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First insights into the vertical habitat use of young porbeagles in the Northwest Atlantic with implications for bycatch reduction strategies

Brooke Anderson , Heather Bowlby, Steven Saul, Yun Kang, Neil Hammerschlag, Lisa Natanson, James Sulikowski

Abstract

Context: For threatened marine species, data on their vertical habitat use patterns can reveal risk of interactions with fishing gear and can inform bycatch avoidance strategies. Such data are lacking for young porbeagles Lamna nasus, which are captured as bycatch in Northwest Atlantic fisheries. Aims: We aimed to examine temporal patterns in diving and characterize vertical habitat use of young porbeagles during summer and autumn. Methods: We used data from short-term (28-day), high-resolution (5-min interval) pop-off satellite tags attached to 14 young (young-of-the-year and one-year-old) porbeagles to model depth use. Key results: Occupied depths ranged from the sea surface to 679 m, with ambient water temperatures of -0.2 to 26°C. Diel period and season were factors related to depth use. Conclusions: Sharks exhibited a diel activity pattern characterized by more extensive use of the water column during the day while remaining primarily at the surface at night. Depth use differed between seasons, with summer characterized by greater affinity for surface waters (0-10 m) compared to autumn. Implications: Young porbeagles are at risk of interaction with active fisheries on the continental shelf, but interactions may be reduced by setting gear deeper at night and/or during summer.

MF23182  Accepted 26 July 2024

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