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Home , Caribbean reef shark, Cuban dogfish, Houndshark, Nurse shark, Silky shark

AND RAYS

Photo by: © Jim Abernethy

Transboundary - Content ... 31 32 33 34 35 ... Overview

As stated in the previous section, the establishment of the Yarari fishing for sharks in the Netherlands and places new pressure on and Sanctuary was an important step fishermen to implement new techniques and updated fishing gear in protecting the shark and ray species of the Dutch Caribbean. to avoid accidentally catching sharks and rays as . Overall, there is a significant lack of information concerning these vital species within Dutch Caribbean waters. Fortunately, this There are several different international treaties and legisla- trend is changing and in the last few years there has been a push tion which offer protection to these species. This includes the to increase research, filling in the historic knowledge gap. Sharks Convention on International Trade in (CITES), and rays are difficult species to protect as they tend to have long the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) protocol and reproduction cycles, varying between 3 and 30 years, small litters, the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). Scientists are just which means they do not recover quickly when overfished and can beginning to uncover the complexities of managing conservation travel over great distances which makes them difficult to track. efforts for these species, as they often have long migration routes which put them in danger if international waters are not managed Early in 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and protected equally. (LNV) published a strategy document to manage and protect sharks and rays within waters the Netherlands influences (this There are more than thirty different species of sharks and includes the North Sea, Dutch Caribbean and other international rays which are known to inhabit the waters around the Dutch waters). This new strategy officially makes fishing for or possess- Caribbean. The list below is an overview of documented species, ing shark parts punishable by law in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and but does not include any that are possibly occurring, meaning Saba. This new plan offered unprecedented protection of sharks there are no confirmed sightings (Beek et al., 2014; Davies & and rays through the use of international treaties, research and Piontek, 2017). public awareness. This strategy now officially forbids owning or

For more information on sharks and rays in the Dutch Caribbean, please see the 2018 Special Edition BioNews on the Yarari Sanctuary. For more information on DCNA’s Save Our Sharks: please see the Special Project report.

Transboundary Species - Content ... 36 37 38 39 40 ... FAMILY SPECIES Whale shark Nurse shark

Caribbean reef shark Oceanic white tip shark Blacktip shark Requiem Sharks This section will walk through an overview of the shark and ray species known to inhabit the waters of the Dutch Caribbean. It will also cover important research projects which were completed over the last year. For more information, please see the full BioNews articles, which has been indicated along with the article titles below. Hammerhead Hopefully, the prioritization of shark and ray protection, coupled with new informa- Sharks shark tion on these species, will allow for a comprehensive plan to be put in place to better protect these important species into the future. Basking shark sharks Shortfin mako Thresher sharks Bigeye thresher Six/sevengill sharks Big-eye sixgill shark Blunt nose sixgill shark Dogfish sharks shark Shortspine Kitefin sharks Cookiecutter shark Squaliform sharks Gulper shark Lined lanternshark West Indian lanternshark Lantern sharks Caribbean landernshark

Ground sharks unspecified

Antilles Hoary catshark Whitesaddled catshark Shortnose Cuban Chimaera Gulf Chimaera chimaeras Sawfishes Smalltooth sawfish Stingrays Spotted Southern

Manta/Devil rays Giant manta ray

Table: Overview of documented species, but does not include any that are possibly occurring, meaning there are no confirmed sightings. (Beek et al., 2014; Davies & Piontek, 2017). Overview

Transboundary Species - Content ... 36 37 38 39 40 ... 2019 Research and Project Results

Two species of endangered elasmobranch these species. A cooperative approach is needed providing are recommended to receive additional protection within the waters of all countries through protection in the Caribbean (BioNews 22) which the sharks and rays migrate, especially near establish Sharks have been vilified and exploited for decades, and the nursing grounds. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) now estimates that one-quarter of the world’s sharks and rays are In a bid for regional cooperation and cross-border protec- threatened with extinction due to human activities. From tive management of endangered species and habitats, the destruction of important nursery grounds to the endless 25 Caribbean countries, including the Kingdom of the appetite for , these formidable apex predators Netherlands, have legally pledged to work together to have been treated as if they are an infinite resource. Once protect and manage the Wider Caribbean Region’s coastal abundant in reefs throughout the Caribbean, sharks are now and marine resources through the Specially Protected often a scarce sight. Other species of elasmobranch, such as Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol. This legally binding rays and sawfish, are also rapidly declining. environmental treaty requires signatory countries to cooperate with each other to either fully protect species The Kingdom of the Netherlands has been at the forefront of (those listed in Annex II) or ensure their sustainable use shark conservation since 2015 when the DCNA, with gener- (those listed in Annex III). ous funding from the Dutch Postcode Lottery, launched the “Save Our Sharks” project. This project has achieved much The year 2017 saw a huge win for elasmobranch conserva- through local research, monitoring and education. In addi- tion when, following a request from the Netherlands, the tion, the establishment of the Yarari Marine Mammal and first seven species of sharks and rays were added to the Shark Sanctuary in 2015 was a major achievement in shark Protocol’s Annex III (, whale shark, conservation. Unfortunately, due the migratory behavior of two species of manta ray and three species of hammerhead sharks, these measures only go so far in helping to protect shark) and the smalltooth sawfish to Annex II. Silky Shark, photo by: © Alex Chernikh

