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1.
The smooth hammerhead shark, Sphyrna zygaena, occurs in warm temperate waters around the northern North Island of New Zealand. Commercial fishing records and research trawl survey data were used to determine their distribution. Highest catch rates were recorded in relatively sheltered bays and coastlines along the northeast coast of North Island. Neonate and juvenile sharks use shallow coastal waters and large harbours and estuaries as nursery areas up to an age of two years and total length of 150?cm. Five sharks were electronically tagged but two apparently died and three (137–160?cm total length) returned useful data. Two tagged sharks remained in or near the Bay of Islands for 6–55 days after tagging, moving extensively through the bay. A third shark moved about 155?km southeast in 250 days. That shark spent 70 days mostly shallower than 10?m (94% of time) with occasional dives to 40?m. Thereafter, it oscillated between the surface and depths of 60?80?m, with most time (55%) being spent at 40?60?m. Maximum recorded depth was 144?m.  相似文献   

2.
The current study provides long-term catch-rate, biological and feeding data for smooth hammerhead sharks, Sphyrna zygaena, caught in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal bather protection programme. In total, 2 512 S. zygaena were caught in net installations between 1978 and 2014, and 72 S. zygaena were caught on drumlines between 2007 and 2014. There was no significant log-linear year trend in the net catch rate over time (slope = 0.0054, t = 1.808, p = 0.07). However, there was a significant temporal increase in mean size of the captured sharks (slope = 0.0012, t = 3.502, p < 0.001). A quasi-Poisson generalised additive mixed model showed that increasing latitude, winter months, colder sea temperatures and the deployment of drumlines all had a significant positive effect on the catch rate of sharks in nets. The size frequency of the catch was unimodal, with significantly more females caught in the nets and more males on the drumlines. The majority (93.1%) of all sharks caught were immature and measured between 80 and 120 cm precaudal length. Teleosts and cephalopods dominated the sharks’ diet in terms of all dietary indices. The prey species consumed indicate that immature S. zygaena are feeding primarily within the pelagic zone of shallow coastal habitats.  相似文献   

3.
Between 1978 and 1998, a total of 3 385 scalloped hammerhead sharks Sphyrna lewini was caught in the protective nets off KwaZulu-Natal. The mean annual catch was 166 sharks (range 60–279). There was a significant decrease in catch rate with time, but the relationship with the population size in KwaZulu-Natal waters is unknown. Size and sex segregation is indicated. Sizes-at-50% maturity were 161.5cm (males) and 183.1cm (females). Most of the catch (91%) was immature, but neonates are poorly sampled by the 51-cm meshed nets. In small animals (<160cm precaudal length, PCL), males significantly outnumbered females by 2.2:1, and in large animals by 3.6:1. The length-mass relationship differed between sexes. Catches of both small and large animals were highest in summer. Most of the large males were caught in November and December, consistent with an inshore movement of mature animals to breed in summer, but no evidence of recent mating was observed in either sex. Females pregnant with term embryos (median embryo length per litter 30.4–36.2cm) were caught between October and March. These females tended to have maximum ovarian follicle diameters of ≥30mm, indicating that mating would occur shortly after parturition. The median size of 11 litters was 10 embryos. The Tugela Bank to the north of the netted region appears to be a nursery ground. Teleosts, comprising 42 families and 60 identified species, dominated the diet in terms of frequency of occurrence (77%), followed by cephalopods (25%).  相似文献   

4.
The shark species Carcharhinus brachyurus, C. obscurus and Sphyrna zygaena, which attain more than 2 m when adult, occur in coastal waters of the Southern Cape as juveniles. They use these coastal waters as nursery areas and their relative abundance there varies through the year, possibly because of seasonally varying oceanographic conditions. Adult C. brachyurus occur in the same geographic area but usually deeper, although there is some overlap in juvenile and adult depth ranges. Adult C. obscurus prefer the warmer subtropical and tropical waters north of the study area. Adult S. zygaena are found over deep reefs at the edge of the continental shelf. There was considerable dietary overlap between the three species, the prey of all three being dominated by small schooling fish, such as pilchard, and squid. For the three species, animals of total length >2 m took larger prey, such as elasmobranchs, with greater frequency, although they continued to prey on squid and schooling fish. It is postulated that the nursery areas are in the study area because of the abundance of food there, and that avoidance of cannibalism would be enhanced by the use of such nurseries.  相似文献   

