Biology Faculty Articles

Authors

Freya C. Womersley, Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom; University of Southampton
Nicolas E. Humphries, Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
Nuno Queiroz, Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom; CIBIO - Universidade do Porto - Vairao, Portugal
Marisa Vedor, Universidade do Porto
Ivo da Costa, Universidade do Porto - Vairao, Portugal
Miguel Furtado, Universidade do Porto
John P. Tyminski, Mote Marine Laboratory
Katya Abrantes, James Cook University - Australia
Gonzalo Araujo, Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines
Steffen S. Bach, Qatar Whale Shark Research Project
Adam Barnett, James Cook University
Michael L. Berumen, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Sandra Bessudo Lion, Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos
Camrin D. Braun, University of Washington; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Elizabeth Clingham, St. Helena Government
Jesse E. M. Cochran, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Rafael de la Parra, Ch'ooj Ajuail AC
Stella Diamant, Madagascar Whale Shark Project
Alistair D. M. Dove, Georgia Aquarium
Christine L. Dudgeon, The University of Queensland, Australia
Mark V. Erdmann, University of Auckland
Eduardo Espinoza, MigraMar; Direccion Parque Nacional Galapagos - Ecuador
Richard Fitzpatrick, James Cook University
Jaime González Cano, Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas
Jonathan R. Green, Galapagos Whale Shark Project
Hector M. Guzman, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Royale Hardenstine, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Abdi Hasan, Conservation International Raja Ampat
Fábio H. V. Hazin, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco
Alex R. Hearn, MigraMar, Galapagos Science Center, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Robert E. Hueter, Mote Marine Laboratory
Mohammed Y. Jaidah, Qatar Ministry of Municipality and Environment
Jessica Labaja, Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines
Felipe Ladino, Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos
Bruno C. L. Macena, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco - Brazil; Universidade dos Acores - Horta, Portugal
John J. Morris Jr., Mote Marine Laboratory
Bradley M. Norman, Murdoch University; ECOCEAN Inc.
Cesar Peñaherrera-Palma, MigraMar, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador Sede Manabi
Simon J. Pierce, Marine Megafauna Foundation
Lina Maria Quintero, Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos
Dení Ramírez-Macías, Whale Shark Mexico
Samantha D. Reynolds, ECOCEAN, Inc.; The University of Queensland
Anthony J. Richardson, The University of Queensland, Australia
David P. Robinson, Sundive Research
Christoph A. Rohner, Marine Megafauna Foundation
David R. L. Rowat, Marine Conservation Society Seychelles
Marcus Sheaves, James Cook University
Mahmood Shivji, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Abraham B. Sianipar, Conservation International Indonesia
Gregory B. Skomal, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
German Soler, Fundacion Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos - Bogota, Columbia
Ismail Syakurachman, Conservation International Indonesia
Simon R. Thorrold, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
D. Harry Webb, Georgia Aquarium
Bradley M. Wetherbee, Nova Southeastern University; University of Rhode IslandFollow
Timothy D. White, Global Fishing Watch
Tyler Clavelle, Global Fishing Watch
David A. Kroodsma, Global Fishing Watch
Michele Thums, University of Western Australia - Crawley
Luciana C. Ferreira, University of Western Australia - Crawley
Mark G. Meekan, University of Western Australia - Crawley
Lucy M. Arrowsmith, University of Western Australia
Emily K. Lester, University of Western Australia
Megan M. Meyers, University of Western Australia
Lauren R. Peel, University of Western Australia
Ana M. M. Sequeira, University of Western Australia
Victor M. Eguiluz, University of the Balearic Islands
Carlos M. Duarte, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
David W. Sims, Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom; University of Southampton

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-9-2022

Publication Title

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Keywords

Ship Strike, Marine Megafauna, Conservation, Movement Ecology, Human Impact

ISSN

0027-8424

Volume

119

Issue/No.

20

First Page

e2117440119

Abstract

Marine traffic is increasing globally yet collisions with endangered megafauna such as whales, sea turtles, and planktivorous sharks go largely undetected or unreported. Collisions leading to mortality can have population-level consequences for endangered species. Hence, identifying simultaneous space use of megafauna and shipping throughout ranges may reveal as-yet-unknown spatial targets requiring conservation. However, global studies tracking megafauna and shipping occurrences are lacking. Here we combine satellite-tracked movements of the whale shark, Rhincodon typus, and vessel activity to show that 92% of sharks’ horizontal space use and nearly 50% of vertical space use overlap with persistent large vessel (>300 gross tons) traffic. Collision-risk estimates correlated with reported whale shark mortality from ship strikes, indicating higher mortality in areas with greatest overlap. Hotspots of potential collision risk were evident in all major oceans, predominantly from overlap with cargo and tanker vessels, and were concentrated in gulf regions, where dense traffic co-occurred with seasonal shark movements. Nearly a third of whale shark hotspots overlapped with the highest collision-risk areas, with the last known locations of tracked sharks coinciding with busier shipping routes more often than expected. Depth-recording tags provided evidence for sinking, likely dead, whale sharks, suggesting substantial “cryptic” lethal ship strikes are possible, which could explain why whale shark population declines continue despite international protection and low fishing-induced mortality. Mitigation measures to reduce ship-strike risk should be considered to conserve this species and other ocean giants that are likely experiencing similar impacts from growing global vessel traffic.

Comments

The derived mean shark relative spatial density and data underlying Fig. 4A (map of mean shark–vessel spatial overlap and CRI) and Fig. 4B (plot of spatial overlap and CRI) is freely available on GitHub (https://github.com/GlobalSharkMovement/GlobalCollisionRisk) (38).

ResearcherID

G-4080-2013

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2117440119

Peer Reviewed

Included in

Biology Commons

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