Transboundary Species - Content ... 36 37 38 39 40 ... Thanks to the efforts of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Both species are under pressure from a large number of Nature and Food Quality (LNV) and the Dutch Elasmobranch threats, including and accidental bycatch. The Society (NEV), the critically endangered largetooth sawfish silky shark is favored for its fins, and is ranked amongst the and the threatened silky shark have been recommended three most important sharks in the global shark fin trade, by the SPAW scientific and technical advisory committee with up to 1.5 million fins being traded annually from this for addition to Annex II and Annex III of the SPAW Protocol. species alone. Silky sharks are also highly susceptible to in- “Through the SPAW protocol, signatory countries have cidental capture in and swordfish due to their made firm commitments to ensure the protection of these dietary preference, and the long snout of the largetooth unique throughout their Caribbean range” explains sawfish easily gets tangled in fishing nets. The life history Paul Hoetjes, Coordinator of nature policy for the Caribbean characteristics of elasmobranchs, notably their slow growth, Netherlands of LNV. late maturity and low fecundity (produce few young), means that these species have an especially hard time rebounding The largetooth sawfish resembles a shark but is in fact a spe- from exploitation. cies of ray with a flattened head and distinct saw-like snout (rostrum) that protrudes from the head and has protruding The Dutch Caribbean islands are home to 26 shark species, teeth along its margins. The population of this sawfish among which are some of the most iconic species; such as species, which was labelled as “the elasmobranch species whale sharks, tiger sharks and hammerheads (Beek et al., most in danger of extinction” in a 2014 study, has drasti- 2014; Davies & Piontek, 2017). Safeguarding these highly cally declined and the sawfish has been listed as Critically migratory species will require a continued cooperative Endangered since 2013. approach between all countries through which they migrate, and an increase in safe havens like the Saba Bank and the The silky shark is a large but slender oceanic shark that Yarari Sanctuary. Thankfully, many countries in the Wider gets its name from the smooth and silky texture of its skin. Caribbean Region are now working to protect these spectac- The IUCN Red List status of the silky shark was adjusted ular species, on which healthy oceans and island economies in 2017 from “Near Threatened” to “Vulnerable” due to are so dependent. an estimated 47-54% decline of the global population Largetooth Sawfish, photo by: © Simon Fraser University - University Communications. over three generations.

