Defining Shark Nursery Habitats with Dr. Michelle Heupel

Sharkpedia

Juvenile shark presence in an area does NOT mean that that area is a shark pupping or nursery ground. So how do we know what actually makes a shark nursery ground? What even IS a nursery ground? Is it different than a pupping ground? Why does any of this matter? Find out this week with our special guest, Dr. Michelle Heupel!

Dr. Heupel joins us to talk about her article, "Shark nursery areas: concepts, definition, characterization and assumptions" (Heupel et al. 2007).

Article Summary:

Shark nursery habitats are critical areas that sharks rely on for their early life stages. However, the criteria defining shark nursery grounds has been inconsistent through history. These inconsistencies can make management strategies more difficult, as some definitions could imply that all coastal areas are nursery habitats, and other definitions are insufficient. In this study, Heupel et al. propose a new definition for shark nursery habitats that will more accurately pinpoint Essential Fish Habitat. That definition is: (1) sharks are more commonly encountered in the area than other areas; (2) sharks have a tendency to remain or return for extended periods; and (3) the area or habitat is repeatedly used across years. These criteria make the definition of shark nursery areas more compatible with those for other aquatic species. The improved definition of this concept will provide more valuable information for fisheries managers and shark biologists.

You can follow Dr. Heupel @michelleheupel on instagram, and follow her work on Research Gate and Google Scholar!

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