Oral Presentation Australian Society for Fish Biology Conference 2025

Global FinPrint2 – A decade of a difference for sharks and rays in MPAs? (125387)

Leanne M Currey-Randall 1 , C. Samantha Sherman 2 , M. Aaron MacNeil 3 , Colin A Simpfendorfer 4 5 , Michelle Heupel 1 6 , Michael Heithaus 7 , Mark Meekan 8 , Euan Harvey 9 , Jordan Goetze 9 10 , Conrad Speed 11 , Valerie Hagan 12 , Stacy L Bierwagen 1 , Marcus Stowar 1 , Demian Chapman 12
  1. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Qld, Australia
  2. MEME Lab, Deakin University, Warun Ponds , Victoria, Australia
  3. Ocean Frontier Institute, Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
  4. College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
  5. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
  6. Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas, Australia
  7. Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, Florida, USA
  8. The UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
  9. School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
  10. Marine Science Program, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
  11. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
  12. Sharks and Rays Conservation Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida, USA

The Global FinPrint Project began in 2015 with the goal of assessing the factors that influence shark and ray abundance, diversity, and distribution on the world’s coral reefs. We surveyed 391 coral reefs in 67 nations and territories using 22,756 baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS). Analyses revealed the functional extinction of sharks on ~16% of sampled reefs and we failed to detect several key species at up to 50% of surveyed reefs. Remote reefs and nations where shark fishing is prohibited had abundant and diverse shark assemblages, elsewhere there was a shift of the shark and ray community towards ray dominated assemblages in areas lacking effective shark management. A positive effect of some forms of fisheries management (catch limits, gear restrictions) and large marine protected areas (MPAs) on shark abundances was observed, particularly when combined. Now, nearly a decade later, we are resampling sites with paired MPA, non-MPA reefs to determine the long-term effectiveness of spatial management. Preliminary results will be discussed, with an emphasis on Australian Great Barrier Reef sites.