IN THIS ISSUE

Did you know…? 

   Plankton diel vertical migration can be reversed in coastal waters by the presence of zooplankton predators.

  Zooplankton normally ascend to the surface at dusk and descend at dawn. However, recent research in the UK by Dr Dave Conway and Dr David Sims has shown that the presence of arrow worms may reverse this daily pattern. 

This may have marked effects on the swimming and feeding  behaviour of plankton feedings sharks.

IMPORTANT!!

If you find a detached tag

Please return it to MCSS as we may be able to download further information from it

Please send us any comments or news for inclusion by clicking

Save Our Seas Foundation Funds MCSS Whale Shark Programme

MCSS have been awarded funding from the Save Our Seas Foundation for a two year continuation of the Seychelles Whale Shark Programme in association with the University Marine Biological Station Millport (UMBSM). The project proposal was formulated by MCSS Chairman David Rowat and UMBSM experts Dr. Rupert Ormond and Dr. Mauvis Gore. UMBSM is  part of the University of London and Dr. Gore is currently running a programme on basking sharks in the Clyde sea, off the West coast of Scotland, and so there will be many synergies available from that programme.

  The Save our Seas Funding will cover the external costs of the Whale Shark Monitoring Project including the provision of several electronic / satellite tags and also genetic analysis. As with most funding programmes a substantial part of the costs have to be met by the project implementers, in this case it is the local costs of the project that MCSS will have to cover by means of the encounter programme, whale shark adoptions and other fund raising activities. The project has been running for four years now; the first three years were funded under the GEF SEYMEMP project while last year the programme was sponsored by the Underwater Centre and the Banyan Tree Resort Seychelles, and from donations made through the encounter and adoption programmes.

	Local operating costs such as for the aerial surveys, will still have to be met by MCSS through encounter programme activities.

  The project will continue the aerial survey and marker tag studies. In additionally it will review data from the previous four years to look for and analyse behaviour patterns. The facilities of the UMBSM and the funding from the Save Our Seas Foundation will allow for long-term conventional and satellite tagging that will reveal the extent to which the Seychelles whale shark population shows site fidelity and is separate from or intermixes with populations outside the vicinity of the Seychelles. This will be reinforced by population genetic studies based on DNA sequencing. Associated environmental studies of phytoplankton productivity and zooplankton abundance will reveal the extent to which the foraging and migration of the species is determined by environmental conditions and food availability.

  Direct observation will also record the effects of activities that may impact natural behaviour and survival, such as the close presence of boats or other objects or animals. In particular the effects of tourist groups will be monitored with regard to the enforcement of the Seychelles’ “National Whale Shark Encounter Policy”. This will provide for better informed management of ecotourism based on this species. The project will also record visual observations of co-occurring cetacean, sea-bird and pelagic fish species, with a view to promoting the conservation and sustainable use of these resources.

  We look forward to a fruitful 2005 season!