Evidence for the first multi-species shark nursery area in Atlantic Africa (Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde)

Rosa, Rui; Nunes, Emanuel; Pissarra, Vasco; Santos, Catarina; Varela, Jaquelino; Baptista, Miguel; Castro, Joana; Paula, José; Repolho, Tiago; Marques, Tiago A.; Freitas, Rui; Santos, Catarina Frazão

doi:10.3389/fmars.2023.1077748

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 30 publications

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“…Although research on the Atlantic Nurse Shark has increased in the last decade, knowledge of its ecology in the Eastern Atlantic and its habitat use patterns are still lacking in the scientific literature. Recently, evidence of a nursery area, mostly sandy substrate, was described for the Atlantic Nurse Shark and other shark species in Cabo Verde (Sal Rei Bay, Boa Vista Island), with sizes ranging from 43 to 140 cm ( Rosa et al, 2023 ). Despite the sharks sampled in temperate realms on the first search, most studies (96.8%) were performed in Tropical Atlantic Waters.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat-use of the vulnerable Atlantic Nurse Shark: a review

Bettcher

Franco

Santos

2023

PeerJ

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Human activities have led to the loss of critical habitats for aquatic species at such an accelerated rate that habitat modification is considered a leading threat to biodiversity. Sharks and rays are considered the second most threatened group of vertebrates that have also suffered from habitat loss, especially in nursery grounds and reef-associated species. In this sense, actions toward the conservation of critical grounds for species survival are urgently needed, especially for those threatened with extinction. This study aimed to gather and provide information on the worldwide distribution and habitat association of the ‘vulnerable’ Atlantic Nurse Shark Ginglymostoma cirratum through a literature review performed at the Dimensions research database. A total of 30 studies published between 1950 and 2021 were retained since they defined at least the type of habitat in which G. cirratum was associated. Most studies covered the Floridian ecoregion, where G. cirratum is more common and abundant. Reefs, seagrass, sandy, rocky, mangrove, and macroalgae accounted for the majority of habitat associations, with a higher diversity of habitats detected within marine protected areas (MPAs). Ginglymostoma cirratum was recorded at a maximum depth of 75 m, temperatures ranging from 25 °C to 34 °C, and salinities between 31 and 38 ppt. Neonates were associated with shallower habitats (<20 m), mostly reefs, rocks, macroalgae, sandy shores, and seagrass, in an average temperature of 26 °C and salinity of 36 ppt. Breeding events and habitats were reported by 11 studies, 72.7% of them in shallow waters, mostly inside MPAs (90.9%). Our findings highlighted the key role played by MPAs in protecting essential grounds for threatened species, such as the Atlantic Nurse Shark. Major ecoregions (e.g., the Eastern Atlantic) are still underrepresented in the scientific literature as long as studies aim specifically to assess G. cirratum habitat association. Thus, further insights into the essential habitats needed to conserve the Atlantic Nurse Shark can still emerge from future studies. Considering the recent IUCN extinction risk status change in G. cirratum (i.e., Data Deficient to ‘Vulnerable’), new conservation measures that integrate habitat protection and management are urgently needed and should consider the data collected herein.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat-use of the vulnerable Atlantic Nurse Shark: a review

Bettcher

Franco

Santos

2023

PeerJ

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Baseline assessment of the coastal elasmobranch fauna of Eastern Cabo Verde, West Africa

Seymour,

Monteiro,

Monteiro

et al. 2024

Aquatic Conservation

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An increasing onus on elasmobranch management by regional bodies has been hindered by a lack of data on abundance, distribution and fisheries, especially in data‐poor areas like the eastern Atlantic Ocean. From 2015 through 2017, 204 baited remote underwater videos (BRUV) were deployed in Cabo Verde around the eastern islands of Sal, Boavista and Maio and the remote offshore reef João Valente to establish a baseline of elasmobranch abundance. Over 200 hours of footage revealed 215 individual elasmobranchs, spanning 14 species from 6 taxonomic families. The abundance of elasmobranchs was highest in Maio, the island with the smallest human population, followed by Boavista and Sal. Smaller‐bodied meso‐predatory species such as the common smoothhound (Mustelus mustelus) and the Atlantic weasel shark (Paragaleus pectoralis) constituted the majority of observations in Maio and Boavista. Inversely, Carcharhinus spp. were observed in considerably greater abundance in Sal, and there was notably lower abundance of small‐bodied sharks at sites with high large‐bodied Carcharhinid abundance. Species richness was consistent with abundance estimates across islands, with Boavista and Sal recording the highest species diversity, followed by Maio. Results suggest that amongst Cabo Verde's eastern islands, there exists a high relative diversity and abundance of coastal elasmobranchs compared to populations in West Africa. Nonetheless, there is evidence of exploitation of higher trophic levels species. This trend is most notable in the decreasing abundance of Carcharhinids with increasing proximity to the capital city Praia, suggesting that fishing efforts from the capital are negatively affecting the abundance of large‐bodied, higher‐trophic predators.

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