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Evaluation of a low-cost, non-invasive survey technique to assess the relative abundance, diversity and behaviour of sharks on Sudanese reefs (Southern Red Sea)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 January 2014

Danilo Rezzolla ,
Ginevra Boldrocchi  and
Tiziano Storai
Danilo Rezzolla
Affiliation:
Acquario e Civica Stazione Idrobiologica di Milano, Viale Gadio 2, 20121 Milano, Italy
Ginevra Boldrocchi
Affiliation:
Acquario e Civica Stazione Idrobiologica di Milano, Viale Gadio 2, 20121 Milano, Italy
Tiziano Storai*
Affiliation:
Centro di educazione ambientale e alla sostenibilità Laguna di Nora 09010 Pula (CA), Italy
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: T. Storai, Centro di educazione ambientale e alla sostenibilità Laguna di Nora 09010 Pula (CA), Italy email: t.storai@alice.it
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Abstract

A low-cost and non-invasive survey technique focused on pelagic sharks was evaluated during an ecotourism cruise on two Sudanese reefs, Angarosh and Sha'ab Rumi, in the Southern Red Sea. The research technology was based on a set of small, underwater video recording cameras and a pair of laser pointers. Video footage provided insight into shark biodiversity on the two reefs, detecting five species, Alopias vulpinus, Sphyrna lewini, Triaenodon obesus, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos and Galeocerdo cuvier, during 15.8 h of video recording. These recordings also provided preliminary information on aggregations of S. lewini. The laser pointers were used to measure the size of sharks, providing seven total length (TL) measurements for S. lewini (N = 2) and C. amblyrhynchos (N = 5), confirming the possibility of easily obtaining size parameters using this tool. These low-cost and user-friendly instruments provide ecotourism divers with an opportunity to become involved in marine research projects.

Keywords

survey techniqueSphyrna lewiniCarcharhinus amblyrhynchossharksSudanese reefsecotourism divers
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 94 , Issue 3 , May 2014 , pp. 599 - 606
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2014 

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