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Newsletter of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group #10 | September 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 Eulogy for Leonard J. V. Compagno 8 Q&A with Early Career Scientists within the SSG 18 Sharks and the CCAMLR 22 Shark Spotlight: Ningaloo Maskray 32 The Impacts of Climate Change on Sharks and Rays 46 ReShark 60 Bringing Sharks into Focus 70 ISRAs of the Western Indian Ocean 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). 78 Call for ISRA propo- sals: South America and Inland waters 80 eOceans – Scaling Up Shark and Ray Science and Conservation 84 Sawfish Conservation Society: Bringing Global Awareness to a Critical Species 90 TrackdAT – Tracking the Research that Moves Sharks and Rays 96 CMS Acts to Protect Sharks and Rays 104 White Shark Global 106 The Global Status Report 108 First Records of Chimaeras as Prey for Cape Fur Seals in Namibia lead to recovery 112 Captor and Verse - Wedgefish Exploitation Portrayed in Three Poems 122 Protecting the Rhino Rays of Karimunjawa Archipelago 130 Protecting Hammer- head Sharks in Bangladesh 138 Reef Manta Ray Conservation in the Chagos Archipelago 146 Don’t Forget the Sharks in the Dark 156 Management Solutions to Protect and Recover Australia’s Threatened Endemic Sharks and Rays 164 All Sawfish now Criti- cally Endangered but Sustained Conservation Efforts can Lead to Recovery 168 Sharks and Rays in Guatemala 174 Shark Cartoons in Sri Lanka 180 Sharks, Rays and Chimaeras of Namibia - An Identification Guide 182 Field Guide to the Sharks, Ray and Chimaeras of the East Coast of North America 184 Funding Opportunities 186 Upcoming Meetings 187 Our Sponsors and Supporters Photo by Guy Stevens Manta Trust Cover: Reef Manta Ray cleaning | Bora Bora Back Cover: Oceanic Manta Ray | Maldives Photos by Simon Hilbourne | Manta Trust 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, There’s something about the month of September that invites reflection. Maybe it’s just because I am based in the Northern Hemisphere, and as the summer holidays wind down here, it feels like there is an energy whirl all around. Friends and colleagues are back at work, and inboxes are starting to flood again. Although with many scientists/conservationists, it often doesn’t feel like there is a life-work balance … dedication to the conservation of sharks, rays, and chimaeras transcends the need for a holiday. Fieldwork is the time out, especially if they are lucky enough to work in areas where these animals are still abundant and can be seen. Anyone who has worked in the field with these animals knows how hard but rewarding it is on so many levels. Through this issue of Shark News, we can again get a sense of how important landing/market surveys are in understanding the status of sharks and how fisheries are impacting them. At the same time, fisheries-independent tools can give us a better understanding of the distribution of species, their habitat use, and abundance in certain areas. In our Q&A series, Chelsea Stein introduces us to two early career scientist members from Malaysia and The Maldives, each applying different sampling methods to understand species’ population status – in a heavily fished area versus a Shark Sanc- tuary, respectively. From Malaysia and Bangladesh, we learn how landing site surveys provide information on the bycatch of threatened and non-threatened species in small-scale fisheries and how species and their derivative products are utilized and traded. We learn about collaborations and how data sharing can boost conservation knowledge and action through platforms such as eOceans and trackdAT. The Sawfish Conservation Society is also a platform that has continued its critical work to ensure that efforts to conserve sawfishes are scaled up around the world through awareness and the promotion of collaboration amongst researchers globally. We have an update from the ReShark project with information on how this initiative can also benefit other species be- yond the Indo-Pacific Leopard Shark. Our fourth series of fact sheets on human impacts on sharks and rays relates to climate change. This is a threat that we are still learning a lot about, and how its impact of environmental variables like water temperature has already potentially changed spe- cies distribution and reproductive behaviour. In parallel, we have stories from Namibia on chimaeras being preyed on by Cape Fur Seals, the first time such interactions have been record- ed. From Asia, we first delve into the cultural significance of wedgefishes in China and Indonesia through the lens of poetry. Then, we have stories from Indonesia on a project working to ensure the protection of rhino rays in a national marine park and how fishers will respond to various manage- ment options. Similarly, in Bangladesh, work is underway with fishing communities to understand how to reduce bycatch of hammerhead sharks and find solutions to balance conservation goals and their livelihoods. The Reef Manta Ray conservation work in the Chagos Archipelago highlights a key site for these species and emphasizes the need for enforcement of management measures in remote areas to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing from impacting these spe- cies. Along these lines, the important area-based management for rays is highlighted for Aus- tralian species, many of which are endemic. The Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) project continues building momentum and keeps us very busy! It has been so rewarding to work with over 800 contributors from around the world who are so dedicated to shark, ray, and chimaera conservation and who have contributed to delineating over 400 areas (Central and South American Pacific, Mediterranean and Black Seas, Western Indian Ocean, Asia, and Polar Waters regions). We continue putting sharks on the map and have just returned from our workshop to delineate areas in the New Zealand and Pacific Islands region. The team and I keep learning fantastic facts about these species and the habitats they use for different life-history processes so read through about the team’s favorite areas so far! We provide information on newly published identification guides and posters from Namibia, the east coast of North America, and Guatemala. Finally, we have a small update on the Global Status of Sharks, Rays, and Chimaeras – stay tuned over the next few months for information on its publication. As always, thank you to Michael and Peter Scholl, who continue to make this newsletter a reality despite their hectic schedule. I’m excited about what the rest of 2024 will bring and look forward to hearing more about the wonderful work that everyone has planned for sharks, rays, and chimaeras! Rima5 Photo: James Eades | Unplash6 Written by David A. Ebert SJSU Moss Landing Marine Laboratories7 Leonard Compagno passed away on September 25, 2024. Born in San Francisco, California, on December 4, 1943, he was a true Giant in the field of Shark, Ray, and Ghost Shark research, whose contributions were nothing short of monumental. His publications, « Interrelationships of Living Elasmobranchs » (1973) and « Phyletic Relationships of Living Sharks and Rays » (1977), are classics that established the framework and foundation for modern chondrichthyan classification, which remains influential today. His 1990 seminal publication, « Alternative Life-History Styles of Cartilaginous Fishes in Time and Space » (Environmental Biology of Fishes, 28:33-75), is required reading (in my humble opinion) for any serious student of shark research and conservation. I was very fortunate to have met Leonard as a young MSc student in the 1980s while he was still based in his hometown of San Francisco. At the time, he was working on the FAO Catalogue of the Sharks of the World. I recall thinking how incredible it would be to one day write a book on the Sharks of the World! Leonard was a fellow traveler whom I met early on in my journey and who became an advisor, mentor, and friend. It was Leonard who provided me with the opportunity to go to South Africa to pursue my Ph.D., and together with Alexandra Macras and Paul Cowley, we launched the “S-Team,” ushering in a new era in chondrichthyan research in South Africa. It was a very dynamic period, and I still have fond memories of those times. He was a “character,” for those who knew him, and to students and early-career researchers who didn’t have the chance to meet him, I strongly recommend familiarizing yourselves with his contributions and publications, particularly the 1990 paper. Leonard was a once-in-a-generation researcher in our field, and his contributions will continue to inspire and influence generations to come. Eulogy for Leonard Joseph Victor Compagno ( 1943-2024 )8 Early career scientists within the SSG9 In this Q&A series, get to know members across the group’s nine regions | Written by Chelsea Stein Photo by Kooi Chee Taking measurements of an eagle ray at the landing port in SandakanNext >