The Department of Environment (DoE) has secured UK funding for pop-off satellite archival tags to study the movements of Caribbean reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezi) around the Cayman Islands. Recognized as endangered, these sharks are vital for the ecological and socio-economic health of the region.
Initiated in March 2024, the project, funded by a £52,000 Darwin Plus Local grant, aims to explore deeper waters beyond previous studies, which focused on coastal shark ecology. The findings will assess whether these apex predators require additional protection, especially given the unregulated deep-water fishing practices.
So far, eight out of ten planned tags have been fitted on reef and black tip sharks. Tags record movement data, pop off at intervals, and float to the surface for recovery. Preliminary data from three released tags has already been collected.
Dr. Johanna Kohler, the DoE Shark Project Officer, emphasized that this research will enhance understanding of the species' role in marine ecosystems and inform sustainable management strategies. The study will also help determine the overlap between Marine Protected Areas and critical habitats for these sharks, potentially leading to more robust conservation measures.