Shark Research Project In Second Phase

May 12, 2009

Release from: Khaleej Times Online (United Arab Emirates)

MUSCAT - The second phase of a research project, considered crucial for drawing up a management programme to ensure the sustainability of shark populations and the livelihoods of fishermen who depend on them, has been launched in Oman.

The ‘Shark Research Programme’ is carried out by academics at the Sultan Qaboos University SQU) in collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries.

“A thorough understanding is needed before any such management plan can be established,” Dr. Aaron Henderson, Assistant Professor in the Department of Marine Sciences and Fisheries at SQU’s College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, observed. Henderson is the lead researcher for the project.

The first phase investigated the species which are found in the Omani waters, and various aspects of their biology such as growth rates and reproductive cycles. The second phase will identify key coastal habitats and follow shark migrations.

Sharks have a special place in Oman’s history — the meat is used in a number of traditional dishes and the oil from their livers is used to waterproof the hulls of wooden dhows. Archaeological studies have revealed the presence of shark remains in old settlements, indicating that they have been utilised for centuries, and possibly even millennia. It is therefore no surprise to find that sharks still form an important part of the fishing and culinary cultures of modern Oman.

However, while shark catches have traditionally been driven by a desire for their meat, a far more valuable product is driving fishery these days – shark fin. The fins are exported to the Far East where the cartilaginous fibres are used to make shark fin soup, an expensive delicacy that can cost $100 per bowl. The high value of shark fin has led to increased levels of shark exploitation on a global scale, and many species are now threatened with extinction. Experts are now surveying the entire coast of Oman to find out where female sharks give birth, and to see if the juvenile sharks use specific nursery grounds. In order to identify individual sharks, a tag is attached to each individual shark. A unique number is printed on each tag. If a tagged shark is recaptured by the research team at a later date, the shark’s movements can be estimated based on where it was initially tagged.