Shark Phone

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SHARK MNOT A

THREAT,

KEY TO PRESERVING

SOUTH FLORIDA

WINTER WONDERLAND.

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of Blacktip sharks at any time from a desktop computer. The sharks basically call home and announce their arrival with the “shark phone.” We now know that the Blacktip, a popular area shark, migrates to Florida coastal waters each year during the winter months.

Now before you get overly excited, understand that the Blacktip averages about 5 feet in length and is not a great white like Jaws. They feed on small fish such as herring, not large prey like humans, okay?

by Beth Bowers

Snowbirds flocking South to Florida to escape the cold and enjoy our warm climate have some interesting company; sharks. A ton of articles have appeared in the press recently. This article goes beyond that sensationalism to give you the facts about our very typical and important shark population.

Before scientists began tracking sharks, more known’s than unkown’s existed about this sea creature. Recent efforts, however, give us new insight into shark migration.

One of the leaders in this field of research is our own Stephen Kajiura; a professor at Florida Atlantic University and head of its shark study. Kajiura spends time in the air spotting shark populations in the Atlantic, off Florida’s coast. Then, accompanied by a group of University students, he catches sharks, logs types, sizes and sex to learn more about this ocean predator. A unique part of this undertaking is inserting tiny transmitters into the sharks’ bellies as a way of tracking their movements.

Beth Bowers, a doctoral student at Florida Atlantic University studying shark migration explains how it works. The acoustic transmitters emit a signature ping that uniquely identifies each individual shark. When these sharks swim within range of one of the acoustic listening stations deployed along the Florida Eastern seaboard, their presence is recorded.

Previously, the listening stations were standalone receivers that required retrieval by a SCUBA diver, a data download via Bluetooth technology on the boat and subsequent laboratory analysis; a process lagging by a few months in determining the presence of a shark.

Recently, Beth deployed a cabled receiver; a “shark phone” that delivers real-time data to an IP address enabling her to check for the presence

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The good news, according to marine biologists, is that the shark population is important to Florida’s marine ecosystem, so they deserve a vote of thanks for helping to preserve our pristine waters that offer a great waterway lifestyle to locals and tourists.

Like New Yorkers and Canadians, sharks don’t like the cold. Their survival depends on southward migration. They seem to prefer water that’s about 73 degrees, according to Professor Kajiura, which is typical of South Florida in the winter.

Sharks like to eat, so they track food. Since many other fish follow similar migration patterns as sharks, sharks can stay on their “tails”. Ask any avid Florida angler about the abundance of fish in our coastal waters during winter and you’ll be assured that sharks have a full menu filled with a great variety of cuisine.

Don’t wear shiny jewelry in the water. Leave this to fishermen who like to use shiny lures to attract fish.

Be observant. A big school of fish such as mullets, herring, or squads of diving seabirds is indicative that larger predators will soon be attracted to the area for a delicious lunch.

Okay, now you’ve decreased your odds of a shark encounter, so you can confidently enjoy great water sports all winter long.

Winter is one of the best times to enjoy South Florida, so don’t be alarmed if you read one of the recent many articles about shark migration. It’s part of nature’s way of keeping our locale such an attraction. So get moving! Get outside and get wet!

Now think about how attractive 73-degree water and a sun-filled sky can be during frigid winter months. Again, don’t worry about the sharks. However, if you want to remain extra safe, follow these tips:

Try to avoid swimming between sand bars. These are not the safest places to swim even without sharks present. Sharks tend to hang out between sand bars to feed.

Don’t swim around jetties or openings from the ocean into a bay. Water moves fast in those areas posing a threat to even the strongest swimmer and also carries lots of food for awaiting sharks.

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