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

Rui Rosa; Emanuel Nunes; Vasco Pissarra; Catarina Pereira Santos; Jaquelino Varela; Miguel Baptista; Joana Castro; José Ricardo Paula; Tiago Repolho; Tiago A. Marques; Rui Freitas; Catarina Frazão Santos

doi:10.3389/fmars.2023.1077748

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

Rui Rosa^*, Emanuel Nunes, Vasco Pissarra, Catarina Pereira Santos, Jaquelino Varela, Miguel Baptista, Joana Castro, José Ricardo Paula, Tiago Repolho, Tiago A. Marques, Rui Freitas, Catarina Frazão Santos

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Article number	1077748
Number of pages	8
Journal	Frontiers in Marine Science
Volume	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1077748
Publication status	Published - 1 Feb 2023

Keywords

Marine Science
Elasmobranchs
Juveniles
Parturition area
Marine conservation
Western Africa
Sharks

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.3389/fmars.2023.1077748Licence: CC BY

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Copyright © 2023 Rosa, Nunes, Pissarra, Santos, Varela, Baptista, Castro, Paula, Repolho, Marques, Freitas and Frazão Santos. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Final published version, 2.37 MBLicence: CC BY

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Rosa, R., Nunes, E., Pissarra, V., Santos, C. P., Varela, J., Baptista, M., Castro, J., Paula, J. R., Repolho, T., Marques, T. A., Freitas, R., & Frazão Santos, C. (2023). Evidence for the first multi-species shark nursery area in Atlantic Africa (Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde). Frontiers in Marine Science, 10, Article 1077748. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1077748

@article{5d228e4f635049cb973447100306d1fc,

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

abstract = "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.",

keywords = "Marine Science, Elasmobranchs, Juveniles, Parturition area, Marine conservation, Western Africa, Sharks",

author = "Rui Rosa and Emanuel Nunes and Vasco Pissarra and Santos, {Catarina Pereira} and Jaquelino Varela and Miguel Baptista and Joana Castro and Paula, {Jos{\'e} Ricardo} and Tiago Repolho and Marques, {Tiago A.} and Rui Freitas and {Fraz{\~a}o Santos}, Catarina",

note = "Funding: This research is part of project NGANDU (The Importance of Shark Populations and Sustainable Ocean Use for Human Well-being in Cabo Verde and S{\~a}o Tom{\'e} and Pr{\'i}ncipe, West Africa) funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) under grant agreement FCT AGA-KHAN/541746579/2019. All authors acknowledge funding from FCT under the strategic project UIDB/04292/2020 granted to MARE and project LA/P/0069/2020 granted to the Associate Laboratory ARNET. TM acknowledges funding from the strategic project UIDB/00006/2020 granted to CEAUL. CF acknowledges funding from FCT research contract 2020.03704.CEECIND and FCT grant agreement PTDC/CTA-AMB/30226/2017. VP acknowledges funding from FCT PhD grant 2020.05435.BD. CS acknowledges funding from FCT PhD grant SFRH/BD/117890/2016, FCT research grants under PTDC/CTA-AMB/30226/2017 through FCiencias.ID and AGA-KHAN/541746579/2019 through Nova School of Business and Economics. EN acknowledges funding from FCT PhD grant SFRH/BD/135438/2017. JRP acknowledges funding from FCT research contract 2021.01030.CEECIND. JV acknowledges funding from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (PhD grant, IPCC Scholarship Programme–Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation) and the Cam{\~o}es–Instituto da Coopera{\c c}{\~a}o e da L{\'i}ngua, I.P. (Scholarship Programme).",

year = "2023",

month = feb,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3389/fmars.2023.1077748",

language = "English",

volume = "10",

journal = "Frontiers in Marine Science",

issn = "2296-7745",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Evidence for the first multi-species shark nursery area in Atlantic Africa (Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde)

AU - Rosa, Rui

AU - Nunes, Emanuel

AU - Pissarra, Vasco

AU - Santos, Catarina Pereira

AU - Varela, Jaquelino

AU - Baptista, Miguel

AU - Castro, Joana

AU - Paula, José Ricardo

AU - Repolho, Tiago

AU - Marques, Tiago A.

AU - Freitas, Rui

AU - Frazão Santos, Catarina

N1 - Funding: This research is part of project NGANDU (The Importance of Shark Populations and Sustainable Ocean Use for Human Well-being in Cabo Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe, West Africa) funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) under grant agreement FCT AGA-KHAN/541746579/2019. All authors acknowledge funding from FCT under the strategic project UIDB/04292/2020 granted to MARE and project LA/P/0069/2020 granted to the Associate Laboratory ARNET. TM acknowledges funding from the strategic project UIDB/00006/2020 granted to CEAUL. CF acknowledges funding from FCT research contract 2020.03704.CEECIND and FCT grant agreement PTDC/CTA-AMB/30226/2017. VP acknowledges funding from FCT PhD grant 2020.05435.BD. CS acknowledges funding from FCT PhD grant SFRH/BD/117890/2016, FCT research grants under PTDC/CTA-AMB/30226/2017 through FCiencias.ID and AGA-KHAN/541746579/2019 through Nova School of Business and Economics. EN acknowledges funding from FCT PhD grant SFRH/BD/135438/2017. JRP acknowledges funding from FCT research contract 2021.01030.CEECIND. JV acknowledges funding from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (PhD grant, IPCC Scholarship Programme–Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation) and the Camões–Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, I.P. (Scholarship Programme).

PY - 2023/2/1

Y1 - 2023/2/1

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Marine Science

KW - Elasmobranchs

KW - Juveniles

KW - Parturition area

KW - Marine conservation

KW - Western Africa

KW - Sharks

U2 - 10.3389/fmars.2023.1077748

DO - 10.3389/fmars.2023.1077748

M3 - Article

SN - 2296-7745

VL - 10

JO - Frontiers in Marine Science

JF - Frontiers in Marine Science

M1 - 1077748

ER -

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

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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