Seasonal aggregations of sharks near coastal power plants in Israel: an emerging phenomenon

Barash, Adi; Pickholtz, Renanel; Pickholtz, Eliezer; Blaustein, Leon; Rilov, Gil

doi:10.3354/meps12478

Cited by 17 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…This work, additionally, provides evidence of the important role that citizen science, social media and LEK can play in data gathering, but also in the conservation of rare and endangered species. The value of citizen science and social media for data gathering has already been proven for angel sharks (Holcer & Lazar, ; Meyers et al, ), as well as for other elasmobranch species in the Mediterranean Sea (Giovos et al, ); the same is true for LEK (Barash, Pickholtz, Pickholtz, Blaustein, & Rilov, ; Coll et al, ; Fortibuoni, Borme, Franceschini, Giovanardi, & Raicevich, ; Gonzalvo, Giovos, & Moutopoulos, ). In this work, citizen‐science data accompanied with the current knowledge and the official fisheries catch reports provided important information about an extremely threatened family of species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Integrating local ecological knowledge, citizen science and long‐term historical data for endangered species conservation: Additional records of angel sharks (Chondrichthyes: Squatinidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

Giovos¹,

Stoilas²,

AL-Mabruk

et al. 2019

Aquatic Conservation

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1. All three species of angel sharks (genus Squatina) inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea are listed as Critically Endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species due to overexploitation. 2. New records from Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Libya were collected from citizenscientists and integrated with local knowledge obtained using structured interviews in the four countries. 3. Observations and reports, together with an analysis of the reconstructed fisheries data, resulted in the identification of areas of interest, a review of the illegal trade of the species and a debate about the credibility of fisheries data for assessing threatened and/or protected species. 4. Unconventional sources of information, such as social media, were identified as important tools for monitoring rare and endangered marine wildlife. 5. This work will contribute to promoting international cooperation for advancing angel shark conservation in line with the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Angel Shark Conservation Strategy.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Integrating local ecological knowledge, citizen science and long‐term historical data for endangered species conservation: Additional records of angel sharks (Chondrichthyes: Squatinidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

Giovos¹,

Stoilas²,

AL-Mabruk

et al. 2019

Aquatic Conservation

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“…Other qualitative information is available for the Israel coast, where many individuals have been recorded overwintering in shallow waters near discharges of coastal power and desalinization plants (Barash et al, 2018). The present study adds valuable knowledge to these few existing studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sandbar sharks prefer warm waters (Dowd et al, 2006). High water temperature seems to be a driver for their aggregation and residency in shallow coastal waters (Conrath & Musick, 2008; Barash et al, 2018; Filiz, 2019). A 2 year survey conducted along the south‐west Turkish coast suggests C. plumbeus aggregates in groups at a daily seawater temperature of >18°C (Filiz, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Shark related non‐consumptive recreational activities are expanding globally, and currently support more than 10,000 jobs generating more than US$ 300 million per year, with estimated income for local populations being much higher in the next 20 years (Cisneros‐Montemayor et al, 2013). This promising fast‐growing tourism sector is still in its infancy in the Mediterranean Sea, as seasonal shark aggregations are very rare, with only a few being reported in Tunisia (Saidi et al, 2019), Turkey (Filiz, 2019), and Israel (Barash et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sandbar shark aggregation in the central Mediterranean Sea and potential effects of tourism

