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Marine Life & Conservation

Interview: Esther Jacobs talks to Lauren Peel, Seychelles Manta Ray Project

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Lauren Peel has a BSc (Hons.) in Zoology from University of Western Australia. She is currently a PhD candidate in marine biology at University of Western Australia and project leader for The Manta Trust and Save Our Seas Foundation’s Seychelles Manta Ray Project.

EJ: How did you end up in science and research?

LP: I have always been in awe of the natural world and when I was five years old, my parents took me to the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. I could not get enough of snorkeling the reefs and exploring the intertidal pools to see what new creatures I could discover, and it was from that moment that my passion for the ocean and marine life was well and truly ignited. It wasn’t long before everyone knew what answer they would get when they asked me “What do you want to be when you grow up, Lauren?” – “A marine biologist!” I would say, with a huge grin on my face.

My fascination with the world around me drove me to complete my Bachelor’s degree in 2011 at the University of Western Australia, where I majored in zoology and chemistry. It was during my Honours year however, when I was working with Port Jackson sharks, that I discovered my love for all things elasmobranch. I knew then that I wanted to make a career out of studying these incredible animals and promoting their conservation through education, and I have been working towards achieving that goal ever since.

EJ: What’s your favourite species of elasmobranch?

LP: Tough question! In all honesty I do not think I can pick a favourite. I have been incredibly fortunate to work with a wide range of elasmobranch species and I have learnt so much from my experiences with each of them. One of the things that fascinates me the most about sharks and rays is the incredible amount of diversity that they display in everything from their body shapes to their life history strategies, so I think elasmobranchs collectively are my favourite.

EJ: You were a past field specialist for Oceans Research. Do you miss working with them?

LP: Yes I was, and it was a phenomenal two years that I spent working there. Although I do miss working with my colleagues and the white sharks, one of the best things about working in marine biology is the connectivity of researchers around the world – everyone knows everyone, and sometimes it feels like we are all from the same small town. This means that even though I am no longer based in Mossel Bay, I am still able to keep in touch with the scientists and staff who are there, visit them when I can, and plan future collaborations and research projects with them.

EJ: What was your favourite aspect of working with Oceans Research?

LP: There are countless things that I loved about working with Oceans Research, but my favourite thing would have to be working with the new interns each month and watching them learn the techniques that we used to study the diverse array of marine life present in Mossel Bay. From assessing the community structures present on the intertidal platforms, to tracking dolphins, and using photo-ID to count white sharks, no two days were ever the same and it was always exciting to share new experiences with the interns and research team.

EJ: What can you tell us about your past and / or current research?

LP: I first started studying elasmobranchs during my Honours year at the University of Western Australia where I studied the visual system of the Port Jackson shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni). My research aimed to describe the structure and physiological function of the retina in this benthic shark species, and relate these findings to its behavior and ecology – it was so interesting. While I was completing my research project, I found out about the Oceans Research internship program and was an intern there for a month before returning as a Field Specialist for the next two years.

I am now working towards a PhD in Marine Biology; investigating the population dynamics, movement patterns and ecology of the Seychelles reef manta ray (Manta alfredi) population for the Seychelles Manta Ray Project with the support of the Save Our Seas Foundation, The Manta Trust, The Australian Institute of Marine Science, and The University of Western Australia, and I love it. The fieldwork for my research is based at the Save Our Seas Foundation’s D’Arros Research Centre, and it has been a fantastic and productive experience so far. For more information about this research, and lots of photographs and information about manta rays, people can follow the Project’s Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/SeychellesMantaRayProject.

EJ: What has been your most important scientific finding?

LP: Using a combination of acoustic and satellite telemetry, we are learning a lot about the movement and residency patterns of reef manta rays throughout the Amirantes Island Group of the Seychelles. Our acoustic tags are helping us to unravel the seasonal movement patterns of the mantas, and our satellite tags – the first to be deployed on any manta ray in the Seychelles – are showing us how far these animals travel and how they utilize the water column as they move. By pairing this information with the photo-identification component of the Seychelles Manta Ray Project, we are becoming better equipped to estimate the size of the Seychelles reef manta ray population as a whole.

