Acronym NA
Category
Fisheries
Title Development and population biology of large marine vertebrates in the Adriatic Sea Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Gordana Lackovic-Venturin Coordinator email gordana.lackovic@biol.pmf.hr
Coordinator institution
UNIZG - University of Zagreb (Croatia)
Institutions involved
HPM - Croatian Natural History Museum (Croatia) ,
MZO - Ministry of Science and Educatio (Croatia) ,
OSU - Oregon State University (United States of America) ,
Start year 2008 End year 2013 Funding (€) € NA Website NA Summary Marine turtles and sharks are representative of large marine vertebrates in the Adriatic Sea, and share some common characteristics, such as slow growth, late maturity, longevity and low reproductive potential, which makes them very sensitive to negative anthropogenic influences. The Adriatic Sea is one of the most intensely hunted areas of the Mediterranean Sea, with fisheries having a strong impact on these top predators, either as target species (e.g. coastal shark species, Mustelus sp., Squalus sp.), or incidental catches (e.g., sea turtles). In order to plan effective, science-based conservation and management strategies for these species in the Adriatic, it is necessary to know the specific features of their biology and population demographics. In the case of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) and sharks included in this project (M. mustelus, M. punctulatus, S. acanthias), such data do not exist for the Adriatic. With regard to the specific oceanographic characteristics of the Adriatic Sea, it is very likely that the developmental and demographic characteristics of regional populations of these species differ from other populations in the world, so that the existing data cannot be applied to the population in the Adriatic / Mediterranean. Therefore, the project will explore the critical features of development and population biology of resident populations of sea turtles and coastal species of sharks. The study will include: (1) Determination of the age; (2) Somatic growth; (3) Change in the ontogenetic habitat; (4) The duration of each stage of development; (5) Determination of the age of sexual maturity; (6) The dynamics of the sex ratio. The shark project will include (7) The reproductive biology and ontogeny of the gonads.
(1) Sea turtles and sharks as long-living organisms and apex marine predators may be used as bio-indicators of long-term human-induced changes in marine environment; (2) Commercially exploited coastal sharks in particular may serve as indicators of fishing pressure and consequent anthropogenic alteration of marine ecosystems; (3) Long-term changes in population dynamics and reproduction of these species would indicate changes in fishing pressure on the Adriatic ecosystem. In order to monitor these changes, the baseline biological data are needed; (4) Due to specific oceanographic and biotic characteristics of the Adriatic Sea, life history of selected sea turtle and shark species is likely to differ in regard to other populations worldwide, resulting in the difference in reproduction, growth and development of resident populations; (5) Specific regionally-based data on biology and demography are essential for modelling regional populations and thus for planning efficient conservation and management strategy.
Keywords
Sea turtles;
Fish;
Sharks;
Biology;
Life cycle;
Marine Region
45
Southern Adriatic Sea (GSA 18)
74
Northern Adriatic (GSA 17)
2
Marine Region Map