2019 Research and Project Results

Transboundary Species - Content ... 36 37 38 39 40 ... At least ten reef-associated shark device is implanted within the shark. Acoustic in marine parks or areas of conservation than in Importance of Protected Areas species in the Dutch Caribbean receivers are installed at specific locations, and unprotected areas, highlighting the importance of Both the BRUV and acoustic telemetry studies (BioNews 25) whenever sharks with these transmitters travel these zones in shark conservation. Furthermore, showed higher presence of reef associated sharks There is a lack of knowledge concerning the near the receiver (within a range of 450 to 850 when comparing the BRUV surveys from Sint within the conservation zones, along with high distribution and abundance of shark and ray meters) they are recorded. Maarten, Curaçao and Bonaire to previous BRUV site fidelity and small home ranges. Furthermore, species throughout the Dutch Caribbean. studies from Aruba, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Saba as some longer distance movements were also To combat this knowledge gap, from 2015- 2018, The first studies using BRUV were conducted on Bank, it showed that the Aruba survey had the documented, interconnectivity between these DCNA ran the “Save Our Sharks” (SOS) project Saba, Saba Bank and St. Eustatius to better un- largest shark diversity (8 species) and the Bonaire areas is just beginning to be understood. The on- for the Dutch Caribbean, funded by the Dutch derstand the local population of sharks and rays survey the lowest (2 species). The Saba survey going study on acoustic telemetry (funded by the Postcode Lottery. In this project, DCNA collabo- and their relative abundances, and were funded documented 5 shark species, Saba bank had 4 Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality rated with local fisherman and scientists to build by the Dutch Government. Starting in 2015, as shark species with Curaçao, Sint Eustatius and (LNV)) will yield more data on this. Therefore, popular support for shark and ray conservation part of the SOS project, additional studies were Sint Maarten each registering 3 shark species. not only are local marine parks crucial for the amongst the local community, as well as conducted to include the waters around Bonaire, There was an additional BRUV submarine test at conservation efforts of sharks and rays, but larger increasing knowledge about shark and ray Curaçao and Sint Maarten. In 2017 a BRUV survey a depth of 300 meters off Curaçao which found conservation networks, such as the Yarari Marine species within the region by conducting a was done in Aruba, financed by Global Finprint an additional shark species (Cuban dogfish). Mammal and Shark Sanctuary which includes all number of research projects. by Masters-student Miranka van Breugel of the In total, at least 10 shark species were seen the waters of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius, University of Groningen, in partnership with within the Dutch Caribbean during the are vital to protect entire populations. Shark Research Wageningen University. different BRUV surveys. A recently published study by Wageningen Marine Research, as part of DCNA’s SOS Project, Acoustic telemetry was also used to better The acoustic telemetry studies demonstrated established a baseline for current shark diversity, understand the movements of sharks, habitat that both the and nurse distribution, abundance, spatial behavior and use, migration and connectivity between islands. shark have small home ranges and strong site population structure for inshore reefs around the The telemetry study tracked two shark species, fidelity. Large crossings between areas were Dutch Caribbean islands. Caribbean reef shark ( perezi) and rare, although there were a few cases in which nurse shark ( cirratum) around two Caribbean reef sharks and one nurse shark There were two methods used by the researchers Saba (from 2014) and then around Saba Bank, travelled between Saba and Saba bank. The two to study sharks. One method used Baited Remote Sint Maarten and Sint Eustatius (from 2015). Caribbean reef sharks made short directed jour- Underwater Video (BRUV) which used a device neys back and forth, whereas the nurse shark was consisting of two cameras set in front of a baited Findings detected in the Saba Bank after a two-year ab- feed bag. The idea is that as sharks come near the During the BRUVs deployments around Sint sence and then returned to Saba. One nurse shark bait bag to feed, video footage can be collected Maarten, Curaçao and Bonaire the most common from another study from the US Virgin Islands to identify and count local shark populations. The detected shark species was the Caribbean reef was detected in the network on the Saba Bank, a other method used acoustic telemetry to track shark, with Sint Maarten also frequently showing distance of at least 160 kilometers. sharks. In this method, a small acoustic tracking nurse sharks. Overall, more sharks were observed

Caribbean reef shark in the Man of War Shoal Marine Park , Sint Maarten. Photo by: © Melanie Meijer zu Schlochtern

2019 Research and Project Results

Transboundary Species - Content ... 36 37 38 39 40 ... Dutch Government Announces around the islands of Bonaire, Saba and New International Shark Strategy St. Eustatius. Since its establishment in 2015, (BioNews 25) with St. Eustatius joining in 2018, fishing for sharks The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and and rays within the reserve has been prohibited. Food Quality (LNV) has recently published a strat- With the addition of this new strategy, legislation egy to manage and protect sharks and rays within will be added to officially make this punishable waters of the Netherlands, Caribbean Netherlands by law. This also includes possessing shark parts, and international waters. This new strategy of- specifically shark fins. Tadzio Bervoets, DCNA’s ficially makes fishing for or possessing shark Save Our Sharks (SOS) project leader states that parts punishable by law in Bonaire, St. Eustatius “This is really good news for the endangered sharks and Saba. around the BES-islands. We hope that also the three other, neighboring, Dutch Caribbean islands, Aruba, On May 1st, Minister Carola Schouten, from the Curaçao and St. Maarten, will eventually be Ministry of LNV announced a new International included in the Yarari Sanctuary to effectively Shark Strategy. This new plan will offer unprec- protect these transboundary species.” edented protection of sharks and rays through the use of international treaties, research and public Important conservation strategies such as this, awareness. This strategy now officially forbids paired with initiatives such as DCNA’s SOS project owning or fishing for sharks and places new pres- (2015-2018) are crucial to ensuring a sustainable sure on fishermen to implement new techniques future for our oceans. An increase in research and updated fishing gear to avoid accidentally and public awareness will play key roles in the catching sharks and rays as bycatch. overall management and conservation efforts going forward. This is exciting news for the Yarari reserve for sharks and marine mammals, a marine sanctuary More information: Download the Internal Shark Strategy.

