DCNA Nature writes that a Shark Nursery Pilot Project conducted by the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten and led by oceanographer Estela Grau, identified the first potential multi-species shark nursery area in the northeastern Caribbean Sea.
Results from last year’s Shark Nursery Pilot Project, conducted by the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten and led by oceanographer Estela Grau, identified the first potential multi-species shark nursery area in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. These findings suggest that the Dutch side of Sint Maarten plays a key nursery role for both Tiger Sharks and Caribbean Reef Sharks.
This groundbreaking research combined citizen science, shark telemetry data, and local ecological knowledge to assess whether Sint Maarten’s waters meet the criteria of a multi-species shark nursery. The study confirmed that established nursery criteria are being met for both tiger sharks and Caribbean reef sharks.
Expeditions
Two shark expeditions were carried out during April (6th-8th) and May (7th and 9th) 2024. Tagging a total of 10 sharks including juvenile tiger sharks and Caribbean reef sharks. Some of these sharks measured as little as 97 and 105 cm, further supporting the theory of a shark nursery area in these waters.
To address the gaps of long-term and baseline, data five acoustic tags were surgically implanted, opening the door to a better understanding of long-term movement patterns in the future.
The presence of a shark nursery area highlights the crucial ecological role of St. Maarten’s waters in regional shark conservation. This research is a valuable steppingstone toward enhancing conservation efforts and promoting protection that reflects the area’s ecological importance.
This project was generously funded by the Shark Foundation and conducted under the auspices of the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten. It was carried out as part of Estela Grau’s master’s thesis for the International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRSea), under the supervision of Dr. Erwin Winter, and in close collaboration with the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance. [. . .]
For full article and photos, see https://dcnanature.org/shark-nursery/
[Tiger shark. Photo credit: Nathan Perisic.]
DCNA Nature writes that a Shark Nursery Pilot Project conducted by the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten and led by oceanographer Estela Grau, identified the first potential multi-species shark nursery area in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. Results from last year’s Shark Nursery Pilot Project, conducted by the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten and led by oceanographer Estela