5.
Shark catches in the protective nets set off the beaches of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, are strongly influenced by the sardine run, the winter influx of shoals of Sardinops sagax from the south-west. The effect of the sardine run, which is highly variable from year to year, is greatest in June and July at beaches south of Durban. Total annual shark catch and effort are presented for the period 1952–2005, and total monthly shark catch on the KZN south coast for the period May–August, 1965–2005. Measures to reduce catches of sharks associated with the sardine run have been introduced and have been increasingly successful. Reliable species-specific catch data are available for the period 1978–2005 only. For this period, the spatio-temporal distribution of each of 14 species of shark and the frequency of occurrence of sardine in their diets is documented. Occurrence varies according to species, as does the apparent influence of the sardine run on shark distribution. During June and July on the KZN south coast, sardine were found in the diet of all but two species and frequency of occurrence was 40% or greater in eight species. The presence of copper or bronze whaler sharks Carcharhinus brachyurus in KZN waters appears to be strongly associated with the sardine run, as does that of certain life-history stages of dusky sharks C. obscurus. Spinner sharks C. brevipinna and smooth hammerhead sharks Sphyrna lewini are caught in greater numbers in summer than in winter, but appear to shift their spatial distribution seasonally to feed on sardine.  相似文献   

6.
Broad-scale movements (10s–100s km) of highly migratory species, such as sharks, present unique management challenges as fish migrate across international boundaries, thereby exposing them to different levels of anthropogenic pressure. Lemon sharks and blacktip sharks are well-studied throughout their range in the western North Atlantic, but broad-scale movements in the Caribbean region are largely unknown. Utilizing 10 years (2004–2014) of acoustic and conventional tagging data, this study presents the post-nursery movements of young of the year (YOY) and juvenile blacktip (n = 198) and lemon (n = 130) sharks tagged in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). A total of five (2.5%) blacktip sharks were recaptured by recreational and commercial fishers in the greater Caribbean and as far north as the southeastern coast of the United States, moving between 2 and 2,200 km and crossing a minimum of six international boundaries. Of the acoustically tagged blacktip (n = 88) and lemon (n = 45) sharks, 28 (32%) and 16 (24%), respectively, were detected outside the boundaries of the nursery area in which they were tagged, dispersing throughout the USVI territory; blacktip sharks were acoustically detected beyond territorial waters as far as Florida, United States (1,881 km). Both species transited through local marine protected areas but did not establish residency resulting in little protection. This is the first study to examine connectivity between blacktip shark populations of the USVI and the east coast of the United States.  相似文献   

7.
In the North Cape area (34°26'S, 173°07'E) there appears to be a concentration of late juvenile packhorse rock lobsters, Jasus verreauxi (H. Milne Edwards'), which subsequently contributes significantly to the nearby fishery for adult J. verreauxi off Cape Reinga. Evidence for this is based on the overall smaller size and fewer mature rock lobsters at North Cape compared to areas nearby, and on the results of tagging experiments carried out during 1976–77. Rock lobsters tagged at North Cape moved 21–514 km, mainly west and south, before recapture at minimum rates of 0.03–2.00 krn.d‐1. For females at least, the movement away from North Cape usually occurs at about the time that sexual maturity is attained. Rock lobsters tagged near Cape Reinga moved 3–34 km west at minimum rates of 0.04–0.35 km.d‐1.

