My first question is: Robert M. Section 102 I'm assuming you are using electronic tags on the sharks, what is the effective range of the tags and what is the furthest from the area have you seen them ping?
Actually we do not use electronic tags as they cost to much and we do nut have the funding to do that. Also, the Scalloped Hammerheads we are trying to catch are of immature size and some of the electronic tags will damage the shark if used on immature sharks. The tags we use really on the shark being recaptured by someone and them reporting the info on the shark.
CJ N. OCE1001 I've known about this "nursing ground" by scalloped hammers myself but have not actually been able to gather information as to why either. Do you think it has to do with the inlet essentially being an estuary where there's a pretty large congregation of fish and these sharks have figured it out and kept coming back?
I think that has a very large role. I think that these Scalloped Hammerheads know that their pups will have plenty to feed on in this area as it is a place where many fish, especially batfish come to congregate and these immature sharks can learn how to hunt in this area.
Giavanna B Sec 101 If Daytona Beach is a nursing ground for these sharks, what are the steps that would need to be taken to preserve them and their habitat so that they can avoid further depletion of their population?
These sharks are protected in Florida state waters but I think the best thing we can do, if this does turn out to be a nursing ground for these sharks is to get the word out there that this is a special place for these sharks to make sure that no one takes these shark illegally and if you do catch these sharks that you don't do anything to harm them in any extra way.
J Ogadah from 101. What threats are there to the safety and wellbeing of the sharks?-- hunting, disease, habitat destruction, etc? And what can be done to help them?
These sharks are highly sought after all over the world for their fins, thankfully, however these sharks are protected in Florida so the only threats to them hunting wise are from illegal poachers. One of the bigger threats is from recreationally catching these sharks, Scalloped Hammerheads have been known to have very high stress levels and if left on the fishing line to long or handled the wrong way when caught, these sharks can become very damaged or even die due to the high levels of stress.
Samantha V. OCE 1001 I am really interested in the results of this project. But,
Do they hang around their birth spot for any amount of time before venturing further off into the ocean, and do they usually return to their birth spot as they get older?
This is something we really want to learn from this project. One of the main questions in this project is that if it is a birthing ground is it also a nursery ground for these sharks? We think yes but we still need more research to see whether or not these sharks stay in this area to grow up or if they are just born here and then leave and go somewhere else to grow up.
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