Using individual-based movement information to identify spatial conservation priorities for mobile species

Area of Science:

• Marine conservation biology
• Fisheries management
• Wildlife telemetry

Background:

• Designing effective marine protected areas and fisheries closures requires understanding species distribution and human impacts.
• Surveying mobile and cryptic species presents challenges, leading to uncertainty in habitat protection and conservation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how telemetry data can inform the spatial and temporal design of fisheries closures to reduce bycatch of threatened species.
• To compare the effectiveness of permanent versus time-area closures for mobile species management.

Main Methods:

• Acoustic telemetry was used to track 40 juvenile speartooth sharks (Glyphis glyphis) over 22 months.
• The Marxan decision-support tool and cluster analysis were employed to formulate and compare permanent and time-area closures based on shark movement data.

Main Results:

• Sharks exhibited consistent migratory patterns, but sufficient individuals (30) were needed to capture behavioral diversity for closure design.
• Time-area closures allowed for 20-25% more fishing areas compared to a permanent closure, by adapting to seasonal shark movements.

Conclusions:

• Acoustic telemetry is a valuable tool for improving the spatial management of mobile marine species.
• Incorporating temporal tracking data into management prioritizations can minimize the impact of closures on fisheries.