News
Tribal Communities In The Solomon Islands Create Marine Conservation Areas
Katupika communities have created what is thought to be the biggest network of marine reserves in Choiseul Province in the Solomon Islands following the addition of four new sites to existing Managed Marine Areas governed by the Lauru Land Conference of Tribal Communities.
The new areas are Kukuru, Malanguni, Tarapae and Karago. All these sites are in the south east of the province and are owned by different clans. However, each comes from the same Volekana ‘mother tribe’.
This month a team consisting of three conservation practitioners from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) made a 10-day trip to Katupika communities in south east Choiseul to conduct training for 18 biological monitors from the villages of Ruruvai, Pututu, Posarae, Ropa, Kelekaku, and Lituni.
The Community Based Resource Management (CBRM) training was fully funded by Australian Aid and implemented by TNC. The objective of the 10 days was to conduct two days of training for community monitors on how to carry out simple Biological Monitoring Surveys at the community level in accordance with Solomon Islands Locally Managed Marine Areas Network protocols.
The survey looked at three components: coral reef cover, invertebrates and fish monitoring. The remaining eight days were for field activities within the new sites. The workshop took place at Posarae community, South East Choiseul on 29-30 July and the survey was carried out in the Roboroe and Boboe areas.
During the first two days of training held at the community hall, participants learned about marine monitoring methods and protocols, and participatory learning approaches. The activity was later followed by awareness raising for the entire community on conservation, climate change and natural disasters.
Site monitoring was also conducted at new Marine Managed Area (MMA) sites proposed by the local communities around RoboroeIsland. According to Kenton Madada from Ruruvai village, “It is a great privilege for me to acquire information about our marine resources and monitoring these in a professional way. I know it can cost a lot of money to acquire this type of knowledge, but for us it’s all free.” Another participant, Watson Pitakoe, said the training was more than just about monitoring coral reefs: “It also gives me an opportunity to learn how to conduct a mathematical analysis of the results obtained from surveys.”
Choiseul-based TNC staff member, Jimmy Kereseka, told participants: “What you have learnt during the course is simple but vital science. You are now professionals in your area and by sharing your knowledge with the wider community, you will end up learning more than what we have managed to show you during the training.”
Arnavon Islands coordinator Henry Kaniki helped conduct the training with TNC. He said surveys of the marine resources showed that the new sites are still in pristine condition.
“The data collected shows there are abundant invertebrates, fish and healthy corals. Even more exciting was the capture of a juvenile Hawksbill turtle for the first time during a fish survey at Kukuru Marine Managed Area.”
“There is normally very little opportunity to catch a turtle at a depth of less than 4m in the middle of the day. There were also different types of clamshells and commercial invertebrates found,” he said.
Source: www.earthdive.com
Gemma and Ian chat to Dawn Kernagis. Dawn joined DEEP in 2023 as the Director of Scientific Research. DEEP is an ocean technology and exploration company with a mission to ‘Make Humans Aquatic.’ DEEP’s undersea habitat and submersible systems, combined with multi-phased diver and human performance training, will create the next evolution of subsea science, research, and exploration capabilities. Dawn is a NASA-trained NEEMO Aquanaut, Explorer’s Club Fellow and Women Divers Hall of Fame Inductee and who is also tasked to establish DEEP’s first US presence in North Carolina. Dawn has also been a diver with numerous underwater exploration, research, and conservation projects since 1993, including the mapping and record-setting exploration of some of the deepest underwater caves in the world.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-kernagis-995383152/
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In this series, the Shark Trust will be sharing amazing facts about different species of sharks and what you can do to help protect them.
As we’re currently in butterfly season, this month we decided to concentrate on the Butterfly Rays!
Within the family Gymnuridae, there are two genera and 12 species of Butterfly Ray. These species are morphologically different to lots of other rays because of the width of the disc and pectoral fins – in contrast to many other species of Butterfly Ray, their bodies are much wider than they are long, especially considering their very short tail. This gives them the appearance of gliding or flying across the sand.
Gymnura altavela – Spiny Butterfly Ray
Gymnura australis – Australian Butterfly Ray
Gymnura crebripunctata – Longsnout Butterfly Ray
Gymnura japonica – Japanese Butterfly Ray
Gymnura lessae – Lessa’s Butterfly Ray
Gymnura marmorata – California Butterfly Ray
Gymnura micrura – Smooth Butterfly Ray
Gymnura natalensis – Backwater Butterfly Ray
Gymnura peocilura – Longtail Butterfly Ray
Gymnura sereti – Seret’s Butterfly Ray
Gymnura tentaculata – Tentacled Butterfly Ray
Gymnura zonura – Zonetail Butterfly Ray
Spiny Butterfly Ray, Gymnura altavela. Playa La Granadella, Spain, Mediterranean Sea.
Today we’re taking a look at Gymnura altavela, the Spiny Butterfly Ray. Like all Butterfly Rays, the Spiny Butterfly Ray is a demersal species, meaning it spends the majority of its time on the bottom of the seabed. Butterfly Rays are known for their burying behaviour in the sand, a technique they use to camouflage themselves when they are resting during the day. This protects them from predators, in some areas larger sharks. It also aids them in their ambush hunting technique – by hiding themselves under the sand they are able to easily snatch up their dinner – usually crustaceans, molluscs or other small fish – as they swim by unawares. This behaviour can leave tell-tale butterfly-ray shaped imprints in the bottom of the seabed.
Spiny Butterfly Rays can grow up to 260 cm (disc width (wingspan)), although average is around 200 cm. They give birth to live young, and each litter consists of 1-8 pups. This species has also been found to aggregate, likely for mating. One study found that aggregations of primarily females in the coastal regions off Gran Canaria may correlate with the shifting water temperature.
It is estimated that the species has undergone a population reduction of 50-79% over the last 33 years. This is primarily due to fishing pressure – the Spiny Butterfly Ray is targeted and bycaught in both industrial and artisanal fisheries types using a variety of gear types. The species is now Critically Endangered in the Mediterranean and Southwest Atlantic.
Scientific Name: Gymnura altavela
Family: Gymnuridae
Maximum Size: 260 cm (disc width)
Diet: crabs, shrimps, various invertebrates, fishes, small crustaceans, and molluscs.
Distribution: throughout the Atlantic and Mediterranean and Black Seas.
Habitat: muddy and sandy substrates down to 150m.
Conservation status: Critically Endangered in the Mediterranean and Europe, Endangered Globally.
For more great shark information and conservation visit the Shark Trust Website
Banner Image: ©Tomas Willems. Main image: ©Andy Murch
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