Contribution to the World Congress of Herpetology in Vancuver (August'11) by Gonzalo Mucientes, Nuno Queiroz, Nicholas Humphries & David Sims. "The shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) is a highly migratory, pelagic species with circum-global distribution in tropical and temperate seas. This shark is commonly found in the Atlantic Ocean and are taken as bycatch in longlining and gillnetting operations for tuna and swordfish (Xiphias gladius), activities that have expanded rapidly during the last 20 years. High demand for fins and its good-quality meat mean makos are now highly prized by fishers. But despite the high prevalence, economic importance, and vulnerability of this species, little is known about its population dynamics and habitat-use. There is some evidence from conventional tagging and fishery studies that complex population structuring and movements may be contributing to recorded declines in the western Atlantic Ocean. Shortfin mako sharks may remain faithful to particular regions, which together with males and females apparently segregating into different regions for at least part of the year may result in differential exploitation of vulnerable components of the population (e.g. mature females, juveniles) exacerbating declines. The aim of this study is to elucidate for the first time the movements and behaviour of shortfin mako sharks from satellitelinked electronic tagging and relate this to remotely sensed environmental fields to identify fine-scale habitat preferences in the Atlantic Ocean. Pop-up archival transmitting (PAT) tags were deployed, recording vertical and horizontal movements and temperature preferences of mako sharks tagged in oceanic waters. satellite tags were programmed to detach 30, 60, 90, 120 or 180 days after deployment. A total of 16 makos (8 males, 8 females) were caught and tagged in North Atlantic waters, specifically, in northwest, southwest and east of the Azores islands from 2009 – 2011. Tagged sharks ranged from 120 – 255 cm (fork length). Mako sharks displayed different movement and residency patterns, including a trans-Atlantic migration into western Iberia waters. Satellite tracked sharks also displayed deep diving behaviour into cold water, with maximum recorded depths of 1064 m (5.8 ºC) with temperature preferences ranging from 5.8 and 27ºC."

1. Movements and diving
behaviour of mako shark in
North Atlantic
Gonzalo Mucientes, Nuno Queiroz, Nicholas Humphries & David Sims

2. Next amazing minutes…
• Aim
• Intro
• Methods:
– Transmitters
– Tagging
• Results:
– Tracks
– Diving behaviour

3. Aim
• The aim of this study is to elucidate for
the first time the movements and
behaviour of shortfin mako sharks from
satellite-linked electronic tagging

4. Intro
• Short fin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus)
is a pelagic shark
• Lamnidae family
• Circumglobal distribution
• Highly migratory
• Ovoviviparity with oophagy
• Target by longliners (meat and fins)

5. Methods: Tagging
• 15 makos tagged (2009-2011)
• PATs (Mk10): 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 days (time set)

6. Tagging

9. • MAKO 86400 • MAKO 86399 • MAKO 86401
• Sex: Male • Sex: Male • Sex: Male
• FL: 125 cm • FL: 140 cm • FL: 220 cm
• Tagging: 24/April/2009 • Tagging: 25/June/2010 • Tagging: 30/June/2010
• Time: 30 days • Time: 60 days • Time: 90 days
• Pop-up: 24/May/2009 • Pop-up: 24/August/2010 • Pop-up: 28/September/2010
• Distance traveled: 1408.5 km • Distance traveled: 3118 km • Distance traveled: 5214 km
• 46.9 km/day • 51.1 km/day • 57.9 km/day
• MAKO 86407 • MAKO 96030 • MAKO 96031
• Sex: Male • Sex: Female • Sex: Female
• FL: 130 cm • FL: 130 cm • FL: 165 cm
• Tagging: 03/July/2010 • Tagging: 04/July/2010 • Tagging: 05/July/2010
• Time: 90 days • Time: 120 days • Time: 120 days
• Pop-up: 01/October/2010 • Pop-up: 01/November/2010 • Pop-up: 02/November/2010
• Distance traveled: 3694.5 km • Distance traveled: 6025.5 km • Distance traveled: 4732 km
• 41 km/day • 50.2 km/day • 39.4 km/day
• MAKO 86402 • MAKO 107089 • MAKO 107090
• Sex: Female • Sex: Female • Sex: Male
• FL: 170 cm • FL: 220 cm • FL: 255 cm
• Tagging: 24/April/2009 • Tagging: 21/August/2011 • Tagging: 22/August/2011
• Time: 60 days • Time: 120 days • Time: 120 days
• Pop-up: 23/June/2009 • Pop-up: 19/December/2011 • Pop-up: 20/December/2011
• Distance traveled: 5168.5 km • Distance traveled: 5160 km • Distance traveled: 5933 km
• 86.1 km/day • 43 km/day • 49.4 km/day
• MAKO 86408 • MAKO 107091 (I. paucus) • MAKO 107092
• Sex: Male • Sex: Female • Sex: Male
• FL: 180 cm • FL: 245 cm • FL: 170 cm
• Tagging: 27/June/2010 • Tagging: 30/August/2011 • Tagging: 03/September/2011
• Time: 120 days • Time: 120 days • Time: 120 days
• Pop-up: 25/October/2010 • Pop-up: 28/December/2011 • Pop-up: 01/January/2012
• Distance traveled: 5699 km • Distance traveled: 3105.5 km • Distance traveled: 2414.5 km
• 47.5 km/day • 25.9 km/day • 20.1 km/day

