ACUSQUAT II

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“Acoustic monitoring of the behaviour of the Angel Shark (Squatina squatina) in critical conservation areas”

This new initiative represents the continuation of the previous project ACUSQUAT carried out between January 2018 and June 2019. The Angel Shark (Squatina squatina) is a worldwide critically endangered species which has been recently included within the Spanish Catalogue of Endangered Species. The geographic distribution of their stable populations has been reduced to the Canarian archipelago, due to overfishing primarily. This shark uses sheltered beaches of the islands as critical reproduction and breeding areas, thus tourism development represents another major threat for its survival. This second phase addressing the study of it´s circadian and seasonal routines, as well as of their movements around those areas and towards deep habitats, will provide new knowledge on the species´ ecology and management guidelines contributing to conciliate conservation and tourism. The project, as well as the previous phase, is supported by Fundación Biodiversidad of the Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge.

General objective:
To study the spatio-temporal behaviour of the Angel Shark and interactions with human activities around critical conservation areas, in order to contribute to its future Recovery Plan.

Specific objectives:
1. To consolidate the telemetry network already in place in SW Gran Canaria to monitor the species´ behaviour around critical conservation areas.
2. To develop new technologies and strategies complementing the efficacy of the fixed monitoring network with mobile receivers (from a motor boat and/or autonomous vessels), in order to study the “dark phase” of the Angelshark which is coincident with seasonal migration to deep habitats.
3. To support social governance and participation processes on the conservation of the Angel Shark: contributions to the Recovery Plan.
4. To promote dissemination of results and environmental awareness on the conservation of the species.

AcusquatII