Angling in a fish-eat-fish world
Understanding predator-prey interactions and how human activity influences these behaviors is essential for effective conservation and management. In marine systems, interactions between sharks and anglers are reportedly increasing. For my PhD as a NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar, I am studying the effects of shark depredation in recreational fisheries, focusing on great hammerhead shark and Atlantic tarpon interactions in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
By integrating acoustic telemetry, satellite telemetry, visual surveys, and social science I hope to better characterize shark and tarpon spatial ecology, quantify depredation rates in the Bahia Honda pre-spawning aggregation, and provide data driven solutions to reduce depredation rates in the tarpon fishery.