Satellite Marking Initiative - SHARC Tagging Project
In the dynamic world of marine conservation, the European Space Agency (ESA) has taken a significant step forward with its Satellite - High Performance - Argos 3/-4 - Receive/Transmit Communication (SHARC) project. This technology, designed to tag and monitor marine animals, has been particularly beneficial in studying sharks.
The challenges of tagging sharks, powerful and fast-moving creatures that live in dynamic, high-energy environments, are numerous. Devices must withstand strong currents, long attachment times, and natural behaviours without interfering with the animal. ESA's tags, with their smaller and lower weight, longer battery life, increased memory, and bi-directional communication with the satellite, have proven to be a promising solution.
Tag attachment methods require efficiency and minimal invasiveness to avoid stressing animals or affecting their movements. ESA's tags are designed with a glass cannister that will break at a set pressure, cutting the link to the animal and allowing the tag to surface as an additional safety feature. The safety diver on the expedition was armed with a broomstick to ensure safety during the tagging process.
Data transmission from tags relies on satellite communication, which demands robust antennas capable of reliable, long-range connectivity in a remote ocean environment with often intermittent satellite coverage. ESA has provided a solution for tags attempting to send data when no satellite was immediately reachable, by having them only send brief 'are you there?' messages until an acknowledgment from the satellite is received.
Peter de Maagt, an accomplished underwater photographer and antenna specialist for the European Space Agency, gave a presentation on satellite tagging to the Bristol Underwater Photography Group. He highlighted the challenges and solutions in satellite tagging marine animals, particularly sharks, for marine conservation.
The ESA is sensitive to environmental issues, particularly marine conservation. In addition to shark studies, the organisation is using the same chips in their tags to monitor marine litter and detect sources and pathways of marine litter. The ESA is supporting multiple projects to address the issues of marine litter, providing hope for the future.
Sharks, during the study, showed no aggression but were quick to leave the boat's vicinity. Peter de Maagt shared an image of data from a tag that was deployed and returned to the surface in the Gulf of Mexico. Only 1,681 tags were deployed on 23 species of sharks between 2002-2017, which is less than 100 tags per year or 75 tags per species.
The protected area near Saba, as shown on the map, is fairly sizable and provides a sanctuary for sharks. The data collected from these tags will undoubtedly contribute significantly to our understanding of shark behaviour and movement patterns, aiding in the preservation of these magnificent creatures and their habitats.
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