Although the closure of the North Cape grounds to rock lobster fishing restricts the taking of the small number of legal‐sized fish available in the area, the restriction ensures less mortality and damage to the undersized fish due to handling.  相似文献   

8.
The South African midwater trawl fishery targets adult horse mackerel Trachurus capensis. The bulk of the catch is taken by a single freezer-trawler, the biggest fishing vessel operating in South African waters. As fishing takes place off the south coast in ecologically sensitive areas, there are concerns about the potential impacts of this fishing operation on non-target species. Fishing behaviour and bycatch of this fishery from 2004 to 2014 were investigated by analysing observer records with regard to catch composition, volume and temporal and spatial patterns. The midwater trawl fishery was estimated to have caught 25 415 tonnes annually, with a bycatch of 6.9% of the total catch, by weight. There are species overlaps with various fisheries, namely the demersal trawl, small-pelagic, line, shark longline and squid fisheries, yet the total bycatch estimates from this fishery are generally small relative to catches taken in the target fisheries. Bycatch species with the highest average annual catches were chub mackerel Scomber japonicus, redeye roundherring Etrumeus whiteheadi, ribbonfish Lepidopus caudatus and hake Merluccius spp. Large-fauna bycatch species included sunfish Mola mola as well as a number of CITES II- and IUCN-listed species, such as Cape fur seal Arctocephalus pusillus, dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus, smooth hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena and thresher sharks Alopias spp. The 97.9% observer coverage is high and the 6.9% bycatch rate low compared to other South African fisheries; however, due to the large size of the individual hauls (average of 46.3 t), the average sampling rate of 1.56% is low. Our analyses suggest that bycatch in the South African midwater trawl fishery has been lower than in other South African fisheries and similar fisheries elsewhere, but due to the combination of high catch volumes and low sampling rates, estimation errors for rare species are high and there is a substantial risk of incidental unmonitored bycatch of rare large fauna and aggregations of small fauna. This could be mitigated by spatio-temporal management of this fishery, to avoid fishing in high-risk areas, and the introduction of an electronic monitoring programme.  相似文献   

9.
The current study provides long-term catch rate and biological data for tiger sharks Galeocerdo cuvier caught in the KwaZulu-Natal bather protection programme. Between 1978 and 2014, 1 760 G. cuvier were caught in nets and between 2007 and 2014, 108 G. cuvier were caught on drumlines. Standardised catch rates increased significantly over time (p < 0.001) for both small (≤180 cm precaudal length, PCL) and large sharks (>180 cm). There was also a significant temporal increase in the mean size of sharks across gear types (p < 0.001). A quasi-Poisson generalised additive mixed model showed that the deployment of drumlines had no significant effect on the catch rate of sharks in nets. The nets, however, caught significantly larger sharks (mean 184.5 cm, SD 39) than did drumlines (mean 138.6 cm, SD 36.5; p < 0.001). The size frequency of the catch was unimodal and females significantly outnumbered males in both gear types. Few young-of-the-year (0.8%) or mature sharks (1.8%) were caught. Only 23 (4.7%) of the 486 sharks tagged and released were recaptured, with the majority (87.0%) of those recaptured <150 km from their original tagging locality. The results from this study suggest an increasing local population trend in G. cuvier along the KwaZulu-Natal coast.  相似文献   

10.
An integrated telephone and on-site questionnaire survey was used to estimate total shark fishing effort and specific catch of the ragged-tooth shark Carcharias taurus by coastal club-affiliated shore-anglers, primarily along the east coast of South Africa. Mean total shark fishing effort was estimated to be 37 820 fisher-days year?1 (95% CI = 28 281–47 359 fisher-days year?1) with a mean cpue of 0.073 C. taurus fisher?1 day?1 (95% CI = 0.068–0.078 fisher?1 day?1). Cpue for C. taurus varied significantly along the coast and ranged from a high of 0.260 fisher?1 day?1 in the Eastern Cape to zero fisher?1 day?1 on the West Coast. The total number of C. taurus caught annually by coastal club anglers was estimated at 1 764 fish year?1 (95% CI = 321–3 207 fish year?1). The majority (92.1%) of young-of-the-year sharks (<1.2m total length, TL) were recorded between East London and Jeffreys Bay, suggesting that this may be the primary nursery area for C. taurus. Post-release mortality ranged from 3.8% for young-of-the-year sharks to 18.5% for adult sharks (>2.4m TL). The majority (76.2%) of anglers interviewed stated that they now fished less for sharks since the banning of vehicles on beaches in December 2001. As a result of this ban, almost half (49.2%) of interviewed anglers stated that they now fished more for non-cartilaginous species.  相似文献   

