Made with FlowPaper - Flipbook Maker
1 Newsletter of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group #2/20212 Our Vision A world where sharks, rays, and chimaeras are valued and managed sustainably. Our Mission To secure the conservation, management and, where necessary, the recovery of the world’s sharks, rays, and chimaeras by mobilizing tech- nical and scientific expertise to provide the knowledge that enables action. Photo by Michael Scholl | Save Our Seas Foundation3 All content, information, text, materials, names, images, illustrations and visual repre- sentations (including, without limitation, from our members, partners, affiliates, contractors, employees and representatives) appearing on our website (iucnssg.org), in our publica- tions (e.g. Shark News) or made available by us in any format (“Content”) is protected by intellectual property (“IP”) laws and may not be used, republished, retransmitted, reproduced, downloaded or otherwise used (except for downloading for private and non-commercial use) without the express written consent of the Chair of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group (SSG), author or copyright holder. This IP also extends to all trademarks appearing on the site, including the IUCN SSC SSG logo. The Content remains the exclusive property and copyright of the text authors, photographers, and illustrators in their respective credits or captions. 4 Editorial: A note from the Chair 5 Q&A with Lee Crockett 9 The Hunt for a Pygmy Devil 13 In Memory of Professor Carolus Maria Vooren 15 The Convention on Migratory Species and Sharks 20 Shark Spotlight: The Quagga Catshark 21 Angel Sharks: A growing network to safeguard the future of these Critically Endangered Sharks 36 Huber Arte Marhina 39 Sand Tiger Shark Southwest Atlantic Conservation Planning Workshop 42 Assessing River Jewels 44 Studying Silky Sharks in the Western Atlantic 46 Shark catches in Albania 48 Gillnets of large mesh sizes: a threat to sharks and rays 50 3D printed replica shark fins 52 Are we too late for the Sawfishes of Sri Lanka? 55 The first record of a juvenile Mega- mouth Shark 59 Shark fin consump- tion in Hong Kong 63 3rd Indonesian Shark and Ray Symposium 65 Marine Historical Ecology Working Group 66 The use of Shark Liver Oil 68 IUCN Red List Sawfishes reas- sessments 69 Crash Course in the Human Dimensions of Shark Conserva tion 70 Shark Biology and Conservation 75 Sharks of the World 79 Funding Opportunities 80 Upcoming Meetings Proofreader Michael Scholl Rima Jabado Michelle Scott Chelsea Stein Design & art direction Peter Scholl scholldesign.com Published by the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group (SSG) Dr. Rima W. Jabado P.O. Box 29588 | Dubai United Arab Emirates Photo by Mike Sealey Covers: Stratoni is a small seaside village on the Halkidiki peninsula in Greece. What makes it unique is the presence of two seahorse species that live in the small bay, and this is perhaps the only known colony of seahorses in Greece. The Rough Ray (Raja radula) is another species that shares the same area. You can find them at 15-20 meters depth, on a sandy bottom where they feed on small crustaceans. When they swim, their underside looks like a smiling face, a face that definitely makes your mood whenever you photograph it! Photos by Nicholas Samaras | underwater-photo- graphy.gr | instagram.com/nicholas_samaras/ Editor-in-chief Michael Scholl Chief Editor Rima Jabado Associate Editor Michelle Scott Contributing Editor Chelsea Stein4 Dear readers, It is a pleasure to welcome you to the second issue of Shark News, the official IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group (SSG) newsletter! I would like to open with heartfelt thanks again to all the members who contributed to our first issue with stories of all the great things happening in the shark conservation space. The newsletter was received with enthusiasm and we had fantastic feed- back. I am so happy to have a platform where the SSG network can stay connected and informed. This second issue is even more packed with incredible sto- ries. As you know, the challenge of shark conservation requires merging different scientific fields so we can achieve our ultimate goal of healthy shark populations. The contents of this issue reflect just that! It is loaded with information on projects being carried out across the world. It is clear that SSG members have been busy, and these stories bring optimism and hope that together we can and are making a difference. The stories are inspiring, hopeful, and engaging -- from using art as a tool for social change and education on sharks and rays, interviewing the pub- lic in Hong Kong about the shark fin trade and consumption patterns, establishing a network of researchers across the European range of Angel Sharks and developing regional action plans, collaborating across borders to save a Critically Endangered Sand Tiger Shark population in South America, using fisher knowledge to under- stand the status of sawfishes in Sri Lanka, organizing a regional symposium to bring together scientists and find synergies across