EJ: Have there been any surprises?

LP: The Seychelles Manta Ray Project represents the first study of manta ray biology and ecology in the Seychelles, so we are learning new things about the reef manta population all the time. As individual manta rays can be identified by the unique pattern of spots that they have on their bellies, a key component of this project is to include as many people as possible in our research by encouraging them to submit photographs of the mantas they have seen throughout the country. The Seychelles is made up of 115 small islands spread across some ~1,400,000 km2, so we need as much help as possible to find the mantas and to record both who and where they are. It has been a fantastic experience networking with new people across the Islands, and it is always exciting when new manta rays are found, photographed, and added to our database.

EJ: What has been your biggest challenge?

LP: The biggest challenge for me so far was organizing and coordinating the first field trip for this project. Working on a remote island definitely has its difficulties and I had never organized an international field trip before. Needless to say, every hour of preparing paperwork, ordering equipment, and planning was worth it – I am still in awe of D’Arros Island and the manta rays that I am so lucky to work with and I’m now eagerly awaiting the next field season.

EJ: What’s more important, science or conservation?

LP: I think that science and conservation need to work hand-in-hand with each other in order to have the highest level of impact. Conservation strategies and outreach programs need to be scientifically-informed to ensure that resources are distributed effectively and that peoples’ efforts are directed to where they are most needed, and conservation programs can be a fantastic way of delivering scientific information to diverse groups of people on large scales. You can’t really have one without the other; they are both important.

EJ: What is the main goal of the Seychelles Manta Ray Project?

LP: The main aim of the Seychelles Manta Ray Project is to expand our understanding of the Seychelles reef manta ray population so that we can inform the development of targeted conservation strategies aimed at protecting their population in this region of the Indian Ocean. The results of this study will also be used to promote a more global view of the conservation needs of manta rays, which are currently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

This research is made possible by generous funding contributions from the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) and SOSF – D’Arros Research Centre, and through the support of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change of the Republic of Seychelles.

EJ: Do you hope your research will aide in manta ray conservation?

LP: Very much so. One of the main reasons I decided to pursue a career in marine biology was because I wanted to share my passion for marine life and elasmobranchs with as many people as possible, and because I wanted to be able to contribute to the conservation of these incredible animals. Over the past 75 years, global manta ray populations have suffered drastic declines with numbers decreasing on average by 30% and losses as large as 80% being observed in some areas. These declines are caused by a number of anthropogenic factors, but are primarily driven by demand from the traditional Chinese medicine market for manta ray gill plates which are dried, put into a soup, and sold as ‘Peng yu sai’. It is believed that gill plates possess medicinal qualities that can benefit the consumer, yet there is no scientific evidence to support such claims.

Like most elasmobranchs, manta rays have an extremely slow reproductive rate – maturing at around 15-20 years of age and producing one pup every one to three (or even more) years – and this greatly compounds the impact of these fishing pressures. As I mentioned before, I believe that conservation and management strategies should be designed and implemented based on scientific evidence, and I hope the results of my research will allow for protective legislation – ideally at a national level – to be put in place for the manta rays of the Seychelles to ensure that their population can be protected long into the future.

EJ: What does conservation mean to you?

LP: To me, conservation means respecting the life and ecosystems around you, and making sure that future generations have the opportunity to experience all of the wonders of nature. It’s about promoting sustainability, and understanding that every decision we make in our life has an impact on the world around us.

EJ: Do you have any advice for anyone keen to follow in your footsteps?

LP: My advice would be to work hard, make the most of every opportunity you get given, and to network and volunteer whenever you can. Most importantly – be excited. The ocean is a massive and mysterious place and we still have so much left to learn about it, so never stop asking questions.

EJ: If the people who are reading this have their own photographs of manta rays, is there any way for them to get involved in manta ray research, too?