11.
The diets of 15 species of squaloid sharks caught between Walvis Bay and Cape Agulhas over a depth range of 50–1 016 m are analysed. The most common prey items were fish and cephalopods. Hake Merluccius spp. were common in the diets of Centrophorus squamosus, Squalus acanthias, and S. cf. mitsukurii. Myctophids were extensively preyed on by Centroscyllium fabricii, Deania calcea, D. profundorum, Etmopterus cf. brachyurus, E. compagnoi, S. acanthias and S. megalops, among others. The most common cephalopods in shark stomachs were Histioteuthis miranda, Lycoteuthis ?diadema, Octopus vulgaris and Todarodes angolensis. Crustaceans were uncommon prey of most species, except for Centroscyllium fabricii and Etmopterus cf. granulosus. Centroscymnus coelolepis was the only squaloid with cetacean remains in the stomach. That species appears to parasitize its cetacean victims.  相似文献   

12.
Understanding movement behaviour is essential for effective management of fishery species. Dart tags were used to study coastal movement patterns of white steenbras Lithognathus lithognathus, an overexploited seabream (Sparidae) in South Africa. In total, 6 962 fish (190–1 080 mm fork length) were tagged throughout the species’ distributional range, in four long-term fish-tagging programmes. The predominant behaviour recorded was residency, with relatively short-ranging movements. More than 60% of the 351 recaptured fish were recaptured within 1 km of their tagging site, some of which were at liberty in excess of three years. Most of the juveniles (93.9%), subadults (71.7%) and adults (64.0%) were recaptured within 10 km. Occasional long-distance movements of up to 800 km were recorded. Recapture distances were positively, but weakly, correlated with fish fork length (n = 257 fish measured at recapture; r2 = 0.166, p < 0.001). Low levels of connectivity among coastal areas suggest that large-scale annual spawning migrations, as previously hypothesised for this species, are unlikely, which raises the possibility of multiple spawning sites. Seventy-seven percent of L. lithognathus tagged within three marine protected areas (MPAs) were recaptured within the same MPA, suggesting that area closures provide protection for L. lithognathus through the post-estuarine juvenile, subadult and adult life stages. We confirm that the country’s current network of coastal MPAs plays a vital role in sustaining this species, and suggest that additional closures, or otherwise substantial reductions in catch rates, are necessary for the species’ recovery.  相似文献   

13.
Identifying nearshore waters that serve as important habitats for neonate and juvenile sharks is crucial for effective fisheries management. This study examined the abundance of neonate and juvenile dusky sharks Carcharhinus obscurus within the Port of Ngqura, on the south-east coast of South Africa, between September 2006 and August 2007 using a combination of shore-angling catches and mark-recapture data. During this period, the port was non-operational and still undergoing construction. A total of 480 dusky sharks, ranging in size from 50 to 123 cm (precaudal length), was captured. Catch per unit effort was greatest between October and February, peaking in November at 0.51 sharks angler–1 h–1. Of the 219 C. obscurus tagged and released during the study period, 37 (16.9%) were recaptured. Sharks were at liberty from 0 to 409 days with the majority (89.2%) recaptured within the port. Using a Jolly-Seber open population model, the abundance of sharks within the port was estimated at 552 (95% CI: 422–765). Annual apparent survival probability was 0.38 (95% CI: 0.30–0.46), with an average annual recapture probability of 0.28 (95% CI: 0.19–0.39). This study demonstrates that the Port of Ngqura is an important summer habitat and core activity zone for both neonate and juvenile dusky sharks.  相似文献   

