Human-shark interactions: The case study of Reunion island in the south-west Indian Ocean

Lemahieu, Anne; Blaison, Antonin; Crochelet, Estelle; Bertrand, Geoffrey; Pennober, Gwenaëlle; Soria, Marc

doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2016.11.020

Cited by 33 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The restricted shelf system around La Réunion is thought overfished and has been exploited historically . Since 2011, tiger and bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) have been the cause of increasing numbers of reported attacks on bathers and surfers, resulting in increasing efforts to reduce numbers of these species (Lemahieu et al 2017; L'Institut de Recherche pour le Développement personal communication). However, no statistics are currently available and the magnitude of culling is unknown.…”

Section: La Réunionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine megafauna interactions with small-scale fisheries in the southwestern Indian Ocean: a review of status and challenges for research and management

Temple

Kiszka

Stead

et al. 2017

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

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In developing regions, coastal communities are particularly dependent on small-scale fisheries for food security and income. However, information on the scale and impacts of small-scale fisheries on coastal marine ecosystems are frequently lacking. Large marine vertebrates (marine mammals, sea turtles and chondrichthyans) are often among the first species to experience declines due to fisheries. This paper reviews the interactions between small-scale fisheries and vulnerable marine megafauna in the southwestern Indian Ocean. We highlight an urgent need for proper documentation, monitoring and assessment at the regional level of small-scale fisheries and the megafauna affected by them to inform evidence-based fisheries management. Catch and landings data are generally of poor quality and resolution with compositional data, where available, mostly anecdotal or heavily biased towards easily identifiable species. There is also limited understanding of fisheries effort, most of which relies on metrics unsuitable for proper assessment. Management strategies (where they exist) are often created without strong evidence bases or understanding of the reliance of fishers on resources. Consequently, it is not possible to effectively assess the current status and ensure the sustainability of these species groups; with indications 123Rev Fish Biol Fisheries (2018Fisheries ( ) 28:89-115 https://doi.org/10.1007 of overexploitation in several areas. To address these issues, a regionally collaborative approach between government and non-governmental organisations, independent researchers and institutions, and smallscale fisheries stakeholders is required. In combination with good governance practices, appropriate and effective, evidence-based management can be formulated to sustain these resources, the marine ecosystems they are intrinsically linked to and the livelihoods of coastal communities that are tied to them.

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Section: La Réunionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine megafauna interactions with small-scale fisheries in the southwestern Indian Ocean: a review of status and challenges for research and management

Temple

Kiszka

Stead

et al. 2017

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

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“…Carlson et al 2012;Froeschke et al 2013), these appear insufficient to account for the global rise in attacks (West 2011;McPhee 2014). Regardless of the underlying causes, spatially and temporally clustered attacks, such as those along the coastlines of Recife (Hazin et al 2008(Hazin et al , 2013, Reunion Island (Blaison et al 2015;Lemahieu et al 2017), North and South Carolina (Amin et al 2015) and off the Australian states of New South Wales (NSW; Neff 2012; Pepin-Neff and Wynter 2017) and Western Australia (WA; Gibbs and Warren 2015), usually result in public demands for risk mitigation (Hazin et al 2008;Cliff and Dudley 2011;Hazin and Afonso 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beach safety: can drones provide a platform for sighting sharks?

et al. 2019

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ContextA series of unprovoked shark attacks on New South Wales (Australia) beaches between 2013 and 2015 triggered an investigation of new and emerging technologies for protecting bathers. Traditionally, bather protection has included several methods for shark capture, detection and/or deterrence but has often relied on environmentally damaging techniques. Heightened environmental awareness, including the important role of sharks in the marine ecosystem, demands new techniques for protection from shark attack. Recent advances in drone-related technologies have enabled the possibility of real-time shark detection and alerting. AimTo determine the reliability of drones to detect shark analogues in the water across a range of environmental conditions experienced on New South Wales beaches. MethodsA standard multirotor drone (DJI Inspire 1) was used to detect shark analogues as a proxy during flights at 0900, 1200 and 1500 hours over a 3-week period. The 27 flights encompassed a range of environmental conditions, including wind speed (2–30.0kmh−1), turbidity (0.4–6.4m), cloud cover (0–100%), glare (0–100%), seas (0.4–1.4m), swells (1.4–2.5m) and sea state (Beaufort Scale 1–5 Bf). Key resultsDetection rates of the shark analogues over the 27 flights were significantly higher for the independent observer conducting post-flight video analysis (50%) than for the drone pilot (38%) (Wald P=0.04). Water depth and turbidity significantly impaired detection of analogues (Wald P=0.04). Specifically, at a set depth of 2m below the water surface, very few analogues were seen by the observer or pilot when water turbidity reduced visibility to less than 1.5m. Similarly, when water visibility was greater than 1.5m, the detection rate was negatively related to water depth. Conclusions The present study demonstrates that drones can fly under most environmental conditions and would be a cost-effective bather protection tool for a range of user groups. ImplicationsThe most effective use of drones would occur during light winds and in shallow clear water. Although poor water visibility may restrict detection, sharks spend large amounts of time near the surface, therefore providing a practical tool for detection in most conditions.

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“…Shark bites on humans have been documented throughout the history of La Réunion (France, Southwest Indian Ocean), but not anywhere near the levels experienced in recent years 28 . From 2010 to 2017, 23 shark bites occurred (see method section for inclusion criterion) around La Réunion, including 9 fatal events.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental and anthropogenic factors affecting the increasing occurrence of shark-human interactions around a fast-developing Indian Ocean island

Lagabrielle

Allibert

Kiszka

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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Understanding the environmental drivers of interactions between predators and humans is critical for public safety and management purposes. In the marine environment, this issue is exemplified by shark-human interactions. The annual shark bite incidence rate (SBIR) in La Réunion (Indian Ocean) is among the highest in the world (up to 1 event per 24,000 hours of surfing) and has experienced a 23-fold increase over the 2005–2016 period. Since 1988, 86% of shark bite events on surfers involved ocean-users off the leeward coast, where 96% of surfing activities took place. We modeled the SBIR as a function of environmental variables, including benthic substrate, sea temperature and period of day. The SBIR peaked in winter, during the afternoon and dramatically increased on coral substrate since the mid-2000s. Seasonal patterns of increasing SBIR followed similar fluctuations of large coastal shark occurrences (particularly the bull shark Carcharhinus leucas), consistent with the hypothesis that higher shark presence may result in an increasing likelihood of shark bite events. Potential contributing factors and adaptation of ocean-users to the increasing shark bite hazard are discussed. This interdisciplinary research contributes to a better understanding of shark-human interactions. The modeling method is relevant for wildlife hazard management in general.

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Human-shark interactions: The case study of Reunion island in the south-west Indian Ocean

Cited by 33 publications

References 36 publications

Marine megafauna interactions with small-scale fisheries in the southwestern Indian Ocean: a review of status and challenges for research and management

Marine megafauna interactions with small-scale fisheries in the southwestern Indian Ocean: a review of status and challenges for research and management

Beach safety: can drones provide a platform for sighting sharks?

Environmental and anthropogenic factors affecting the increasing occurrence of shark-human interactions around a fast-developing Indian Ocean island

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