LP: Absolutely. If you have seen or photographed a manta in the Seychelles – or anywhere else in the world – you can contribute directly to the research and conservation of manta rays by submitting your images and sighting encounters through the Manta Trust’s online submission form. Alternatively, you can email your images to IDtheManta@mantatrust.org – but please don’t forget to let us know when and where you saw your manta(s).

The more information you provide, the more information we can give you on your encounter. We reply to each submission with details of the history of the manta ray that was photographed which includes information such as: the name of the manta, its ID number, its gender, its size, and where and when it has been sighted before. If you happen to spot a manta ray that has not been previously recorded, you can also choose its name.

Your help is greatly appreciated, so please take a few minutes to send us your manta images and/or sighting details and be proud of your role as a citizen scientist!

For information on Oceans Research and their internship opportunities visit www.oceans-research.com.

Esther Jacobs is a shark conservationist, originally from Scotland, now living in South Africa working with sharks and other marine life. Esther works with Oceans Research, a marine research facility in Mossel Bay, South Africa. She also runs a shark conservation campaign called Keep Fin Alive, which features a handpuppet shark called Fin, who is on a mission to be photographed with as many people as possible holding a sign that says “I hugged a shark and I liked it… Keep Fin Alive”. He’s already been photographed with lots of celebrities and scientists. The ultimate goal of the campaign is to take a light-hearted approach to help change the common misconception of sharks and drive more attention to the problems of shark overfishing, finning, shark fishing tournaments, bycatch and longlining.

Marine Life & Conservation

New report shows simple measures needed to cut beach plastic pollution

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The Marine Conservation Society has launched its annual State of our Beaches 2023 report, highlighting the need for less single-use plastic items and more refillable options.

The charity’s beach cleaning programme, now in its 30th year, asks volunteers to record all litter that they find within a 100-metre stretch of beach. By gathering vital data from across the UK and Channel Islands, the charity creates change for cleaner seas and a healthier planet through policy and industry change. Last year, over 148 kilometres of beach were surveyed by volunteers, who removed 17,208kgs of litter from our coast.

Using data collected by over 14,000 volunteers, the State of our Beaches 2023 report shows that half of all litter collected came from public sources – either dumped, blown or washed onto our beaches.

Drinks-related litter, such as plastic bottles, caps and cans were one of the most found items, with an average of 16 found per 100 metres of beach surveyed. This figure is up 14% compared to the charity’s 2022 report.

Plastics caps and lids were recorded on 89% of surveys, with over 30,000 found in total. Plastic bottles were also commonly collected, with 73% of surveys finding this single-use item – a 4% increase compared to 2022. The charity’s inland litter pick survey, Source to Sea, also reported finding plastic bottles on 92% of cleans.

However, the charity’s State of Our Beaches 2023 report also indicates that some types of litter are on a downward trend. Although still in the top 10 litter items, disposable plastic cutlery, trays and straws were found on 5% fewer beaches across the UK, showing that bans on these plastic items between 2022 – 2023 could be working. The presence of plastic cotton bud sticks also dropped by 14%.

Lizzie Price, Beachwatch Manager at the Marine Conservation Society, said, “Half of the litter found on our beaches originates from public sources, underscoring the pressing issue of single-use plastic. Evidence shows that refillable alternatives and litter return schemes effectively reduce rubbish, as demonstrated by the decline our data has shown in items like plastic bags and disposable cutlery.

“Urgent and decisive action from UK governments is needed to accelerate our shift towards a circular economy, where we reuse, repair and recycle. The public needs greater access to refillable products and systems need to be implemented in which manufacturers are responsible for their waste.”

Governments across the UK have committed to delivering deposit return schemes from October 2025. However, the proposed scheme in England does not include glass items, despite glass being found on 52% of beaches in 2023. The charity is calling for governments across the UK to introduce compatible all inclusive deposit return schemes as soon as possible. This would see aluminium cans, and plastic and glass bottles have a 20p deposit which would be returned when recycled which would reduce drinks-related pollution.

