Scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 10251559

The main objective of the project ‟Sharks conservation using telemetry in the Malpelo World Heritage Site” is to determine migratory patterns and local movements of Sphyrna Lewini and Odontaspis ferox with acoustic telemetry, a valuable tool to understand the ecology and distribution of sharks. With this information, the project aims to educate communities and involve government to create new measures that allow an adequate management for the conservation of these species, extremely threatened by the shark fining fishing industry operating in the area. The project will make a difference in the biodiversity conservancy of this very important species congregation area in the following ways:

The project will make a difference in the biodiversity conservancy of this very important species congregation area in the following ways:

By generating new scientific information about the migratory patterns of shark population, our role is to assess national entities to take decisions based upon field knowledge and by the end of the project a proposal for shark conservation will be suggested.

In the last decades, shark fining has become a growing fishery target for local coastal communities whose traditional fishing resource is getting rare. By educating local communities to adopt and respect these measures, implementing workshops sessions and environmental campaign about the importance of conservation practices we involve stakeholders in the preservation of the local biota.

Malpelo as a remote place in the Colombian Pacific maritime territory is a hard place for control and surveillance but it has been demonstrated that during the periodic operations conducted by the Navy Patrol vessel, very few fishing boats were working in the area. A training program will be organized for Park rangers and Coast guards teams, which include specific Malpelo Island environmental management and illegal fishing boats interception procedure.

To achieve part of this large scale goal, the different objectives to be fulfilled with this project, include:

• Objective 1: Expand previous research to track the migratory and local movements of the Hammerhead shark and the Ragged-tooth shark with acoustic telemetry.
• Objective 2: Understand the environmental characteristics that guide the distribution of these species in order to support new legislation decisions regarding the conservation of these sharks.
• Objective 3: Produce educational materials, workshops and talks to educate local communities involved with these species on their importance to the ecological balance of the ocean.
• Objective 4: Institutional strengthening which seeks to enhance control and surveillance on this area against illegal fishing and other environmentally damaging practices.
• Objective 5: Train local coastguard teams about conservation management and environmental policy enforcement in the Sanctuary.

 

 For video footage of our work, please see:

 

http://www.fundacionmalpelo.org/Videos_F.Malpelo.zip