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Journal article
Identifying priority sites for whale shark ship collision management globally
The Science of the total environment, Vol.934, 172776
2024
PMID: 38697520
Abstract
The expansion of the world's merchant fleet poses a great threat to the ocean's biodiversity. Collisions between ships and marine megafauna can have population-level consequences for vulnerable species. The Endangered whale shark (Rhincodon typus), shares a circumglobal distribution with this expanding fleet and tracking of movement pathways has shown that large vessel collisions pose a major threat to the species. However, it is not yet known whether they are also at risk within aggregation sites, where up to 400 individuals can gather to feed on seasonal bursts of planktonic productivity. These “constellation” sites are of significant ecological, socio-economic and cultural value. Here, through expert elicitation, we gathered information from most known constellation sites for this species across the world (>50 constellations and >13,000 individual whale sharks). We defined the spatial boundaries of these sites and their overlap with shipping traffic. Sites were then ranked based on relative levels of potential collision danger posed to whale sharks in the area. Our results showed that researchers and resource managers may underestimate the threat posed by large ship collisions due to a lack of direct evidence, such as injuries or witness accounts, which are available for other, sub-lethal threat categories. We found that constellations in the Arabian Sea and adjacent waters, the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of California, and Southeast and East Asia, had the greatest level of vessel collision threat. We also identified 39 sites where peaks in shipping activity coincided with peak seasonal occurrences of whale sharks, sometimes across several months. Simulated potential collision mitigation options estimated a minimal impact to industry, as most whale shark core habitat areas were relatively small. Given the threat posed by vessel collisions, a coordinated, multi-national approach to collision mitigation is needed within priority whale shark habitats to ensure collision protection for the species.
Details
- Title
- Identifying priority sites for whale shark ship collision management globally
- Authors/Creators
- Freya C. Womersley - National Oceanography CentreChristoph A. Rohner - Marine Megafauna FoundationKatya Abrantes - Biopixel Oceans Foundation, AustraliaPedro Afonso - Universidade dos AçoresShin Arunrugstichai - Thai Marine Ecology Centre, ThailandSteffen S. Bach - Qatar Whale Shark Research Project, Doha, QatarShir Bar - Sharks in Israel, IsraelAdi Barash - Sharks in Israel, IsraelPeter Barnes - Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, WA Government, AustraliaAdam Barnett - Biopixel Oceans Foundation, AustraliaGinevra Boldrocchi - University of InsubriaNoemie Buffat - New Heaven Reef Conservation Program, ThailandTom Canon - Protect What You Love, AustraliaClara Canovas Perez - Maldives National UniversityMetavee Chuangcharoendee - Department of Marine and Coastal ResourcesJesse E.M. Cochran - Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteRafael de la Parra - King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyStella Diamant - Ch'ooj Ajauil AC, MexicoWilliam Driggers - Madagascar Biodiversity PartnershipChristine Dudgeon - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Fisheries Science CenterMark V. Erdmann - University of the Sunshine CoastRichard Fitzpatrick - Biopixel Oceans Foundation, AustraliaAnna Flam - Marine Megafauna FoundationJorge Fontes - HortaGemma Francis - Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, WA Government, AustraliaBeatriz Eugenia Galvan - King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyRachel Graham - Conservation International, USASofia M. Green - MarAlliance, Cabo VerdeJonathan R. Green - MarAlliance, Cabo VerdeYa'ara Grosmark - Sharks in Israel, IsraelHector M. Guzman - Universidad San Francisco de QuitoRoyale S. Hardenstine - Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteMaria Harvey - Hawai'i Uncharted Research Collective, USAJessica Harvey-Carroll - Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, MaldivesAbdi Wunanto Hasan - Konservasi Indonesia, IndonesiaAlex R. Hearn - Galápagos Whale Shark Project, USAJill M. Hendon - University of Southern MississippiMochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra - Konservasi Indonesia, IndonesiaMahardika Rizqi Himawan - University of MataramEric Hoffmayer - The Madagascar Whale Shark Project, MadagascarJason Holmberg - Wild Me, OR, USAHua Hsun Hsu - Coastal Carolina UniversityMohammed Y. Jaidah - Qatar Whale Shark Research Project, Doha, QatarAshlee Jansen - Ash Karas Photography, AustraliaChristy Judd - University of ExeterBaraka Kuguru - Tanzania Fisheries Research InstituteEmily Lester - University of Hawaiʻi at MānoaBruno C.L. Macena - HortaKirsty Magson - Thai Whale Sharks, ThailandRossana Maguiño - ecOceánicaMabel Manjaji-Matsumoto - Universiti of Malaysia SabahStacia Marcoux - Hawai'i Uncharted Research Collective, USATravis Marcoux - Hawai'i Uncharted Research Collective, USAJennifer McKinney - University of Southern MississippiMark Meekan - Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, AustraliaAlejandra Mendoza - ecOceánicaMuhammad Moazzam - WWF-Pakistan, PakistanEmily Monacella - New Heaven Reef Conservation Program, ThailandBrad Norman - ECOCEAN Inc., AustraliaCameron Perry - Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, MaldivesSimon Pierce - Marine Megafauna FoundationClare Prebble - Marine Megafauna FoundationDení Ramírez Macías - Whale Shark Mexico, La Paz, BCS, MexicoHolly Raudino - Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, WA Government, AustraliaSamantha Reynolds - ECOCEAN Inc., AustraliaDavid Robinson - Sundive Research, NSW, AustraliaDavid Rowat - Marine Conservation Society Seychelles, SeychellesMudjekeewis D. Santos - National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Quezon City, PhilippinesJennifer Schmidt - Shark Research Institute, USAChad Scott - Conservation DiverSian Tian See - Universiti of Malaysia SabahAbraham Sianipar - Murdoch UniversityConrad W. Speed - Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, WA, AustraliaIsmail Syakurachman - Konservasi Indonesia, IndonesiaJulian A. Tyne - Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, WA Government, AustraliaKelly Waples - Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, WA Government, AustraliaChloe Winn - Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, MaldivesRanny R. Yuneni - WWF-IndonesiaIrthisham Zareer - Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, MaldivesGonzalo Araujo - Marine Research and Conservation Foundation, Somerset, UK
- Publication Details
- The Science of the total environment, Vol.934, 172776
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V.
- Identifiers
- 991005662866807891
- Copyright
- © 2024 Published by Elsevier B.V. © 2024 The Authors.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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