Journal article
Global collision-risk hotspots of marine traffic and the world’s largest fish, the whale shark
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol.119(20), Art. e2117440119
2022
Abstract
Marine traffic is increasing globally yet collisions with endangered megafauna such as whales, sea turtles, and planktivorous sharks go largely undetected or unreported. Collisions leading to mortality can have population-level consequences for endangered species. Hence, identifying simultaneous space use of megafauna and shipping throughout ranges may reveal as-yet-unknown spatial targets requiring conservation. However, global studies tracking megafauna and shipping occurrences are lacking. Here we combine satellite-tracked movements of the whale shark, Rhincodon typus, and vessel activity to show that 92% of sharks’ horizontal space use and nearly 50% of vertical space use overlap with persistent large vessel (>300 gross tons) traffic. Collision-risk estimates correlated with reported whale shark mortality from ship strikes, indicating higher mortality in areas with greatest overlap. Hotspots of potential collision risk were evident in all major oceans, predominantly from overlap with cargo and tanker vessels, and were concentrated in gulf regions, where dense traffic co-occurred with seasonal shark movements. Nearly a third of whale shark hotspots overlapped with the highest collision-risk areas, with the last known locations of tracked sharks coinciding with busier shipping routes more often than expected. Depth-recording tags provided evidence for sinking, likely dead, whale sharks, suggesting substantial “cryptic” lethal ship strikes are possible, which could explain why whale shark population declines continue despite international protection and low fishing-induced mortality. Mitigation measures to reduce ship-strike risk should be considered to conserve this species and other ocean giants that are likely experiencing similar impacts from growing global vessel traffic.
Details
- Title
- Global collision-risk hotspots of marine traffic and the world’s largest fish, the whale shark
- Authors/Creators
- F.C. Womersley (Author/Creator)N.E. Humphries (Author/Creator) - Marine Biological Association of the United KingdomN. Queiroz (Author/Creator) - Universidade do PortoM. Vedor (Author/Creator) - Universidade do PortoI. da Costa (Author/Creator)M. Furtado (Author/Creator) - Universidade do PortoJ.P. Tyminski (Author/Creator)K. Abrantes (Author/Creator)G. Araujo (Author/Creator) - Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute PhilippinesS.S. Bach (Author/Creator)A. Barnett (Author/Creator)M.L. Berumen (Author/Creator) - King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyS. Bessudo Lion (Author/Creator)C.D. Braun (Author/Creator) - Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionE. Clingham (Author/Creator)J.E.M. Cochran (Author/Creator)R. de la Parra (Author/Creator)S. Diamant (Author/Creator)A.D.M. Dove (Author/Creator) - Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA 30313.C.L. Dudgeon (Author/Creator)M.V. Erdmann (Author/Creator) - University of AucklandE. Espinoza (Author/Creator)R. Fitzpatrick (Author/Creator)J.G. Cano (Author/Creator)J.R. Green (Author/Creator)H.M. Guzman (Author/Creator) - Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteR. Hardenstine (Author/Creator)A. Hasan (Author/Creator)F.H.V. Hazin (Author/Creator)A.R. Hearn (Author/Creator) - Piramal (United States)R.E. Hueter (Author/Creator)M.Y. Jaidah (Author/Creator)J. Labaja (Author/Creator)F. Ladino (Author/Creator)B.C.L. Macena (Author/Creator) - Universidade Federal Rural de PernambucoJ.J. Morris (Author/Creator)B.M. Norman (Author/Creator)C. Peñaherrera-Palma (Author/Creator)S.J. Pierce (Author/Creator) - Marine Megafauna FoundationL.M. Quintero (Author/Creator)D. Ramirez-Macias (Author/Creator) - Whale Shark Mexico, Conexiones Terramar AC, 23205 La Paz, Mexico.S.D. Reynolds (Author/Creator)A.J. Richardson (Author/Creator) - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganisationD.P. Robinson (Author/Creator)C.A. Rohner (Author/Creator) - Marine Megafauna FoundationD.R.L. Rowat (Author/Creator)M. Sheaves (Author/Creator) - James Cook UniversityM.S. Shivji (Author/Creator)A.B. Sianipar (Author/Creator)G.B. Skomal (Author/Creator)G. Soler (Author/Creator)I. Syakurachman (Author/Creator)S.R. Thorrold (Author/Creator) - Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionD.H. Webb (Author/Creator)B.M. Wetherbee (Author/Creator)T.D. White (Author/Creator) - Global Fishing WatchT. Clavelle (Author/Creator)D.A. Kroodsma (Author/Creator) - Global Fishing WatchM. Thums (Author/Creator)L.C. Ferreira (Author/Creator) - Australian Institute of Marine ScienceM.G. Meekan (Author/Creator) - Australian Institute of Marine ScienceL.M. Arrowsmith (Author/Creator)E.K. Lester (Author/Creator)M.M. Meyers (Author/Creator)L.R. Peel (Author/Creator)A.M.M. Sequeira (Author/Creator)V.M. Eguíluz (Author/Creator) - Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Physics and Complex SystemsC.M. Duarte (Author/Creator) - King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyD.W. Sims (Author/Creator) - University of Southampton
- Publication Details
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol.119(20), Art. e2117440119
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Identifiers
- 991005544579307891
- Copyright
- © 2022 The Authors.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Harry Butler Institute
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Domestic collaboration
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- Citation topics
- 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology
- 3.2 Marine Biology
- 3.2.92 Fisheries Ecology
- Web Of Science research areas
- Multidisciplinary Sciences
- ESI research areas
- Plant & Animal Science