research and management actions, exploring shark fisheries in Albania and Kenya, and studying Silky Sharks in the At- lantic Ocean. These stories are exemplary in showcasing how different individuals are pushing beyond the constraints of daily realities, taking risks despite the com- plexities of their situations, and proving that there are so many ways to contribute to shark conservation. Indeed, the fate of sharks is inextricably linked to all these projects, their findings, how we use them to inform policy, and our interactions with each other. But don’t miss out on other news such as the first record of a juve- nile Megamouth Shark from China, what shark species are listed on the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and what that means, an update on the beautiful ‘River Jewels’ – the South American Freshwater Stingrays, the hunt for the East Atlantic Pygmy Devil Ray off West Africa, information on how shark liver oil is being used, the upcoming release of the much-awaited new edition of Sharks of the World, and a new book on shark biology and conservation. You will also find an invitation to take part in a training course on the human dimensions of shark conservation, information on upcoming IUCN Red List of Threatened Species assessments and how you can get involved, and the establishment of a new Working Group on Marine Historical Ecology. I truly believe that together we can make a difference and I am excited to continue receiving these contributions and learning about everyone’s work. Thank you to all the photographers that have shared their imagery – they allow us to tell the story of the diversity and beauty of sharks to an audience that can make a difference for the future of their conservation. Special thanks once again to Michael Scholl, Chair of the Communication Working Group, for coordinating all the contributions and the design of the newsletter. And finally, thank you to all the members for their dedication and contributions which continue to make Shark News a reality and the public face of shark science. A note from the Chair Rima Jabado5 Research, regulation, enforcement – a strategy for saving sharks By Chelsea Stein Photo by Stan Shea | BLOOM | bloomassociation.orgPhoto provided by Lee Crockett Photo by Hollie Booth | WCS 6 Lee Crockett, Executive Director of the Shark Conservation Fund, covers the group’s priorities and vision for change. Observing shark landings in Tanjung Luar, Indonesia with local Wildlife Conservation Society staff7 Q: What are some of the projects and partners SCF has worked with? A: Below is a sample of the projects that SCF has supported financially since its inception and the results of those invest- ments: • Pew Charitable Trusts and Wildlife Conservation Society CITES listing efforts led to 18 shark species being listed on Appendix II, including ten species of wedgefish (family Rhinidae), six giant guitarfish (family Glaucostegidae), and Short and Long Fin Mako (Isurus spp.) in August 2019. A total of 46 species of sharks and rays are listed on CITES, approximately 25% of the Hong Kong fin trade – and our goal is to hit 50%. • BLOOM INC Hong Kong’s three-day training workshop for Hong Kong Customs officials in January 2020. The training gave officials the tools to make the largest seizures of illegal shark fins ever: 26 metric tons valued at over $1.1 million in May 2020. The fins originated in Ecuador, and due to the negative attention from the seizure, on June 1, 2020, the Ecuadorian government announced that the “marketing or export” of Oceanic Whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) and four hammerhead spe- cies (Sphyrna spp.) was prohibited, bringing the country’s total number of protected shark species up to nine. • Shark League for the Atlantic and Mediterranean’s work with the European Union’s (EU) CITES Scientific Review Group, which devel- oped the EU’s Mako NDF, to help them understand the science of and threats to Makos. The Review Group recommended a negative NDF for Makos – meaning that no EU Member States can land or trade Makos. This has led Spain and Portugal, the two largest shark fishing nations in the EU, to establish zero quotas for Mako in 2021. • IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group conducting the third IUCN Red List of Threatened Species global assessment for all shark and ray species (approximately 1,250 species). They’ve developed the first Red List indices for sharks that allow tracking of relative abundance trends. Results for oceanic sharks published in the journal Nature demonstrated a decline of over 71% spanning the last 50 years primarily due to over- fishing and that 75% of these species are threatened with extinction. • Humane Society International – Australia’s successful lawsuit put an end to the use of lethal drum lines in the Great Barrier Reef National Park. They also secured an end to deliber- ate culling in this area, reducing the target list from 19 to three, with the remaining target species released if found alive. Be- cause of this, Tiger Shark mortality is down approximately 50%. • Wildlife Conservation Society’s