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Shark Tagging update
August 2003
The AQWA Foundation is delighted to release the first amazing results from our white shark tagging project. The information has been obtained from the special tracking device fitted to a 3.5m female white shark in early May.
The device, a pop-off archival transponding (PAT) tag recorded information about the shark’s movements and swimming behaviour for two months before releasing itself from the shark and sending its data via satellite back to CSIRO researchers in Hobart.
The shark was tagged east of Bremer Bay on 5 May and the tag released from the shark approximately 35 km west of Esperance on the 6 July. PAT tags are designed to transmit their data over a 10 day period after releasing but, unfortunately, contact with the tag was lost after four days and not all of the data was received. The tag is believed to have washed ashore approximately 16 km west of Esperance when the signal was lost. The tag will retain its data indefinitely and it is hoped that it may yet be found and the data retrieved.
Despite the disappointment of losing contact with the tag, the data that was transmitted is very exciting. It suggests that the shark travelled at least 1300 km during the two month period. It is believed that the shark initially headed east before doubling back and swimming west to the vicinity of Cape Leeuwin by the 31 May. It then gradually swam east again to the Esperance area where the tag released on 6 July. The data also suggests that the shark stayed reasonably close to the coast in waters no more than 100 m in depth.
The next phase of the project commenced in August. The team again went off the coast of Esperance where they hoped to fit PAT tags and satellite tags to white sharks. Unfortunately, despite remaining in the Esperance area for a number of days, the team were unable to locate any great whites.
The AQWA Foundation