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Newsletter of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group #09 | January 2024 1Our 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 Foundation 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.3 4 Editorial: A note from the Chair 6 Q&A with Early Career Scientists within the SSG 16 Sharks and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Com- mission (IATTC) 20 Shark Spotlight: Horn Shark (Hetero- dontus francisci) 30 The Impacts of Pollution on Sharks and Rays 46 Resharking Leopards in Raja Ampat: The StAR Project 68 The Great Eggcase Hunt: A Global Citizen Science Project Editor-in-chief Michael Scholl Chief Editor Rima Jabado Associate Editor Alexandra Morata Contributing Editor Chelsea Stein Proofreader Michael Scholl Rima Jabado Alexandra Morata Design & art direction scholldesign.com Published by the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group (SSG) Dr. Rima W. Jabado P.O. Box 29588 | Dubai United Arab Emirates Disclaimer | The content, views and opinions expressed in the articles presented in the Shark News magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group (SSG) or its members. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the articles belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual. The designations em- ployed in this publication and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group (SSG), the Inter- national Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) or the Species Survival Commission (SSC). 74 Amazing Shark and Ray Science Disco- veries from 2023 80 The Important Shark and Ray Areas of the Mediterranean and Black Seas 90 Call for Proposals for Preliminary Areas of Interest: Asia & Polar Waters 94 Establishing a Method to Identify and Prioritise Areas for the Protection of Angelshark in the Canary Islands 108 Main Historical Steps of Fishing Research in the Mediterranean Targeted to Sharks and Rays 116 New Plan to Save One of the World’s Most Threatened Rays from Extinction 124 A First Glimpse into the Life of the Pacific Nurse Shark 130 Local Ecological Knowledge to Support Shark Conservation in the Central Carib- bean of Panama 138 Project Lemon Aid: Students + Sharks + Science = Success 148 New Initiatives in Elasmobranchs Research in the Sultanate of Oman 156 Putting Sharks in the Public Spotlight: on the Celebration of Shark Awareness Day 2023 in Iran 162 Shark Safeguards: Elevating EU Con- trols on Shark Trade 166 IUCN Species Survi- val Commission Statement on Shark Control Programs and Shark Culls 170 Wildlife and Ocean Fest: Dive into Conser- vation Celebrations 174 What the SSG has done in 2023 178 Funding Opportunities 180 Upcoming Meetings 182 Our Sponsors and Supporters Photos by Brooke Pyke | brookepykephotography.com Cover: Leopard sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum) in Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, Australia Photos by Brooke Pyke | brookepykephotography.com Copyright Notice | All content, information, text, materials, names, images, illustrations and visual representations (including, without limitation, from our members, partners, affili- ates, contractors, employees and representa- tives) appearing on our website (iucnssg.org), in our publications (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, retrans- mitted, reproduced, downloaded or otherwise used (except for downloading for private and non-commercial use) without the express writ- ten 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 respec- tive credits or captions.Artwork by Keith Witmer 4 Dear readers, It’s hard to believe that another year has gone by. I don’t think I have taken stock of or reflected on everything that happened in 2023, but it certainly feels like the momen- tum for shark, ray, and chimaera conservation is growing. Sharks are on the agenda at every multilateral environmental agreement meeting – fisheries, trade, biodiver- sity conservation, protected areas, and more. It’s been a busy and intense year, but exciting at the same time because we have many opportunities to make a difference. Like many of you, I used to fight to get sharks on the agenda, but now we struggle with having enough time to cover everything during a meeting. There’s a sense of urgen- cy in it, and I am proud to belong to this growing shark conservation community and encouraged by the collaborative spirit that is making this possible. Through this issue of Shark News, we are introduced again to some innovative and wonder- ful initiatives that are helping to keep this momentum growing. Our feature story is about rewilding sharks – something that has been done for many terrestrial and small aquatic species and has now been attempted for the first time with Indo-Pacific Leop- ard Sharks. We have our usual Q&A series where Chelsea Stein introduces us to early career scientist members working in Angola and Papua New Guinea, two places we know so little about when it comes to shark fisheries. Our third series of fact sheets on human impacts on sharks and rays related to pollution. This is a threat that is less understood for many species, but that is inadvertently having an impact on some. Fisheries remain the key threat, however, and this is reflected in our stories and the work being undertaken worldwide to understand how these affect species. Fisheries surveys are being conducted in Oman, focusing primarily on rays. Oman is another key country where little data have been collected, but it plays a key role in the interna- tional trade of fins and meat. We have an overview of the historical fisheries surveys undertaken across the basin from the Mediterranean Sea. Results from these have provided much-needed life history and distribution data and allowed us to determine that this is the body of water with the highest number of threatened sharks. In parallel, we have stories from Iran on how innovative and cross-sectoral awareness of shark conservation issues is becoming and should be! The Great Eggcase Hunt has expand- ed and is now a global effort allowing the public to report and identify shark and skate eggs found on beaches around the world. From the Canary Islands, we gather insight into how critical habitats are being identified and how research is being integrated into policy. From Central America and the Caribbean, we learn more about how a new- ly described yet threatened nurse shark is being tracked to understand its ecology, how local ecological knowledge is being used to understand the behaviour of coastal communities in Panama in relation to sharks, and how dedicated efforts to educate students is making a difference in the Turks and Caicos. The Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) project has also kept us extremely busy, with 255 areas now de- lineated from the Central and South American Pacific, Mediterranean and Black Seas, and Western Indian Ocean regions. This project has only been possible because of the backbreaking and passionate work from the ISRA team but also mostly the over 450 contributors that have already been part of this process. We have three other regions slated for 2024, so thank you all for supporting us in ensuring we can