subgrant to the Misool Foundation supports a community in Indonesia as it developed new fisheries. In 2014, Indonesia introduced sweeping new laws protecting manta rays (Mobula alfredi and M. birostris), making it illegal to use any part of the animal in response to the species being listed on CITES. This caused a major chal- lenge to the long-standing tradition of Manta hunting by local fishers. Through the grant, the community was given a fishing boat, and local fishers were trained to use the vessel to catch different types of bony fish. A “sustainable fisheries collective” was established, through which villagers were given access to borrow money and receive a share of profits. Targeted manta hunting has declined 90-96% since 2013. Q: Where has SCF been able to have the most impact? A: We’re delighted and excited about the IUCN SSG Red List as- sessment and the new Red List indices. That’s huge for our work “We are very focused on policy and legal change… we do fund research, but it has to be useful for near-term management because we are close to a tipping point on sharks, and we need to be taking action now.” That’s Lee Crockett, Executive Director of the Shark Conser- vation Fund (SCF). He’s been with SCF since 2017, just after the group came together formally in 2016. SCF is a funder’s col- laborative composed of philanthropists that care deeply about sharks and rays – like the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, The Moore Charitable Founda- tion, Oceans 5, re:wild and the Volgenau Foundation. By pooling funds to support the development of new shark conservation policies and their enforcement, SCF aims to have a more significant immediate impact that will turn the tide for species around the world. Since SCF’s launch in 2016, the group has awarded $23 million in grants to support 68 organizations and have helped leverage an additional global investment of nearly $7 million in shark conservation. In this Q&A with Lee, we explore the SCF’s funding priorities, outcomes to date, and vision for change. Q: What are SCF’s funding priorities? What are the types of grants you offer? A: Our strategy is primarily focused on two main priorities: 1. We want to get most of the Hong Kong shark fin trade listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) Appendix II. The biggest problem facing sharks globally is overfishing, whether in the high seas or coastal waters. Particularly in developing countries where fins are exported, and sharks are poorly managed. So, how do you get a developing country to care about their sharks? If a species is listed on CITES Appendix II, countries need to demonstrate that the trade in products from those species are not detrimental to the species in the wild; they need to develop a non-detriment finding (NDF) to trade the species legally. This creates an incentive for developing countries to manage shark species better when they weren’t doing this at all before. But listing a species is the first step; imple- mentation is vital for on-the-water change. We also support non-profits to go into countries and help manage sharks through things like data collection, analysis, and lending ex- pertise on developing management plans. 2. We want to prevent extinctions. We’re focused on endemic shark species, and we use geographic information system (GIS) data to plot these species’ hotspots on the map, which helps focus our work. In these areas, through our grantmak- ing, we are hoping to establish legal protections. Endem- ic sharks are species like catsharks or shysharks (family Scyliorhinidae), the ones that a lot of people don’t even know about, so putting legal protections in place is a first step to helping these species. We offer larger grants up to $500,000 per year for three years, in addition to our small grant program, which typically involves $25,000 grants for projects that are one-year in duration. The beauty of the small grant program is it gives us the ability to fund really small groups in developing countries. At the same time, having large grants to fund big international NGOs is great because there are benefits to the larger capacity of the organ- ization, and their in-country staff usually conducts the project working closely with the local government.8 We’d also like to use the 30 by 30 initiative to protect 30% of all wild land and water by 2030, to enhance shark conservation. For example, when marine protected area (MPA) funders go into a country, and they’re looking at what areas to protect, we hope to emphasize the critical regions for sharks – looking at migration patterns, pupping grounds, nursery areas – and applying that information to the decisions of where to site these MPAs and the development and implementation of management plans. We’re just starting this work now; Oceans 5 is beginning a project in Namibia where spatial data about sharks will be applied to the siting and decision-making process. We hope this becomes a pilot program to show other funders how this process would work. Longer-term, I’m interested in working with development banks that are putting hundreds of millions