Tuesday, August 23, 2011

GREAT WHITE SHARK CAGE DIVING

(PRESENTATION OF CSIRO & SARDI RESEARCH FINDINGS & POLICY UPDATE)


During 2009-2011, DENR & PIRSA have undertaken a joint review of the Great White Shark Cage Diving (GWSCD) activity at the Neptune Islands Conservation Park, near Port Lincoln. In February, information sessions were held to present the draft review findings to stakeholders and comments were sought from stakeholders and interested parties on the document. Finalisation of the review findings and subsequent GWSCD policy has been delayed pending the outcomes of a CSIRO research study looking at the effects of berley on shark behaviour at the Neptune Islands.


In September, Barry Bruce from the CSIRO in Hobart and Charlie Huveneers from SARDI - Aquatic Sciences in Adelaide will present their research findings to industry and other stakeholders. This will be followed by discussion on the research findings and how they might influence an SA Government policy position on GWSCD.


Barry Bruce will present the results of the recently completed project "The effects of berley on the distribution and behaviour of white sharks at the Neptune Islands, South Australia". The project examined the residency, distribution and behaviour of acoustic-tagged sharks at both North and South Neptune Islands from 2009 - 2011. These data were compared to similar data collected by CSIRO in 2001-2003 to assess evidence for changed behaviour in sharks over the period between the two studies. The final report from the project will be circulated prior to the workshops.


Adelaide Meeting: Thursday 29 September 2011 - 12noon - 5.30pm (light lunch and afternoon tea provided). CSIRO Conference Room, Soil and Water Environs Centre, Waite Road, Urrbrae (Entry 4). A map can be found at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/campuses/mapscurrent/waite.pdf. Parking may be limited near the building. The Mulyungerie Carpark at the south of the campus generally has plenty of parking. There is non-time limited street parking a short distance along Claremont Avenue.


Port Lincoln Meeting: Friday 30 September 2011 - 10am - 3.30pm (morning tea and light lunch provided). Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management Board Office, 23 Napoleon Street, Port Lincoln.


The agenda will be circulated before the events. (Please note that the information presented at the two meetings will be identical). Please register your interest in attending a meeting to Leah.McIntyre@sa.gov.au or telephone: 08 8463 4809.


GREAT WHITE JUMPS INTO RESEARCH BOAT IN SOUTH AFRICA

The web page found at http://www.perthnow.com.au/great-white-shark-jumps-into-research-boat-in-south-africa/story-fn6cmyjj-1226099134745= shows the moment after a 3m great white shark leapt on board a marine science vessel, leaving scientists with the rather delicate challenge of not only keeping it alive, but getting it off board. “A great white shark leapt metres into the air and onto a marine science vessel, leaving the crew to face the angry, thrashing specimen as it tried to stay alive. Six members of Oceans Research organisation were collecting data on sharks in Mossel Bay, 388km west of Cape Town, when the 3m shark leaped out of the water and landed on the boat's fuel and bait storage containers.”


NECROPSY BY MIAMI UNI SCIENTISTS ON BEACHED LEMON SHARK

When a 7-foot lemon shark beached itself on Virginia Key, Florida, the turtle nest observers that found her there called in a team of scientists from the University of Miami's RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program. Dunlap program director Dr. Neil Hammerschlag decided to film the necropsy to use as a teaching tool. Check out the video at http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=11011 to learn more about shark anatomy and the process that scientists use to determine the causes of death in marine life.


Saturday, August 20, 2011

GREAT WHITE SHARKS LOVE THE MUSIC OF AC/DC

Great white sharks love the music of rock
band AC/DC. Visit
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/great-whites-sharks-love-the-music-of-acdc/story-e6freuzi-1226085938682
for more details. Then there’s
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/were-your-biggest-fins-great-white-sharks-love-acdc/story-fn6b3v4f-1226067418494
and several more.

(I know that it's been some time between blogs, but its due to having been unable to post to my site rather than a lack of things to blog about.)



Thursday, August 11, 2011

7 baby stingrays born in London Aquarium have no father(s)

Two female stingrays in the Sea Life London aquarium gave birth to 7 babies despite not having been near a male stingray for 2 years.