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Published (Version of record)CC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
The influence of bait position on the catch of target and non-target sharks in a SMART drumline bather protection program
Fisheries Research, Vol.257, 106501
01/2023
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Abstract
There is increasing support for shark bite mitigation measures, such as SMART (Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time) drumlines that minimise impacts on target sharks and other marine animals. On the east coast of Australia, SMART drumlines are used in a shark management program to catch and relocate white (Carcharodon carcharias), tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier), and bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas; herein referred to as target sharks). This study examines the effect of bait position relative to the seabed on SMART drumline catches in eastern Australian waters, aiming to optimise catches of target sharks while reducing bycatch. Over 17 months, SMART drumlines were deployed at Ballina and Evans Head, New South Wales. Trace extensions were attached to 3.2 m standard traces to test the effect of bait height above the seabed on shark catch in an experimental design that alternated bait position every fortnight. White and tiger shark catches accounted for 67% of the total catch, whereas bull sharks were infrequently caught (3%). Bait position above the seabed did not significantly influence catch probability of white and tiger sharks. However, catches of Critically Endangered grey nurse sharks (Carcharias taurus) and false alarm events significantly increased when baits were closer to the seabed. Catches of white and tiger sharks varied throughout the year and were linked to seasonal water temperature changes. The standard traces effectively caught target shark species whilst reducing catches of grey nurse sharks and false alarm events, highlighting that the trace length currently used for NSW SMART drumline deployments is optimal.
Details
- Title
- The influence of bait position on the catch of target and non-target sharks in a SMART drumline bather protection program
- Creators
- Rebecca S Lipscombe - Southern Cross UniversityAnna Scott - Southern Cross UniversityStephen Morris - New South Wales. Department of Primary IndustriesVictor M Peddemors - New South Wales. Department of Primary IndustriesAmy F Smoothey - NSW Department of Primary IndustriesPaul Allan Butcher - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Fisheries Research, Vol.257, 106501
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Grant note
- Primary project funding and support was provided by New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. Southern Cross University provided funding to Rebecca Lipscombe through a Research Training Program Scholarship.
- Identifiers
- 991013054013202368
- Copyright
- © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; National Marine Science Centre
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article