2019 Research and Project Results

Transboundary Species - Content ... 41 42 43 44 45 ... Satellites and Sharks: Latest in Saba tant species. Irene Kingma, expedition leader from Bank Shark Research (BioNews 26) the NEV, stated “We brought scientists from six The Saba Bank is an important habitat within countries together to help solving the big questions the Yarari Shark Sanctuary. Visited by a variety we still have about sharks in this unique area, and to of different species, little is known about the life develop partnerships for future research.” cycles of the sharks within these waters. A recent research expedition worked to gain new insight by Connection Between Sharks using newly designed satellite tags and an under- and Their Habitats water camera system to study local sharks. This During a previous study, which took place be- research continues to build off of recent momen- tween 2015 and 2018, silky sharks, Caribbean reef tum to protect these critical species, an important sharks and nurse sharks were monitored using priority for local conservation efforts. acoustic tags. These tags allowed the movements of these sharks to be tracked throughout the study The Expedition area. This gave scientists a new look into where Between July 15 – 25, a research survey took place the sharks were spending most of their time. in Saba Bank to gain new information on the local An additional study used tissue samples from shark populations. This was collaborative effort Caribbean reef sharks and Silky sharks to docu- between The Dutch Elasmobranch Society (NEV), ment the age and diets of each shark. This tissue the Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF), the analysis paired with the acoustic tag information Nature Foundation Sint Maarten (NFSM) and the gave a more holistic view on how these sharks are European Space Agency (ESA). A variety of sharks using their environment. have been known to inhabit these waters, includ- ing tiger sharks, silky sharks, nurse sharks and During the most recent expedition, new blood Caribbean reef sharks, but the specific role Saba samples were taken to record the level of stress Bank plays within the life cycle of each of these hormones within each shark. Understanding sharks is still not fully understood. shark’s stress levels will help researchers better understand the impact of these experiments on The goal of the expedition was to gain more the overall health and well-being of the sharks. information on how these sharks are utilizing this The goal is to maximize the efficiency of the catch region. This information will help in the develop- and release program while minimizing the impact ment of new methods for protecting these impor- on each of the individuals. Photo by: © Peter de Maagt

2019 Research and Project Results

Transboundary Species - Content ... 41 42 43 44 45 ... Tiger Sharks Nurse Sharks footage, researchers now believe that sharks ini- Advances in satellite technology have led to an Lobster traps can cause issues for local nurse tially attempt to escape the traps, but when they innovative way of tagging tiger sharks which al- shark populations as they can easily be caught are unsuccessful, they eventually eat their lobster lows the movement of these sharks to be tracked as bycatch serving as a risk to the fishermen cellmates. This has now driven the focus towards over much longer spatial and temporal scales. handling the traps, and trapped lobsters and the designing lobster traps where sharks can easily Designed by the European Space Agency (ESA) sharks themselves. The Caribbean spiny lobster is escape. This latest voyage will help provide insight these cutting-edge tracking tags are meant to be an important species for Saba; however, to the success of this project. smaller, more robust, cheaper and less invasive to these lobster traps catch hundreds of nurse sharks the shark (ESA, 2019). The new device has been each year (Kettle, 2018). One of the goals of this Future of Shark Conservation engineered to last up to 5 times longer than tags study was to continue the work of a study from Research campaigns such as the July expedition, previously used. In addition to being physically July 2018 to increase awareness of this issue with give us a deeper look into the lives of local shark smaller and lighter, the new tags can also hold local fishermen, along with increasing researcher’s species. This new information will help mold the more information. “With this revolutionary new understanding of nurse shark behavior in and future of shark conservation, which will be critical tag, we are able to better determine the migratory around these traps. Using a camera system, Dr. in maintaining a healthy ocean. Understanding patterns of these critically important yet threatened Robert Nowicki from the Mote Marine Lab, was how various species of sharks are entering and apex predators and enact management solu- able to record nurse sharks’ behavior to determine using the sanctuary space will allow research- tions throughout their migratory range within the how the traps can be modified or deployed differ- ers, conservationists and policy makers to work Caribbean basin” stated Tadzio Bervoets, director ently to minimize the threat of by-catch. together to maximize the effectiveness of conser- of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance. During vation efforts. Environmental stressors for these Lobster cage being checked and cleared of trapped nurse sharks. the expedition 4 tiger sharks were tagged. Camera footage from last year proved very in- sharks will continue to increase, further emphasiz- Photo by: © Linda Ferwerda sightful. It was previously thought that the sharks ing the importance of these conservation efforts. (https://duikeninbeeld.tv/saba-haaienexpeditie-2019-rolling-rolling) were intentionally entering the traps to hunt the confined lobsters. However, after viewing the

2019 Research and Project Results

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