near Corsica (7 individuals).
The Ifremer and the Stellaris Association worked jointly with the IEO of Malaga and
a Spanish commercial longliner to deploy 14 archival tags in the Alboran Sea. The
ARGOS tracking data of the blue sharks can access on two dedicated websites
(http://amop-selpal.com/index.php/suivi-des-especes-marquees and http://www.
stellaris-asso.org/suivi-des-requins/).
This was the first time that archival tags have been deployed on this species in the
western Mediterranean.
21 Marine Megafauna and Charismatic Vertebrate Species
733