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Using mark-recapture methods to estimate population size and survival of pyjama sharks (Poroderma africanum) in Mossel Bay, South Africa

Sharks are vulnerable to exploitation as a result of their biological characteristics. Markrecapture models were applied to conventional tag recapture data and acoustic telemetry data to estimate abundance, apparent survival, recapture probability and temporary emigration for the pyjama shark, Porod...

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Main Author: Grusd, Samantha
Other Authors: Gennari, Enrico
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Oceanography 2017
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access_status_str Open Access
author Grusd, Samantha
author2 Gennari, Enrico
author_browse Gennari, Enrico
Grusd, Samantha
author_facet Gennari, Enrico
Grusd, Samantha
author_sort Grusd, Samantha
collection Thesis
description Sharks are vulnerable to exploitation as a result of their biological characteristics. Markrecapture models were applied to conventional tag recapture data and acoustic telemetry data to estimate abundance, apparent survival, recapture probability and temporary emigration for the pyjama shark, Poroderma africanum in Mossel Bay, South Africa over a five-year period. This study applied Pollock's robust design (with the conventional tag data) and Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) models (with the acoustic tag data) to analyze the mark-recapture data. In addition, a von Bertalanffy model was fit to the data to estimate individual growth. The best-fit robust design model showed the population as having no temporary emigration, survival probability that is dependent on the length at first capture, and time-constant capture probabilities. The best-fit CJS model showed the population also having time-constant survival, but sex dependent capture probabilities. Robust design abundance estimates (with 95% C.I.) in Mossel Bay varied from 279 (102-787) sharks to 733 (320-1777) sharks, although confidence intervals were quite large. CJS apparent annual survival (95% C.I.; CJS) was estimated to be 0.271 year⁻¹ (0.04 to 0.56) and annual recapture probability (95% C.I.) was estimated to be 0.008 year⁻¹ (0.003-0.20), indicating that survival and recaptures for this endemic species are relatively low. Annual somatic growth rate (k) was estimated to be 0.213 year⁻¹, indicating that this population is slow growing, a characteristic common in most shark species. Overall, the results in this study provide baseline knowledge on this population in Mossel Bay and can be used to implement proper management techniques. This knowledge can be further expanded upon to give a more in-depth understanding of all size and age classes in the population and the role that the environment and anthropogenic activities play in the population structure.
format Thesis
id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/25026
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:33:48.261Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2017
publishDateRange 2017
publishDateSort 2017
publisher Department of Oceanography
publisherStr Department of Oceanography
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/25026 Using mark-recapture methods to estimate population size and survival of pyjama sharks (Poroderma africanum) in Mossel Bay, South Africa Grusd, Samantha Gennari, Enrico Moloney, Coleen L Distiller, Greg B Applied Marine Science Sharks are vulnerable to exploitation as a result of their biological characteristics. Markrecapture models were applied to conventional tag recapture data and acoustic telemetry data to estimate abundance, apparent survival, recapture probability and temporary emigration for the pyjama shark, Poroderma africanum in Mossel Bay, South Africa over a five-year period. This study applied Pollock's robust design (with the conventional tag data) and Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) models (with the acoustic tag data) to analyze the mark-recapture data. In addition, a von Bertalanffy model was fit to the data to estimate individual growth. The best-fit robust design model showed the population as having no temporary emigration, survival probability that is dependent on the length at first capture, and time-constant capture probabilities. The best-fit CJS model showed the population also having time-constant survival, but sex dependent capture probabilities. Robust design abundance estimates (with 95% C.I.) in Mossel Bay varied from 279 (102-787) sharks to 733 (320-1777) sharks, although confidence intervals were quite large. CJS apparent annual survival (95% C.I.; CJS) was estimated to be 0.271 year⁻¹ (0.04 to 0.56) and annual recapture probability (95% C.I.) was estimated to be 0.008 year⁻¹ (0.003-0.20), indicating that survival and recaptures for this endemic species are relatively low. Annual somatic growth rate (k) was estimated to be 0.213 year⁻¹, indicating that this population is slow growing, a characteristic common in most shark species. Overall, the results in this study provide baseline knowledge on this population in Mossel Bay and can be used to implement proper management techniques. This knowledge can be further expanded upon to give a more in-depth understanding of all size and age classes in the population and the role that the environment and anthropogenic activities play in the population structure. 2017-09-01T14:21:02Z 2017-09-01T14:21:02Z 2017 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25026 eng application/pdf Department of Oceanography Faculty of Science University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Applied Marine Science
Grusd, Samantha
Using mark-recapture methods to estimate population size and survival of pyjama sharks (Poroderma africanum) in Mossel Bay, South Africa
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Using mark-recapture methods to estimate population size and survival of pyjama sharks (Poroderma africanum) in Mossel Bay, South Africa
title_full Using mark-recapture methods to estimate population size and survival of pyjama sharks (Poroderma africanum) in Mossel Bay, South Africa
title_fullStr Using mark-recapture methods to estimate population size and survival of pyjama sharks (Poroderma africanum) in Mossel Bay, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Using mark-recapture methods to estimate population size and survival of pyjama sharks (Poroderma africanum) in Mossel Bay, South Africa
title_short Using mark-recapture methods to estimate population size and survival of pyjama sharks (Poroderma africanum) in Mossel Bay, South Africa
title_sort using mark recapture methods to estimate population size and survival of pyjama sharks poroderma africanum in mossel bay south africa
topic Applied Marine Science
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25026
work_keys_str_mv AT grusdsamantha usingmarkrecapturemethodstoestimatepopulationsizeandsurvivalofpyjamasharksporodermaafricanuminmosselbaysouthafrica