Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Apex Predators Investigation NOAA

From NOAA page:

During a research cruise (October 2009), we conducted a double tagging experiment to test tag retention. We tagged 250 blue sharks with one tag on each side of the dorsal fin.

The tag numbers to look out for occur in the range 336800 - 337475. If you happen to catch a shark with one of these tag numbers, please make note of how many tags are in the fish.

The Apex Predators Investigation (API) is located at the Narragansett, RI Laboratory of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC). We are one of three programs in the Population Biology Branch of the Fisheries and Ecosystems Monitoring and Analysis Division. The mission of the API is to conduct life history studies of commercially and recreationally important shark species.



Our research is focused on distribution and migration patterns, age and growth, reproductive biology, and feeding ecology. We conduct fishery independent surveys of large and small coastal sharks in US waters from Florida to Delaware. Biological samples and catch data are collected at recreational fishing tournaments in the Northeast US.


We administer an extensive Cooperative Shark Tagging Program (CSTP) in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Mediterranean Sea, utilizing thousands of volunteer anglers.



APP staff manages and coordinates the Cooperative Atlantic States Pupping and Nursery (COASTSPAN) Survey, that uses researchers in major coastal Atlantic states to conduct a comprehensive and standardized investigation of valuable shark nursery areas. Information gathered from our research programs provides baseline biological data for the management of large Atlantic sharks.



For more information.

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