Shark Camp 2024

Last month, we were fortunate enough to have Dr. Lauren Meyer and PhD candidate Chloe Roberts from the Southern Shark Ecology Group at Flinders University come to the Queenscliff Marine Science Centre to kick-off some collaborative work.

Our focus was to acoustically tag and biologically sample Port Jackson Sharks and Fiddler Rays within Port Phillip Bay, as part of my PhD research. Our biological sampling involved collecting muscle and blood samples as well as a dorsal fin clip, along with collecting various physical measurements. Tagging and sampling these sharks and rays allows us to track their movements and provide insight into their ecological roles within the bay. This data is essential for developing effective conservation strategies and understanding the broader ecological dynamics of our marine ecosystems. We were successful in our efforts and were able to tag 2 Port Jackson sharks, 9 Fiddler Rays, and even a Draughtboard shark!

The collaborative effort with Lauren and Chloe has been incredibly rewarding. We look forward to continuing to work with them and comparing the movement and diets of the sharks and rays in Port Phillip Bay to the ones they have been working on in South Australia.
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Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to tag and sample more sharks and rays! 

Louisa Graf