Shark Foundation Projects: Shark nurseries

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The Foundation supports projects both financially and in an advisory function. For purposes of controlling results and ensuring quality it requests yearly project reports. Whenever necessary, Shark Foundation projects are examined by the Foundation's

scientific advisory committee which is composed of highly qualified shark researchers and scientists.

We need your help in order to carry out the various projects. You can support individual projects directly by noting the respective donation code on the

deposit slip or

bank transfer.

Shark nurseries Florida

Donation code: Shark nurseries

The project shark nurseries in Rookery Bay / Ten Thousand Islands is managed by Pat O'Donnel in cooperation with the Mote Marine Lab (Professor Castro). Since the beginning of the project an approximate total of 439 young sharks have been caught and measured. Twenty-three of these were recaught and 23 were already dead when caught or died shortly after being caught.
Unfortunately, the houseboat from where the project was carried out sank following a storm in August 2004. The Foundation will participate in reconstructing the houseboat in 2005.

© Innerspace Visions / Shark Foundation
Illustration: The marking of a bonnethead-hammerhead shark pup (Sphyrna tiburo).

Shark nurseries are found mainly in shallow water regions in which the shark pups can grow up while being protected from larger predators. In contrast to bony fish, sharks have only a limited number of offspring. This makes it extremely important for the few young to receive the best chances for survival in their start into future shark life.

But many shallow water regions, especially the mangrove forests in warmer waters, are becoming increasingly rare because they are cleared to win land for fish and shrimp farms. The few still surviving mangrove regions are threatened by pollution and other factors mostly caused by man.

Baby Lemon shark pup

© J. Stafford-Deitsch / Shark Foundation
Illustration: Baby lemon shark between the mangroves.

The Shark Foundation supports the long-term project in Florida (USA) which is examining the biological processes in a region with many shark nurseries. The research performed in the Ten Thousand Islands region off the eastern coast of Florida are supposed to extend our knowledge on shark nurseries, providing information needed to really protect them. Based on this data, scientists and governments should then work out protective measures for the few remaining shark nurseries.

Presentation of the first evaluated data from the Rookery Bay Reserve / Ten Thousand Islands shark nurseries project of Pat O'Donnel: Rookery Poster (PDF, 304 kb)

The Foundation has been financing the entire shark part of the project since 1999 which so far totals about CHF 16,800.--.

In August 2005 the Foundation partially financed the reconstruction of the house boat with $7,000.

Fiji: Bull shark migrations near Fiji

Donation code: Migrations Fiji

We lack biological data for practically all shark species, especially on their precise geographical distribution areas, their migration behavior or reliable population numbers. This also applies to widely distributed species living in coastal areas, e.g. the bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas).

© Klaus Jost / Shark Foundation
Illustration: Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas).

In areas where bull sharks can be seen regularly, observations over past years have shown that grown individuals leave these areas in the spring for two to four months and return in the summer. Where they migrate to during this time is not yet known, but presumably they visit their reproduction regions/nurseries during this time period.

Early in 2003 an international research team launched a bull shark tagging program in the Bahamian waters. The purpose of this program is to find the bull shark nurseries and their migration routes, and in a second step to establish concepts for the protection of these areas.

The experiences and results of the Bahama pilot project led to the initiation of a study on the migratory behavior of bull sharks near Fiji in 2004. Various bull sharks were tagged with satellite transmitters for this research program. At a fixed time, the transmitters come off the sharks and transmit data on the migratory routes, depth, temperatures etc. to satellites. The data is then evaluated using computer programs designed specifically for the project.
In a first phase three bull sharks were equipped with satellite transmitters programmed to release themselves from the sharks at the end of 2004 and then float to the water surface. In the course of 2004 additional bull sharks were tagged with such transmitters. At the end of 2004 the first data arrived and is ready for evaluation in 2005.

In areas where bull sharks can be seen regularly, observations over past years have shown that grown individuals leave these areas in the spring for two to four months and return in the summer. Where they migrate to during this time is not yet known, but presumably they visit their reproduction regions/nurseries during this time period.<br><br>Early in 2003 an international research team launched a bull shark tagging program in the Bahamian waters. The purpose of this program is to find the bull shark nurseries and their migration routes, and in a second step to establish concepts for the protection of these areas.<br><br>The experiences and results of the Bahama pilot project led to the initiation of a study on the migratory behavior of bull sharks near Fiji in 2004. Various bull sharks were tagged with satellite transmitters for this research program. At a fixed time, the transmitters come off the sharks and transmit data on the migratory routes, depth, temperatures etc. to satellites. The data is then evaluated using computer programs designed specifically for the project.<br>In a first phase three bull sharks were equipped with satellite transmitters programmed to release themselves from the sharks at the end of 2004 and then float to the water surface. In the course of 2004 additional bull sharks were tagged with such transmitters. At the end of 2004 the first data arrived and is ready for evaluation in 2005.

© Klaus Jost / Shark Foundation
Illustration: Preparing the highly complex transmitter.

Simultaneous to the fastening of the transmitters, initial steps are taken to implement protection provisions. Small reef sections where bull sharks are seen regularly are no longer allowed to be accessed by the fishing industry

Fiji Shark Reef

Project Manager: Jürg Brunnschweiler

In 2004 the Foundation partially financed the project by sponsoring two satellite transmitters worth approx. CHF 10,000.

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