Cattano

Turco

Lorenzo

et al. 2021

Aquatic Conservation

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An aggregation of sandbar sharks Carcharhinus plumbeus occurs every summer around the remote uninhabited islet of Lampione (Pelagie Islands Marine Protected Area, south‐western Mediterranean Sea), attracting an increasing number of tourists for a shark watching experience. Despite the ecological and socio‐economic importance of this rare occurrence in Mediterranean waters, there is a lack of scientific data and lack of information as to the potential impact of tourist activities on the presence and behaviour of this shark species. Using baited underwater videos, this study provides the first assessment of this shark aggregation, as well as a preliminary evaluation of the potential effects that boating and diving activities may have on sandbar sharks during two different periods within the tourism season (July and September 2019). Overall, 241 sandbar shark sightings (with up to five individuals together) were recorded in July, whereas there were only six sightings in September. The average MaxN was 1.18 hr−1 (±0.21 hr−1 SE) and 0.22 hr−1 (±0.10 hr−1 SE) individuals in July and September respectively. Higher frequentation levels of divers and boats significantly reduced the number of shark sightings at the aggregation site. This study emphasizes the need for further investigations on Mediterranean shark aggregations and the implementation of specific conservation measures, such as an increase of protection level in Lampione and better enforcement, aside from strategies that promote sustainable tourism, including restrictions on the number of boats and divers’ visits per day. In the meantime, a precautionary approach aimed at regulating the interactions between tourists and sharks should be implemented through the application of a self‐regulatory code of conduct for divers when sharks aggregate around the island.

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“…A shark (Small-tooth sand tiger shark, Odontaspis ferox) diving hotspot is operating in Beirut, Lebanon, (Gallagher & Hammerschlag 2011). Seasonal aggregations of dusky sharks (Carcharhinus obscurus) and sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus) can be seen in Hadera (Israel) near the Orot Rabin power plant (Barash et al 2018) where shark-diving activities have recently developed (Zemah Shamir et al 2019). Similarly, in Lampedusa (Italy), sandbar sharks are often observed from August to September in a diving site near the small rock of Lampione (www.pelagoslampedusa.it).…”

Section: Sharks and Human Societymentioning

confidence: 99%

Opportunities from citizen science for shark conservation, with a focus on the Mediterranean Sea

Bargnesi

Lucrezi

Ferretti

2020

The European Zoological Journal

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The Mediterranean Sea is a hotspot for shark conservation. A decline in large pelagic shark populations has been observed in this vast region over the last 50 years and a lack of data on the local population status of various species has been pointed out. Throughout history, the relation between people and sharks has been revolving around a mixture of mystery, fear, and attraction. Recently, however, a remunerative ecotourism industry has been growing in areas of shark aggregation globally. This growth has been accompanied by the establishment of a citizen science (CS) movement aimed to engage and recruit ecotourists in data collection for shark research. Several CS projects have generated interesting results in terms of scientific findings and public engagement. In the Mediterranean Sea, shark aggregations are not as relevant to support locally-focused CS actions on shark diving sites as in other parts of the world. However, a series of other initiatives are taking place and CS could offer an excellent opportunity for shark conservation in the Mediterranean Sea. The dramatic decline of shark populations shown in the region calls for alternative ways to collect data on species distributions and abundance. Obtaining such data to set proper conservation and management plans for sharks in the Mediterranean Sea will be possible if existing CS initiatives collaborate and coordinate, and CS is widely acknowledged and deployed as a valuable tool for public education, engagement, and scientific discovery. After providing an overview of multiple facets of the relationship between humans and sharks, we focus on the possibility of exploiting new technologies and attitudes toward sharks among some groups of ocean users to boost participatory research. CS is a great opportunity for shark science, especially for areas such as the Mediterranean Sea and for large pelagic sharks whose populations are highly impacted.

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Seasonal aggregations of sharks near coastal power plants in Israel: an emerging phenomenon

Cited by 17 publications

References 23 publications

Integrating local ecological knowledge, citizen science and long‐term historical data for endangered species conservation: Additional records of angel sharks (Chondrichthyes: Squatinidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

Integrating local ecological knowledge, citizen science and long‐term historical data for endangered species conservation: Additional records of angel sharks (Chondrichthyes: Squatinidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

Sandbar shark aggregation in the central Mediterranean Sea and potential effects of tourism

Opportunities from citizen science for shark conservation, with a focus on the Mediterranean Sea

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