14.
The existence and strength of the annual KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) sardine run has long been a conundrum to fishers and scientists alike ― particularly that the sardine Sardinops sagax migrate along the narrow Transkei shelf against the powerful, warm Agulhas Current. However, examination of ship-borne acoustic Doppler current profiler (S–ADCP) data collected during two research surveys in 2005 indicated that northward-flowing coastal countercurrents exist at times between the Agulhas Bank and the KZN Bight, near Port Alfred, East London, Port St Johns and Durban. The countercurrent near Port Alfred extended as far east as the Keiskamma River, within an upwelling zone known to exist there. An ADCP mooring at a depth of 32 m off Port Alfred indicated that the countercurrent typically lasted a few days, but at times remained in the same direction for as long as 10 days. Velocities ranged between 20 and 60 cm s?1 with maximum values of ~80 cm s?1. The S–ADCP data also highlighted the existence of cyclonic flow in the Port St Johns–Waterfall Bluff coastal inset, with a northward coastal current similarly ranging in velocity between 20 and 60 cm s?1. CTD data indicated that this was associated with shelf-edge upwelling, with surface temperatures 2–4 °C cooler than the adjacent core temperature (24–26 °C) of the Agulhas Current. Vertical profiles of the S–ADCP data showed that the countercurrent, about 7 km wide, extends down the slope to at least 600 m, where it appeared to link with the deep Agulhas Undercurrent at 800 m. S–ADCP and sea surface temperature (SST) satellite data confirmed the existence of the semi-permanent, lee-trapped, cyclonic eddy off Durban, associated with a well-defined northward coastal current between Park Rynie and Balito Bay. Analysis of three months (May–July 2005) of satellite SST and ocean colour data showed the shoreward core-boundary of the Agulhas Current (24 °C isotherm) to commonly be close to the coast along the KZN south coast, as well as between the Kei and Mbhashe rivers on the Transkei shelf. The Port St Johns–Waterfall Bluff cyclonic eddy was also frequently visible in these satellite data. Transient cyclonic eddies, which spanned 150–200 km of shelf, appeared to move downstream in the shoreward boundary of the Agulhas Current at a frequency of about once a month. These seemed to be break-away Durban eddies. Data collected by ADCP moorings deployed off Port Edward in 2005 showed that these break-away eddies and the well-known Natal Pulse are associated with temporary northward countercurrents on the shelf, which can last up to six days. It is proposed that these countercurrents off Port Alfred, East London and Port St Johns assist sardine to swim northwards along the Transkei shelf against the Agulhas Current, but that their progress north of Waterfall Bluff is dependent on the arrival of a transient, southward-moving, break-away Durban cyclonic eddy, which apparently sheds every 4–6 weeks, or on the generation of a Natal Pulse. This passage control mechanism has been coined the ‘Waterfall Bluff gateway’ hypothesis. The sardine run survey in June–July 2005 was undertaken in the absence of a cyclonic eddy on the KZN south coast, i.e. when the ‘gate’ was closed.  相似文献   

15.
Information is presented on the distribution of chlorophyll a between the Cunene River (18°S), on the border of South West Africa (Namibia) and Angola, and East London (28°E) on the east coast of South Africa. Spectrophotometric measurements of samples collected during various research cruises and estimates from satellite measurements were used. The coast was divided into a number of oceanographic regions. Spatial and temporal variation of chlorophyll a in the waters off central-northern South West Africa, the Lüderitz region, the South-Western Cape and the Algoa region are discussed in some detail. There was a narrow coastal band of moderate to high chlorophyll a (3 to in excess of 10 mg·m?3) at the surface between Cape Cross (22°S) and Möwe Point (c. 19°S) throughout most of the year, whereas in much of the area between 23 and 33°S concentrations reached maximum values in autumn. Along the South-Western Cape coast, high concentrations of chlorophyll a were observed in the St Helena Bay area up to 90 km off shore throughout the year, evenly distributed in the upper 30 m. A narrower band of high concentrations of chlorophyll a extended southwards to Cape Agulhas during summer when upwelling was most active. During late summer and autumn a subsurface maximum developed on the Agulhas Bank associated with the thermocline. Low to moderate concentrations were widespread over the entire coastal zone during winter, with strong mixing in the upper 50 — 100 m. A fairly consistent feature of the Algoa region was the presence of moderate concentrations of chlorophyll associated with a wedge-shaped zone of coastal and dynamic upwelling. The implications of the distribution of chlorophyll in time and space are discussed with respect to the distribution and migration of pelagic fish species, particularly anchovy.  相似文献   

