What you gonna do ?
After last month ’ s news about dwindling oceanic shark numbers , concerned divers may well ask what they can do about it . Paul Cox has a suggestion
Senior snapper study
The discovery of an 81-year-old midnight snapper off Australia is forcing marine biologists to re-evaluate their perception of tropical reef fish longevity . The octogenarian snapper is one of 11 snappers over the age of 60 caught by researchers off the coast of Western Australia between 2016 and 2020 . The decades-old fish were collected by scientists as part of a long-term study on the longevity of marine fishes .
Researchers from AIMS and the Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories determined the age of the snappers by dissecting them and examining their otoliths — the small calcium carbonate structures , also known as ear stones , found in the inner ears of fishes that aid in balance and hearing .
recording what happens as oceans warm up and acidification increases . At the moment I suspect most of us are thinking about reducing single use plastic and carbon footprint in our lives , or perhaps doing litter picks if you are lucky enough to live by the sea . There are so many initiatives coming on stream for us to be involved with – this column should help you to find out what they are . We all know about carbon capture and planting trees , but did you know that seagrass is way more powerful as a carbon sink and oxygen producer ? In the next few months , we will be letting you know how to get involved in finding where our seagrass meadows are and how important they are . I would love to know what you feel are the important ways we could help protect our environment . Everything from recording mermaid ’ s purses , to doing a Seasearch course , or finding out where you can buy recycled ghost fishing gear as rather gorgeous clothing . Your ideas will help to drive this column for all our benefit . Please email me at jane . maddocks @ bsac . com
We all want to do something to make the situation better for sharks . But it isn ’ t always obvious what that thing is . And there ’ s only so many times that you can add a virtual angry face icon to a Facebook post before your actual face turns puce . We can sign petitions and donate to charities doing the work ( please !) – but is that enough ?
There are other ways , and diving is part of the picture . One of the big issues faced by sharks – and by the scientists who produce the evidence to support policy changes – is a lack of data . Beyond the star-sharks , there are many species for which basic data is lacking . And this can often put the brakes on conservation action . Long term datasets are particularly rare . This reflects a mismatch between the volume of information required and the resources available for scientific research . Scientists can ’ t be everywhere . But there are ways we can all pitch in to lend a hand .
One eggcase found on a beach , one Basking Shark spotted from a RIB , one encounter with a shark on a reef dive or a sighting of a shark entangled in plastic . Each of these events on their own might not strike you as anecdotal treasure . But record it and it becomes a tiny piece of gold . Combined with the information from other sources and records from an army of other citizen scientists , eventually you get something of real value .
Eggcase finds have been flooding into
the Trust for nearly 20 years now . We have a fragrant store cupboard to prove it . The Great Eggcase Hunt now has close to 300,000 records from around the UK ( and a growing number from partner projects around Europe ). Every little eggcase counts – but records are fine , we definitely don ’ t need any more samples . Records of beach finds build a picture of the whereabouts of breeding populations and provides an evidence base for protective measures .
At the other end of the size spectrum is the baskers . Last year we adopted the Marine Conservation Society ’ s Basking Shark dataset . Incorporating our own records and stretching back to the 1980s , this provides a really valuable picture of the changes in Basking Shark distribution and abundance over time . The data is being put to good use in assessing how populations shifts due to climate change , and as an aid in MPA management .
However , long-term datasets need continuous feeding . So despite the successes already , we need to keep going . As divers we ’ re close to the action . Of course , not every record is a gamechanger but sightings from divers could provide early indication of a change of range in a species . The message , then , is this : never let a sighting go to waste . Never assume that nobody cares . If you spot a shark , then please , make it count .
Find out more at www . sharktrust . org / getinvolved
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