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What is the context of this research?

The Bluntnose Sixgill shark is considered one of the 10 biggest sharks on the planet. The largest recorded was 1,300 lbs, and they grow to over 15 feet, living at depths up to 8,000 feet! While juveniles have been tracked in shallow water, the big adults live deeper, off the shelves and ridges that connect to the deepest parts of the oceans. They have been found in most tropical and temperate waters. It is assumed they have 2-3 year long gestation periods, and live to 80 years old. It is thought they have migratory pupping grounds.



We aim to delve into the where and what of the big adults. Where do they go? What are they doing in different places?



Our study site is off Roatan Honduras, on the edge of the deep Cayman Trench, and on the southern end of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System.

What is the significance of this project?

The IUCN lists H. griseus as very vulnerable to fishing, giving it a near – threatened status. A more severe conservation status is likely warranted, but the species lacks in basic population data. Home range and migration information is critical in order to understand its population dynamics.



In 2010, Honduras declared a shark fishing moratorium in its national waters. If sharks travel long distances and into any neighboring countries' EEZs, they may be at risk of fishing pressure.



The Deep-sea is affected by a variety of man made impacts, yet it takes exploration to discover the extent of those impacts. Shelf ecosystems where these sharks live may be the most at risk of the Deep-sea ecosystems, indicating the urgency in understanding the creatures that live here.



What are the goals of the project?

(1) Test feasibility of Idabel as a science platform, and develop new methodologies for using tags at depth.



(2) Tag a small number of sharks with pop-up satellite tags. Find out where they go!



(3) Calibrate tags to reduce spatial error using field equipment integrated with secondary satellite data.



(4) Film sharks at depth. Emphasis on body orientation and acceleration, when sharks interact with bait, or with other sharks. Use this information to reconstruct activity patterns of tagged sharks. What do they do?



(5) Proof of concept, for scaled up tagging effort.



(6) Test potential of low-light, consumer available camera sensing, in the dark zones of the ocean. (equipment already purchased)



(7) Distribute all information to the science community, the public, and local biological agencies.