16.
Understanding the level of connectivity between estuarine and coastal waters is essential for appropriate management of estuarine-associated taxa. Most studies have focused on the role of a single estuary, while limited research exists on the importance of multiple estuaries to individuals of estuarine-associated species. This study used acoustic telemetry to assess the usage of multiple estuaries and coastal waters by the estuarine-dependent spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii. Twenty-six adult fish were tagged with acoustic transmitters in the Kariega and Bushmans estuaries, South Africa, and their movements along a 300-km stretch of Indian Ocean coastline were monitored for up to 17 months. Tagged individuals spent most of their time in the estuary where they were tagged (55% and 85% for fish tagged in the two estuaries, respectively), followed by time in the sea (30% and 15%) and in other estuaries (15% and <1%). The mean durations of sea trips for fish tagged in the Kariega Estuary or Bushmans Estuary, respectively, were 25 days (range 3–55) and 12 days (range 2–22). Of the fish that went to sea, 93% from the Kariega Estuary and 60% from the Bushmans Estuary visited other estuaries. Most visits were undertaken to the Swartkops, Bushmans and Kowie estuaries, although the longest durations were spent in the Sundays Estuary. Individuals moved to estuaries up to 130 km away. The total distance travelled between estuaries by an individual during the study was ~529 km, with means of 201 and 184 km, respectively, for fish tagged in the Kariega and Bushmans estuaries. Despite covering large distances between estuaries, individuals often returned to their tagging estuary. Residency in their tagging estuary, combined with frequent visits to a neighbouring estuary, highlights the importance of estuarine habitats for this popular fish species, even after reaching maturity.  相似文献   

17.
In this paper we describe results of a study designed to test the hypothesis that coastal regions with weak subtidal flow (i.e., coastal null zones) may serve as retention areas for estuarine larval forms. Our investigation assessed the distribution of 3 taxa of crab larvae (Callinectes sapidus, Uca spp., and Hexapanopeus angustifrons) within a 200-km2 region encompassing the mouth of Delaware Bay (ca. 39° N, 75° W). Previous studies had shown that larvae of C. sapidus and Uca spp. are exported to the coastal ocean, while larvae of H. angustifrons are retained within the estuary. In the present investigation, we conducted simultaneous plankton tows at 3 stations during peak spawning season. Samples were collected from a depth of 1 m every 30 min throughout a complete tidal cycle. One station was located 15 km within the bay and was subjected to strong flow at tidal frequency. A second station was located within a southward-flowing coastal current near the southern terminus of the bay at Cape Henlopen. A final station was located in a coastal area of weak subtidal flow near Cape May at the northern terminus of the bay. Results provide a unique synoptic view of larval distributions in 3 distinct hydrographic regimes in the mouth of a major estuary. The coastal-current station was characterized by low concentrations of newly hatched C. sapidus and Uca zoeae, while the null-zone station had high densities of both early and advanced larval stages of these two taxa. In contrast, the station located within the bay had few C. sapidus or Uca zoeae and was dominated by both early and advanced stages of the mud crab H. angustifrons. These data provide clear evidence for the retention of exported larval forms in a coastal null zone associated with the circulation of a large estuary and thus are consistent with our hypothesis.  相似文献   