Businesses are, however, starting to take refillable and reusable options into their own hands. Supermarket chain, Aldi, the largest corporate funder of the charity’s 2024 Beachwatch programme, is already leading the charge in refillable items by trialling refillable options for cereals and porridge oats in their stores over the past 5 months.

Plastics and Packaging Director, Luke Emery, from Aldi, who are running 4 beach cleans for staff and volunteers in 2024, said, We are continually working to reduce single-use plastics and packaging, and making unpackaged product options more commonplace for our customers is a key part of this. We are really pleased with the uptake of our refillable range so far by customers. Not only are we making sustainable shopping more accessible, but we also offer refill products for a better price than the packaged alternative, helping our customers save money.”

Marine litter is one of the biggest threats to our seas, with plastic breaking down over time into microplastics and threatening marine life which can ingest or become entangled in them. The Marine Conservation Society is urging the UK Government to move faster on its policies to cut down plastic waste and prevent items from reaching our seas.

To find out more about the charity’s beach cleans and how to get involved, please visit mcsuk.org/beach-cleans

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Guarding Against Coral Invaders

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Protecting (Dutch) Caribbean Reefs from Unomia stolonifera

Recent reports highlight the concerning spread of the invasive soft coral, Unomia stolonifera, currently devastating Venezuela’s marine ecosystems and detected in Cuba. With the potential threat of its expansion to the (Dutch) Caribbean islands, urgent action and awareness are essential to safeguard marine biodiversity and local economies from possible catastrophic consequences.

Invasive species are animals or plants from another region of the world that don’t belong in their new environment. These species can have major ecological effects by decimating native flora or fauna. They can also cause large economic losses and impact human health. Invasive species also pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems worldwide, including the Dutch Caribbean. Among these invaders is the octocoral species Unomia stolonifera or “Pulsing Xenia”, originally from the Indo-Pacific. With its rapid growth and lack of natural predators, this species can outcompete native species and disrupt fragile marine habitats such as seagrass beds and coral reefs.

Background

The invasive soft coral U. stolonifera was first identified in 2014, off the coast of Venezuela. It is believed to have been introduced via the illegal aquarium trade.  Since this species can reproduce sexually and asexually (or fragment), even small pieces can regenerate to spread.  Once introduced it quickly took over shallow reefs and hard substrate at depths of 0-50 meters, outcompeting local corals and seagrass for space.  Follow on surveys found that this coral species exhibited average percentage cover as high as 80%, vastly outcompeting native corals. In highly colonized areas, fish are disappearing due to loss of habitats.

In 2022, during a survey conducted in Cuba by the University of Havana, an unknown octocoral was discovered which was later identified as the invasive Unomia stolonifera. It is suspected that the coral larvae arrived in ballast water from fossil fuel ships originating from Venezuela, as nearby sites adjacent to Venezuelan ports have been heavily affected by the invasion.

How to help

Prevention through continuous monitoring, particularly in high-risk areas such as marine harbors and oil facilities, is paramount. Early detection plays a pivotal role in mitigating the threat posed by Unomia stolonifera.

The public’s involvement and awareness are also vital. Local communities, recreational divers, tourists, and all stakeholders are urged to participate in early detection efforts by reporting sightings (photo, location and date) of this invasive coral to their respective Protected Area Management Organization (PMO’s)- the Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA)STINAPA BonaireCARMABI Curaçao Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF)Nature Foundation St. Maarten (NFSXM) and St. Eustatius National Parks (STENAPA). If an invaded area is confirmed, follow the recommendations by the local PMO’s.

Keys to Success

Despite the challenges, early detection is key to mitigating the threat posed by Unomia stolonifera. With continued vigilance, research, and community engagement, there is hope for containing this potential issue before it becomes a major threat.

About the DCNA

The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) supports (science) communication and outreach in the Dutch Caribbean region by making nature related (scientific) information more widely available through amongst others the Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database, DCNA’s news platform BioNews and through the press. This article contains the results from several scientific studies but the studies themselves are not DCNA studies. No rights can be derived from the content. DCNA is not liable for the content and the in(direct) impacts resulting from publishing this article.

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