Understanding how threatened species are distributed in space and time can have direct applications to conservation planning. However, implementing standardized methods to monitor populations of wide-ranging species is often expensive and challenging. In this study, we used baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS) to quantify elasmobranch abundance and distribution patterns across a gradient of protection in the Pacific waters of Costa Rica. Our BRUVS survey detected 29 species, which represents 54% of the entire elasmobranch diversity reported to date in shallow waters (< 60 m) of the Pacific of Costa Rica. Our data demonstrated that elasmobranchs benefit from no-take MPAs, yet large predators are relatively uncommon or absent from open-fishing sites. We showed that BRUVS are capable of providing fast and reliable estimates of the distribution and abundance of data-poor elasmobranch species over large spatial and temporal scales, and in doing so, they can provide critical information for detecting population-level changes in response to multiple threats such as overfishing, habitat degradation and climate change. Moreover, given that 66% of the species detected are threatened, a well-designed BRUVS survey may provide crucial population data for assessing the conservation status of elasmobranchs. These efforts led to the establishment of a national monitoring program focused on elasmobranchs and key marine megafauna that could guide monitoring efforts at a regional scale.
Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) play an important ecological role as top predators, yet knowledge of their reproductive ecology is scarce. Here, the authors report the first observation of a potential neonate G. cuvier at Cocos Island, a predator‐dominated oceanic island in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). The individual was detected using baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS). The cameras also detected female individuals potentially pregnant, suggesting that parturition may take place at or near the island. Nonetheless, it is still unclear if the presence of a single neonate is an isolated event or evidence that the species is using the island for reproduction.
Background: Acanthurus guttatus is distributed from the Maldives to the Hawaiian Archipelago and the Pitcairn Islands, and as north as Ryukyu Islands and as south as New Caledonia. The only known locality in the Eastern Tropical Pacific is Clipperton Atoll where three vagrant specimens have been observed. Methods: On June 2016 and April 2017 small groups of A. guttatus were observed and photographed during SCUBA diving and snorkeling surveys for touristic suitability at Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica. Results: Six specimens of A. guttatus were observed swimming over shallow rocky reefs at Isla del Coco, a volcanic island located in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Conclusions: This study represents the first record of A. guttatus at Isla del Coco, the second known location of occurrence in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, and the easternmost known range for the Whitespotted surgeonfish.
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