Abstract
The conservation of threatened elasmobranchs in tropical regions is challenging due to high local reliance on aquatic and marine resources. Due primarily to fishing pressure, river sharks (Glyphis) and sawfishes (Pristidae) have experienced large population declines in the Indo-Pacific. Papua New Guinea (PNG) may offer a refuge for these species, as human population density is low, and river shark and sawfish populations are thought to persist. However, few data are available on these species in PNG, and risk posed by small-scale fishers is poorly understood. This study observed elasmobranch catches in small-scale fisheries in riverine and coastal environments in the East Sepik (northern region), Gulf, and Western Provinces (southern region) of PNG. Surveys were conducted over a period of weeks to months in each region, during the dry season across seven field trips from 2017 to 2020. We observed a total of 783 elasmobranchs encompassing 38 species from 10 families. River sharks made up 29.4% of observations in the southern region, while sawfishes made up 14.8 and 20.3% in the northern and southern regions, respectively. River sharks were commonly caught by small-scale fishers in lower riverine environments in southern PNG, while sawfishes were generally less common and mainly observed through dried rostra. The primary threat to river shark and sawfish populations is their capture by small-scale fishers targeting teleosts or swim bladder. Persisting populations of river sharks and sawfishes indicate that PNG is the second known nation with viable populations of multiple species in the Indo-Pacific. However, populations are declining or at high risk of decline, and fisheries management and conservation are required to realize the potential of PNG as a long-term refuge.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 719981 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-15 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Frontiers in Conservation Science |
| Volume | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This manuscript is dedicated to that Dick J. Jogo who sadly passed away during the completion of this study. The authors wish to thank the Save Our Seas Foundation, and the Piku Biodiversity Network, Gulf Provincial Fisheries, Western Provincial Fisheries, and National Fisheries Authority for facilitating our research. We additionally would like to thank all interviewees, Councilors, and Chiefs for letting us into their community and sharing information, and to Jagara Page for support and assistance to our research since 2014. A special thanks to James Cook University staff Melissa Joyce, Megan Harris, Verona Nobel, and Ben Marriott for valuable assistance in navigating fieldwork in remote regions of Papua New Guinea. Also special mention to Mathew Young, Arthur Georges, Francis Tobias, and to all the crew members who assisted with extensive fieldwork, Samson, Baera Nawia, Obiri Bottu, Nagai Thomas, Aikaru Ba'au, Baibai, Max Aimari, Kenneth Korokai, Councilor Buara Esege (Goare Village), Jerry Mana, and Paul Aipa. We thank Jagara Page (Katatia Village), Sampson (Sibidiri Village), Daniel (Buzi Village), Obiri Bottu, Aikaru Ba'au, and Kenneth Koroku (Goare Village), Ian (Marieke Village), and Jerry (Kopar Village) for enumerating fisheries landings. MG was supported by an Australian Post-Graduate Award and PK was supported by the Marine Biodiversity Hub, a collaborative partnership supported through funding from the Australian Government's National Environmental Science Program. This study was conducted with human ethics approval (H7240) from James Cook University and the project was registered with the Conservation and Environmental Protection Authority (CEPA) of Papua New Guinea.
Funding Information:
This manuscript is dedicated to that Dick J. Jogo who sadly passed away during the completion of this study. The authors wish to thank the Save Our Seas Foundation, and the Piku Biodiversity Network, Gulf Provincial Fisheries, Western Provincial Fisheries, and National Fisheries Authority for facilitating our research. We additionally would like to thank all interviewees, Councilors, and Chiefs for letting us into their community and sharing information, and to Jagara Page for support and assistance to our research since 2014. A special thanks to James Cook University staff Melissa Joyce, Megan Harris, Verona Nobel, and Ben Marriott for valuable assistance in navigating fieldwork in remote regions of Papua New Guinea. Also special mention to Mathew Young, Arthur Georges, Francis Tobias, and to all the crew members who assisted with extensive fieldwork, Samson, Baera Nawia, Obiri Bottu, Nagai Thomas, Aikaru Ba'au, Baibai, Max Aimari, Kenneth Korokai, Councilor Buara Esege (Goare Village), Jerry Mana, and Paul Aipa. We thank Jagara Page (Katatia Village), Sampson (Sibidiri Village), Daniel (Buzi Village), Obiri Bottu, Aikaru Ba'au, and Kenneth Koroku (Goare Village), Ian (Marieke Village), and Jerry (Kopar Village) for enumerating fisheries landings. MG was supported by an Australian Post-Graduate Award and PK was supported by the Marine Biodiversity Hub, a collaborative partnership supported through funding from the Australian Government's National Environmental Science Program. This study was conducted with human ethics approval (H7240) from James Cook University and the project was registered with the Conservation and Environmental Protection Authority (CEPA) of Papua New Guinea. Funding. This study was funded by the Save Our Seas Foundation (Keystone project number 388).
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2021 Grant, White, Amepou, Appleyard, Baje, Devloo-Delva, Feutry, Ibana, Jogo, Jogo, Kyne, Mana, Mapmani, Nagul, Roeger, Simpfendorfer and Chin.
