Identifying reproductive areas for sharks and rays in the Red Sea

Principal Investigators:
Dr. Collin Williams & Dr. Mark Meekan
Ocean Sciences and Solutions Applied Research Institute (OSSARI)
Education, Research, and Innovation Foundation – NEOM
Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Project Description:
As the premier project of the CURA Initiate, this research provides conservation practitioners with crucial information on key sites for the Red Sea’s most threatened marine life. The areas where pregnant sharks and rays gestate and give birth represent particularly vulnerable areas for regional populations as the harvest of pregnant females disproportionately impacts populations by also removing their offspring. This project seeks to identify reproductive areas for threatened shark and rays in the Red Sea to guide the design of spatial management plans (i.e., protected areas). To do so, ultrasound scans are conducted on a range of species, including silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis), reticulate whiprays (Himantura uarnak), and halavi guitarfish (Glaucostegus halavi). This research is conducted in close collaboration with Dr. Chris Clarke (Danah Marine Research), Dr. Ashlie McIvor (Red Sea Zone) and Eloise Richardson (KAUST) under the approval of Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife.

Contributions to Red Sea Conservation:
Saudi Arabia has pledged to protect 30% of its marine environments, an act likely to enhance the profitability of both tourism and fishery sectors. Sharks and rays are key indicators of healthy ecosystem functioning, so all information pertinent to enhancing their protection has broader implications for the future of Red Sea ecosystems and related economic activities. Selecting priority areas for protection in the Red Sea remains difficult without information on how threatened species utilize habitats within the basin. The current project aligns with Saudi Arabia’s national objectives by identifying areas where threatened species are most vulnerable, enabling these sites to be prioritized for protection which will ultimately enhance the health of Red Sea ecosystems and the industries that rely upon these environments.