Global collision-risk hotspots of marine traffic and the world's largest fish, the whale shark

Freya C. Womersley; Nicolas E. Humphries; Nuno Queiroz; Marisa Vedor; Ivo da Costa; Miguel Furtado; John P. Tyminski; Katya Abrantes; Gonzalo Araujo; Steffen S. Bach; Adam Barnett; Michael L. Berumen; Sandra Bessudo Lion; Camrin D. Braun; Elizabeth Clingham; Jesse E. M. Cochran; Rafael de la Parra; Stella Diamant; Alistair D. M. Dove; Christine L. Dudgeon; Mark Erdmann; Eduardo Espinoza; Richard Fitzpatrick; Jaime Gonzalez Cano; Jonathan R. Green; Hector M. Guzman; Royale Hardenstine; Abdi Hasan; Fabio H. Hazin; Alex R. Hearn; Robert E. Hueter; Mohammed Y. Jaidah; Jessica Labaja; Felipe Ladino; Bruno C. L. Macena; John J. Morris Jr; Bradley M. Norman; Cesar Penaherrera-Palma; Simon J. Pierce; Lina M. Quintero; Deni Ramirez-Macias; Samantha D. Reynolds; Anthony J. Richardson; David P. Robinson; Christoph A. Rohner; David R. L. Rowat; Marcus Sheaves; Mahmood S. Shivji; Abraham B. Sianipar; Gregory B. Skomal; German Soler; Ismail Syakurachman; Simon R. Thorrold; D. Harry Webb; Bradley M. Wetherbee; Timothy D. White; Tyler Clavelle; David A. Kroodsma; Michele Thums; Luciana C. Ferreira; Mark G. Meekan; Lucy M. Arrowsmith; Emily K. Lester; Megan M. Meyers; Lauren R. Peel; Ana M. M. Sequeira; Victor M. Eguiluz; Carlos M. Duarte; David W. Sims

doi:10.1073/pnas.2117440119

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Global collision-risk hotspots of marine traffic and the world's largest fish, the whale shark

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Global collision-risk hotspots of marine traffic and the world's largest fish, the whale shark

Freya C. Womersley, Nicolas E. Humphries, Nuno Queiroz, Marisa Vedor, Ivo da Costa, Miguel Furtado, John P. Tyminski, Katya Abrantes, Gonzalo Araujo, Steffen S. Bach, …

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.119(20)

17/05/2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2117440119

PMID: 35533277

Abstract

Multidisciplinary Sciences

Science & Technology

Science & Technology - Other Topics

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.

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Title: Global collision-risk hotspots of marine traffic and the world's largest fish, the whale shark
Creators - without role: Freya C. Womersley - Marine Biol Assoc UK, Plymouth PL1 2PB, Devon, England
Nicolas E. Humphries - Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
Nuno Queiroz - Universidade do Porto
Marisa Vedor - Universidade do Porto
Ivo da Costa - Universidade do Porto
Miguel Furtado - Universidade do Porto
John P. Tyminski - Mote Marine Lab, Sarasota, FL 34236 USA
Katya Abrantes - James Cook University
Gonzalo Araujo - Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines
Steffen S. Bach - Qatar Whale Shark Res Project, Doha, Qatar
Adam Barnett - James Cook University
Michael L. Berumen - King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Sandra Bessudo Lion - Fdn Malpelo & Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Bogata 110111, Colombia
Camrin D. Braun - University of Washington
Elizabeth Clingham - St Helena Govt, Jamestown 5THL 1ZZ, St Helena
Jesse E. M. Cochran - King Abdullah Univ Sci & Technol, Red Sea Res Ctr, Div Biol & Environm Sci & Engn, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
Rafael de la Parra - Chooj Ajuail AC, Cancun 77509, Mexico
Stella Diamant - Madagascar Whale Shark Project, Nosy Be, Madagascar
Alistair D. M. Dove - Florida Aquarium
Christine L. Dudgeon - University of Queensland
Mark Erdmann - University of Auckland
Eduardo Espinoza - Galapagos
Richard Fitzpatrick - James Cook University
Jaime Gonzalez Cano - Comis Nacl Areas Nat Protegidas, Cancun 77500, Mexico
Jonathan R. Green - Galapagos
Hector M. Guzman - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Royale Hardenstine - King Abdullah Univ Sci & Technol, Red Sea Res Ctr, Div Biol & Environm Sci & Engn, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
Abdi Hasan - Conservat Int Raja Ampat, West Papua 98416, Indonesia
Fabio H. Hazin - Univ Fed Rural Pernambuco, Dept Pesca & Aquicultura, BR-52171900 Recife, PE, Brazil
Alex R. Hearn - Graco
Robert E. Hueter - OCEARCH, Park City, UT 84068 USA
Mohammed Y. Jaidah - Qatar Minist Municipal & Environm, Doha, Qatar
Jessica Labaja - Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines
Felipe Ladino - Fdn Malpelo & Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Bogata 110111, Colombia
Bruno C. L. Macena - Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco
John J. Morris Jr - Mote Marine Lab, Sarasota, FL 34236 USA
Bradley M. Norman - Murdoch University
Cesar Penaherrera-Palma - MigraMar, Olema, CA 94956 USA
Simon J. Pierce - Marine Megafauna Foundation
Lina M. Quintero - Fdn Malpelo & Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Bogata 110111, Colombia
Deni Ramirez-Macias - Conex Terramar AC, Whale Shark Mexico, La Paz 23205, Mexico
Samantha D. Reynolds - ECOCEAN Inc, Serpentine, WA 6125, Australia
Anthony J. Richardson - CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere
David P. Robinson - Sundive Res, Byron Bay, NSW 2481, Australia
Christoph A. Rohner - Marine Megafauna Foundation
David R. L. Rowat - Marine Conservat Soc Seychelles, Mahe, Seychelles
Marcus Sheaves - James Cook University
Mahmood S. Shivji - Nova Southeastern University
Abraham B. Sianipar - Conservat Int Indonesia, Jakarta 12550, Indonesia
Gregory B. Skomal - Massachusetts Div Marine Fisheries, New Bedford, MA 02744 USA
German Soler - Fdn Malpelo & Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Bogata 110111, Colombia
Ismail Syakurachman - Conservat Int Indonesia, Jakarta 12550, Indonesia
Simon R. Thorrold - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
D. Harry Webb - Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA 30313 USA
Bradley M. Wetherbee - Nova Southeastern University
Timothy D. White - World Water Watch
Tyler Clavelle - Global Fishing Watch
David A. Kroodsma - World Water Watch
Michele Thums - University of Western Australia
Luciana C. Ferreira - Australian Institute of Marine Science
Mark G. Meekan - Australian Institute of Marine Science
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 - Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Physics and Complex Systems
Carlos M. Duarte - King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
David W. Sims - Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
Publication Details: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.119(20)
Publisher: Natl Acad Sciences
Number of pages: 10
Grant note: UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) through a University of Southampton INSPIRE DTP PhD Studentship; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Marine Biological Association Senior Research Fellowship; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) ERC-AdG-2019 883583 OCEAN DEOXYFISH / European Research Council; European Research Council (ERC); European Commission PTDC/BIA/28855/2017; CEECIND/02857/2018; PTDC/BIA-COM/28855/2017 / Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) COMPETE POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028855; MARINFO-NORTE-01-0145- FEDER-000031 / Norte Portugal Regional Operational Program [NORTE2020] under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund -ERDF NE/R00997/X/1 / NERC Discovery Science
Identifiers: 9942507608331
Academic Unit: King Abdullah University of Science & Technology
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article