Research
Tagging
White sharks: Heather
Updated - May 19, 2000
Marine scientists have lost contact with Heather, the two-metre juvenile
white shark they have been tracking off Australia's south-east.
CSIRO researcher and project co-leader, Barry Bruce, confirmed today
that there has been no signal in the past four weeks from the satellite
tag attached to Heather's dorsal on March 1.
"It is disappointing to have lost contact at an especially interesting
stage of the project.
"But
in just seven weeks the satellite tag on Heather has helped us develop
a fascinating picture of white shark movement and behaviour.
"Importantly, we have proved the technology does work and we hope to
apply it again within the next year or so," Mr Bruce said.
The project has been funded by the Natural Heritage Trust. It has involved
tracking Heather, and another two white sharks in the Great Australian
Bight, and working with coastal and marine conservation organisations
and the commercial fishing industry.
Mr Bruce said while there are several reasons why transmission of positioning
signals has stopped.
"The most likely though is that Heather bent or broke the aerial and
the tag can no longer transmit its position," he said.
Mr Bruce said considerable new information had been gathered through
the satellite-tracking project. This information, and details obtained
from a tag on a white shark accidentally captured in the Great Australian
Bight last year, will help provide a more detailed picture of patterns
of behaviour and movement of the white shark.
Following Heather's Tracks
On 1 March, 2000 a female white shark was tagged by CSIRO scientists
off Ninety Mile Beach in Victoria. When the white shark comes to the surface,
the tag transmits its position to the ARGOS satellite and is then transmitted
to CSIRO Marine Research. This is the first time a satellite tag has been
used on a white shark. Scientists hope that the tag will continue transmitting
the location of the shark over the next twelve months.
The map below shows Heather's movements so far. [Latest update:
15 April, 2000].
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Map showing track of Heather. The blue dots show where Heather has
surfaced.
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Why Heather?
The tagged shark is (affectionately) named after the wife of
the skipper of the boat used in the tagging operation.
In the picture below, the orange circle shows a buoyed acoustic
tag which released from Heather after 6 hours and floated
to the surface. The yellow circle shows the aerial of the
satellite tag that will remain on the shark for 1-2 years.
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About the Project
This project is funded by the Natural Heritage Trust and managed by CSIRO
Marine Research, and is supported by State fisheries authorities, the
commercial fishing industry and marine recreational groups.
Results from the project will contribute to a National Recovery Plan
for the white shark currently being developed by Environment Australia.
The shark was tagged by CSIRO scientists off Ninety Mile Beach in Victoria
with the help of local professional fisher, Neale Blunden. The shark was
captured under a permit specially granted by the Victorian Department
of Natural Resources and Environment.
White sharks are protected in all Australian waters.
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Updated:
12/11/08
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