18.
Some seismic refraction observations undertaken during the IGY are reported here together with a summary of other refraction studies carried out within the Transkei Basin, the Mozambique Ridge and the South African continental shelf area.A 2.5 km section of Cretaceous and younger rocks is associated with profiles observed on the continental shelf; directly below this group are rocks with velocities in the range 4.0–5.5 km s-1, probably representatives of the Karroo and Cape supergroups. The basement material velocity variations were from 5.3 to 6.5 with an average of 5.9 km s-1, and is correlated with granite or Malmesbury Formation plus granite. This crustal structure is similar to that found on the eastern continental shelf of southern South America.The profiles in the Transkei Basin show a thick layer of sediment with velocity range 1.50 to 3.50 km s-1, underlain by a refracting layer in which the average velocity is 4.5 km s-1. The velocity of 6.6 km s-1 obtained for the oceanic layer is similar to the velocities of the crustal layer measured in the Argentine Basin. The mantle velocity (8.1 km s-1) is consistent with the average mantle velocity for the Indian Ocean but significantly lower than the Pacific Ocean average of 8.20 km s-1. The depth to Moho is about 12.0 km and the crustal section is typical oceanic. A plate tectonic model of the early opening of the South Atlantic is used to describe the evolution of the Transkei Basin.On the Mozambique Ridge the thin sediments (0.7 km) are underlain by rocks with velocities averaging 5.6 km s-1. This is more than 1.0 km s-1 faster than the velocity for layer 2 from the Transkei Basin and the Agulhas Plateau, indicating rocks of a younger age or of a different type. Moreover the crustal section of the Ridge has a thickness in excess of 22 km and is in isostatic equilibrium when compared with the adjacent Transkei Basin and Agulhas Plateau. DSDP site 249, situated on the Ridge, penetrated basalt at a depth of 0.4 km. Whether this is continental or oceanic basalt is not known; when this site 249 basalt was compared to the cored basalts of the adjacent Mozambique Basin, inconclusive results were obtained. The essential constitution of the Mozambique Ridge remains an enigma, but solution of this problem is vital for the proper understanding of the Mesozoic history of this oceanic region.  相似文献   

19.
This study assessed the role of the Pondoland Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa by evaluating retention versus ‘spillover’ of exploited fishery species that were tagged in a 400 km2 no-take zone of the MPA. From April 2006 to July 2010, 2 124 fish comprising 36 species were tagged in the MPA, with an overall recapture rate of 23%. Findings for four important species (Polysteganus praeorbitalis, Chrysoblephus puniceus, Epinephelus andersoni and Epinephelus marginatus) are presented. Recapture rates ranged from 8% to 60% and time-at-liberty from 0 to 1 390 d. Individuals of all four species displayed highly localised station-keeping behaviour. For all four species, the 95th percentile of intra-study site movements was <750 m (linear distance) and many recaptures were within 250 m of the release site, showing that some fish spend most of their time in the MPA's no-take zone. However, some fish moved beyond the boundary of this zone in a north-easterly direction (range 3–1 059 km), where they would be available to the boat-based fishery in KwaZulu-Natal. The combination of resident individuals with some with ranging behaviour suggests that the MPA can provide a conservation role for these species, while exporting some individuals into nearby fisheries.  相似文献   

20.
The successful management of shark populations requires juvenile recruitment success. Thus, conservation initiatives now strive to include the protection of areas used by pre‐adult sharks in order to promote juvenile survivorship. Many shark species use inshore areas for early life stages; however, species often segregate within sites to reduce competition. Using a fisheries‐independent gillnet survey from the Northern Gulf of Mexico (2000–2010) we describe distribution patterns and preferred habitat features of the juveniles of six shark species. Our results suggest that multiple shark species concurrently use the area for early life stages and although they overlap, they exhibit distinct habitat preferences characterized by physical variables. Habitat suitability models suggest that temperature, depth, and salinity are the important factors driving juvenile shark occurrence. Within each site, across the sampled range of physical characteristics, blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) preferred higher temperature (>30 °C) and mid‐depth (~5.5 m); bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo) preferred higher temperature (>30 °C) and mid‐salinity (30–35 PSU), finetooth shark (Carcharhinus isodon) preferred low salinity (<20 PSU) with mid‐depth (~4 m), scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) preferred high temperature (>30 °C) and salinity (>35 PSU), Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) preferred high temperature (>30 °C) and deep water (>6 m), and spinner shark (Carcharhinus brevipinna) preferred deep water (>8 m) and high temperature (>30 °C). The other investigated factors, including year, month, latitude, longitude, bottom type, inlet distance, coastline and human coast were not influential for any species. Combining habitat preferences with the sampled environmental characteristics, we predicted habitat suitability throughout the four sites for which physical characteristics were sampled. Habitat suitability surfaces highlight the differences in habitat use between and within sites. This work provides important insight into the habitat ecology of juvenile shark populations, which can be used to better manage these species and protect critical habitat.  相似文献   

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