put sharks on the map! We leave you with a snapshot of some amazing shark discoveries for the year and what the SSG has celebrated and accomplished with your support. As always, thank you for your commitment and passion for sharks – and, of course, a massive thank you to Michael and Peter Scholl, who continue to make this newsletter a reality. With all the fantastic work ongoing worldwide, I do not doubt that the momentum will continue to grow. So, I look forward to another year of shark conservation successes and wish you and yours a wonderful 2024! Rima5 Lemon Shark eye, Bahamas Photo by Brooke Pyke | brookepykephotography.com6 Early career scientists within the SSG7 In this Q&A series, get to know members across the group’s nine regions | Written by Chelsea Stein Photo by Ana Lúcia Furtado Soares8 With 237 members from 83 countries and territories, the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group is one of the largest specialist groups within the IUCN Species Survival Commission. Across the group's nine regions, many early career scientists are pursuing exciting work on shark, ray and chimaera research, policy, and conservation. In this Q&A series, we will showcase some of these members, sharing their roles within the SSG and their ongoing work. Ana Lúcia Furtado Soares Ph.D. candidate at Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, SSG Africa Region Michael Grant A postdoctoral research fellow at James Cook University in Australia; foreign lecturer at Hasanuddin University in Indonesia; conservation advisor for the Piku Biodiversity Network in Papua New Guinea; SSG Oceania Region Shark News: What type of research do you focus on? Ana: My focus is to assess the impact of small-scale fisheries on sharks and rays in Angola (Southwest Africa). My research aims to increase knowledge on sharks and rays, providing baseline information and long-term scientific data to fill the gap in species- specific information to understand shark and ray biodiversity and threats. These data can be used to develop effective management and conservation plans and adequately monitor threatened populations. Michael: My research focuses mainly on small-scale fishers that interact with threatened species, particularly in riverine environments. Other research areas include population assessments, life history, demography, and elemental analysis of vertebrae. Shark News: What project(s) are you currently working on? Ana: I am currently a PhD candidate at the Ludwig-Maximillian- University of Munich, working on a project titled "Elasmobranchs of Angola: Assessing impacts of small-scale fisheries of sharks and rays." Due to scarce information regarding shark and ray species composition, abundance and distribution in Angola, and the negative impact of fisheries on their abundance and diversity, this research project is of high priority for me. This project is linked to the Elasmo Project (under the supervision of Dr. Rima Jabado), as the Angola Elasmo Project. This project is the first of its kind in the region and aims to create a meaningful impact on shark and ray conservation in Angola, as there are insufficient data, no environmental conservation initiatives for these threatened species, no MPAs, lack of policies regarding conservation and fisheries, and no indications that this dramatic situation will soon be addressed by policy-makers. A major part of the coastal population depends on marine resources, with fishing being a primary source of income and food. Thus, local community involvement and creating awareness of threats to sharks and rays through capacity building and public involvement is a key factor in achieving positive conservation outcomes. We are currently engaged with the local academic community, fisher communities, and governmental entities, developing awareness campaigns and implementing training workshops. Michael: I am currently working on various projects across Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. In Indonesia, through local knowledge surveys and fishery observations, I lead a project between James Cook University (JCU) and Hasanuddin University to provide population baselines for threatened non-marine sharks and rays in Kalimantan. This project is in the context of relocating the Indonesian capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan over the next couple of decades. The rivers of Kalimantan provide large expanses of habitat and probably support larger populations of Indo-West Pacific freshwater rays compared to the broader region. Our present data will provide a baseline to measure against future changes to these populations and their habitat, as the capital relocation will likely bring more people and greater riverine pressures to Kalimantan. I work with a non-governmental organization in Papua New Guinea to study a complex fish maw fishery. Fish maw is the trade term for teleost swim bladder. Chinese cultures highly value fish maw, with end uses mainly being culinary or medicinal. In Papua New Guinea, the high trade demand and value of fish maw have led to the development of intensive fishing practices in a region that is a stronghold for Indo-Pacific sawfishes (Pristidae), river sharks (Glyphis spp.), and Winghead Sharks (Eusphyra blochii). We work with local fishers to document fishery characteristics such as catch composition and catch per unit of effort (CPUE) of target and non-target species. We are also launching a sawfish conservation campaign that seeks to change social norms around how local fishers currently use and value sawfish through education and outreach materials aimed at fishers and children. In Australia, I have recently been working on population modelling aspects of the conservation effort to save the Maugean Skate (Zearaja maugeana). I also supervise various student projects through JCU, such as understanding human drivers of threatened species in Melanesia, compiling species lists and management policy for various Pacific Nations through the Shark Search Indo-Pacific program, profiling the vulnerability of non-marine sharks and rays in the Indo-West Pacific, and exploring elemental applications of vertebrae toward an increased understanding of species life history and movements. Sharks News: As a member of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group, what does your role involve? Ana: My primary role is to increase knowledge of sharks and rays from the Angola region. As a response to the scarce information in Angola regarding shark and ray species composition, abundance and distribution, and the impact of fisheries on their abundance and diversity, research on the region is of high priority. I have also participated in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species assessment workshops on sharks and rays, contributing to the assessment of some threatened guitarfishes, such as the Spineback Guitarfish (Rhinobatos irvinei), Common Guitarfish (Rhinobatos rhinobatos), and Whitespotted Guitarfish (Rhinobatos albomaculatus). Finally, I have expanded my network of collaborators, which allowed me to increase my knowledge of sharks and rays through workshops and meetings. An exceptional event was the IUCN SSC 9 Photo by Ana Lúcia Furtado SoaresNext >