Catch, bycatch, and mitigation options for endangered sharks in data poor fisheries: a case study on pelagic thresher sharks (Alopias pelagicus) in the eastern Indian Ocean

Muhammad Ichsan; Shoimatul Ula; Hollie Booth

doi:10.1071/PC23050

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

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Catch, bycatch, and mitigation options for endangered sharks in data poor fisheries: a case study on pelagic thresher sharks (Alopias pelagicus) in the eastern Indian Ocean

Muhammad Ichsan

^A ^B ^* , Shoimatul Ula ^C , Hollie Booth ^D , Herman ^B ^E and Dharmadi ^F

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, Qld 4556, Australia.

^B Yayasan Impak Laut Biru Indonesia (IMPACT Blue Sea Foundation), Perum Pesona Khayangan Blok BS No. 18 RT/RW 01/27, Mekarjaya, Sukmajaya, Depok, West Java 16411, Indonesia.

^C Wildlife Conservation Society – Indonesia Program, Jl. Malabar I No. 11, Babakan, Central Bogor, Bogor City, West Java 16128, Indonesia.

^D Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

^E Southwest Aceh Marine and Fisheries Agency, Kedai Susoh, Susoh, Southwest Aceh Regency, Aceh, Indonesia.

^F Center for Fisheries Research, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Jl. Pasir Putih II No.3, Ancol, Pademangan, North Jakarta, Special Capital Region of Jakarta 14430, Indonesia.

^* Correspondence to: ichsan.shark@gmail.com

Handling Editor: Andrew Chin

Pacific Conservation Biology 30, PC23050 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC23050

Submitted: 12 November 2023 Accepted: 4 December 2024 Published: 19 December 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

Endangered pelagic thresher sharks (Alopias pelagicus) are facing high fishing pressure in many countries. As the world’s largest shark fishing nation, with particularly high catch rates of thresher sharks, the impact of Indonesian fisheries has become a global priority for thresher shark conservation. Therefore, baseline data is needed to inform management and implement international agreements.

Aims

This research provides data and management recommendations for data-poor targeted shark fishing in Western Indonesia, where thresher sharks are regularly caught.

Methods

Daily landings data was recorded from June 2019 to December 2020 in Southwest Aceh and analysed to explore catch patterns, risk factors for thresher sharks, and potential mitigation options.

Key results

Twenty-five wooden vessels of <30 gross tonnage target sharks in the Indian Ocean. We recorded a total of 109 pelagic thresher individuals during the study period, with a female-skewed sex ratio (1 female:0.39 male). Almost all pelagic threshers were caught by the bottom longline.

Conclusions

Based on this data, we offer some potential management measures to reduce fisheries impacts on pelagic thresher sharks by applying a simple mitigation hierarchy framework.

Implications

These results provide fisheries management recommendations, including effort limits and gear modifications.

Keywords: Aceh, conservation, elasmobranchs, endangered species, fisheries management, Indian Ocean, Indonesia, pelagic thresher shark.

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