Who lives in the open sea? Distribution and densities of surfacing marine megafauna in three subregions of the South Pacific (New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, and French Polynesia)

Sophie Laran; Olivier Van Canneyt; Ghislain Dorémus; Claire Garrigue; Tristan Berr; Hugo Bourgogne; Mathieu Genu; Jérôme Spitz; Vincent Ridoux

doi:10.1071/PC23023

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

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Who lives in the open sea? Distribution and densities of surfacing marine megafauna in three subregions of the South Pacific (New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, and French Polynesia)

Sophie Laran

^A ^* , Olivier Van Canneyt

^A , Ghislain Dorémus

^A , Claire Garrigue

^B ^C , Tristan Berr

^B ^D , Hugo Bourgogne ^B ^E , Mathieu Genu

^A , Jérôme Spitz

^A ^F and Vincent Ridoux

^A ^F

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Observatoire Pelagis (UAR 3462, CNRS - La Rochelle Université), La Rochelle, France.

^B UMR ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de La Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, IFREMER, CNRS, Laboratoire d’Excellence CORAIL), BPA5, Nouméa 98848, New Caledonia, France.

^C Opération cétacés, BP12827, Nouméa 98802, New Caledonia, France.

^D Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Avenue Louis Philibert, Aix-en-Provence 13545, France.

^E WWF-France bureau de Nouvelle-Calédonie, BP692, Nouméa 98845, New Caledonia, France.

^F Centre d’Etude Biologique de Chizé (UMR 7273, CNRS - La Rochelle Université), La Rochelle, France.

^* Correspondence to: sophie.laran@univ-lr.fr

Handling Editor: Rochelle Constantine

Pacific Conservation Biology 30, PC23023 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC23023

Submitted: 22 May 2023 Accepted: 12 November 2023 Published: 19 December 2023

Abstract

Context

Assessing the distribution and abundance of marine fauna and the ecological status of coastal and pelagic ecosystems is key to biodiversity conservation, but the monitoring of mobile marine species raises multiple logistical and financial challenges.

Aims

The project describes the distribution, abundance and taxonomic assemblage of several marine megafauna taxa in three subregions of the western and central South Pacific Ocean (New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, and French Polynesia).

Methods

Large-scale aerial surveys were conducted using a standardised multi-taxon protocol, to characterise the occurrence and abundance of marine megafauna over 2.5 million km². Analysing more than 122 000 km of transects, the densities of 22 different taxa were estimated: seven taxonomic groups of marine mammals (Physeteridae, Kogiidae, Ziphiidae, Globicephalinae, Small Delphininae, Large Delphininae, and Dugongidae), a single group for hard-shelled sea turtles, three groups of elasmobranchs (including whale sharks), and 11 groups of seabirds (including Phaethontidae, Hydrobatidae, Fregatidae and Sulidae).

Key results

Contrasting patterns of species distribution were found. Marine mammal diversity increases north and west, with a distinct species assemblage in New Caledonia, compared to other subregions. A strong latitudinal gradient was observed across French Polynesia, independent of taxa.

Conclusions

This study provides the first comparison of marine species assemblages across the three oceanic subregions and sets a regional baseline for the biogeography of marine megafauna in the region.

Implications

The taxonomic and spatial extension of the results opens up new perspectives for the development of local conservation measures, especially for taxa with already documented population declines.

Keywords: aerial survey, cetacean, dugong, elasmobranch, marine mammal, marine megafauna, seabird, sea turtle, Southwest Pacific Ocean.

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