of dollars into promoting sus- tainable terrestrial communities worldwide. Once we have the legal framework in place to protect sharks, I want to get development banks to come in and support alternate livelihoods and other ways for communities to succeed without killing sharks. Long-term sus- tainability has to address the human aspect of conservation. Bottom line, SCF’s focus is on changing policy, changing laws and locking in policy gains right now. We just see the urgency of the declining status of sharks and the health of populations around the world as overriding everything else. This urgency causes the SCF board and me to re-double our efforts because we need to put protections in place now and make sure that the research we fund has a direct connection to immediate management to begin to turn the tide for sharks. Photo by Stan Shea | BLOOM | bloomassociation.org to get people to realize the scope and urgency of the problem. It was one of the first grants we made, and the results have been helpful for management and, because of IUCN’s reputation, al- most unimpeachable. The listing of commercially valuable shark species on CITES, beginning in 2013, and the requirements to demonstrate non-detriment to trade has led to national plans of action that we just weren’t seeing before. This has been the driver for the work and change. We see management plans go in place through CITES implementation work, catch limits, gear restric- tions – we’re just starting to see things come into focus and their impacts. I’ve been involved in advocacy for a long time, and you’re always looking for a lever or a driver to get the government or some management agency to do the right thing. I learned a long time ago that just because it’s the right thing to do or because science says it’s the right thing to do, doesn’t mean managers will do it. So, you need to figure out a way to overcome these opposing forces and get entities to do the right thing, and I think CITES is a particularly effective tool for that. Q: What’s next on the horizon for SCF? A: The next step we’ll be looking at is the enforcement side of things because even if species are listed on CITES and new management measures are put in place, illegal trade will under- cut those new measures. There are positive and negative incen- tives to get countries to manage their sharks better. We provide positive support by funding capacity building. But, getting a shipment of fins seized, fines assessed, and the attention that derives from that is an example of a negative incentive.9 Written by Simon Hilbourne 1 , Guy Stevens 1 , Aristide Takoukam 1 and Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara 1, 2 1 Manta Trust 2 IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group | Mediterranean Regional Group | Member A lifeless ray laying on the tiled floor of a fish market in Senegal attracts little attention from passers-by. It is a sad sight, but one that is unfortunately common throughout many tropical countries worldwide. Mantas and Devil Rays (collectively referred to as mobulids) are caught by targeted and bycatch fisheries in their tens of thousands annually. For most visitors to this market, it was just a typical day. However, it was special for the Manta Trust team because this little ray may represent the beginning of a species resurrection - the East Atlantic Pygmy Devil Ray (Mobula rochebrunei). And if not a resurrection, some answers to an important conservation question. First described in 1879 by L. Vaillant, this species was named Cephaloptera rochebrunei. The genus Cephaloptera, which translates from Greek to ‘head-wings’ and refers to the species’ cephalic lobes, is now obsolete (Fig. 1). There was little in the way of mentions of, or research on, this species following its description until some eighty years later when more detailed data were collected. From this point forward, the often-chang- ing taxonomic status of the East Atlantic Pygmy Devil Ray, and the entire mobulid family, for that matter, begins. In 1960, a French marine biologist named Jean Cadenat studied several dozen specimens of this species on the West African coast, several of which he preserved from Senegal, but many have since been lost (Fig. 2). The only remaining pre- served specimen of M. rochebrunei is the stuffed holotype in the National Museum of Nature History in Paris. In 2017, Manta Trust researchers attempted to analyse tissue samples from this poorly preserved specimen as part of a global genetics study. However, the quality of the tissue was too degraded for analysis and was therefore left out of the study. Around the same time, a different team of genetic research- ers conducted a similar global mobula genetic study. It was this paper that led to the amalgamation of the Manta genus into Mobula. After genetic analysis of the same single holo- type specimen of M. rochebrunei from Senegal, these authors concluded that this species was no longer valid. Instead, the researchers suggested it to be synonymous with M. hypostoma, the West Atlantic Pygmy Devil Ray. The Manta Trust team feels The Hunt for a Pygmy DevilNext >