10. Results
Sex 7 Days
7
8 6
7
5
6 6 4
3
3
2 2
2
1
1
Male Female 0
30 60 90 120 180
300
Length 245
255
250 240
220 220
200 180
165 170 170 170 170
150 140
125 130 130
100
50
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

11. Horizontal movements
• Two main behaviours (selected tracks)
Feeding area Migration

12. Mako 86407
• Sex: Male
• FL: 130 cm
• Tagging: 03/July/2010
• Time: 90 days
• Pop-up: 01/October/2010
• Distance traveled: 3700 km
• Ratio 41.1 km/day
Mako 86408
• Sex: Male
• FL: 180 cm
• Tagging: 27/June/2010
• Time: 120 days
• Pop-up: 25/October/2010
• Distance traveled: 5699 km
• Ratio 47.5 km/day

13. Mako 86402
• Sex: Female
• FL: 170 cm
• Tagging: 24/abril/2009
• Time: 60 days
• Pop-up: 23/junio/2009
• Distance: 5168.5 km
• Ratio: 86.2 km/day
Mako 107089
• Sex: Female
• FL: 220 cm
• Tagging: 21/August/2011
• Time: 120 days
• Pop-up: 19/December/2011
• Distance traveled: 5160 km
• 43 km/day

14. Mako 96030
• Sex: Female
• FL: 130 cm
• Tagging: 04/July/2010
• Time: 120 days
• Pop-up: 01/November/2010
• Distance traveled: 6025.5 km
• Ratio: 50.2 km/day

15. All tracks

16. Kernel density

17. Diving behaviour
• Depth
• Temperature (Thermocline)
• Time

18. •Sex: Male
•Tagging: 03/July/2010
•Time: 90 days
Mako 86407
•Pop-up: 01/October/2010
•FL: 130 cm
•Distance: 3700 km
•Ratio: 41.11 km/day

19. • Sex: Male
• FL: 180 cm
• Tagging: 27/June/2010
•
•
•
Time: 120 days
Pop-up: 25/October/2010
Distance traveled: 5699 km
Mako 86408
• 47.5 km/day
30
20
MinTemp1
10 MaxTemp1
0
0 200 400 600

20. • Sex: Male
• FL: 255 cm
• Tagging: 22/August/2011
•
•
•
Time: 120 days
Pop-up: 20/December/2011
Distance traveled: 5933 km
Mako 107090
• 49.4 km/day

21. • Sex: Female
• FL: 220 cm
• Tagging: 21/August/2011
•
•
•
Time: 120 days
Pop-up: 19/December/2011
Distance traveled: 5160 km
Mako 107089
• 43 km/day

22. Diving behaviour - Length
• MAKO 107092
• Sex: Male
• FL: 170 cm
• Tagging: 03/September/2011
• Time: 120 days
• Pop-up: 01/January/2012
• Distance traveled: 2414.5 km
• 20.1 km/day
• MAKO 107090
• Sex: Male
• FL: 255 cm
• Tagging: 22/August/2011
• Time: 120 days
• Pop-up: 20/December/2011
• Distance traveled: 5933 km
• 49.4 km/day

23. In general…
Temperature
Thermocline
Preys distribution
Diving behavoiur of
sharks

24. Conclusions
• Mako sharks displayed different movement and
residency patterns, including a trans-Atlantic migration
into western Iberia waters.
• Sharks also displayed deep diving behaviour into cold
water, with maximum recorded depths of 1744 m (I.
paucus) and 1480 (I. oxyrinchus), although most do not
exceed 600 m
• Temperature preferences ranging from 5.8 and 27ºC.
• Different behaviour between adult and juvenile makos.

25. Thanks
for your
attention!!
Contact:
gonzalo@iim.csic.es
nuno.queiroz@gmail.com
This work was supported by FCT
(Fundação para a Ciência e a
Tecnologia) and the Save our Seas
Foundation