Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Blue sharks'

This project provided an exceptional opportunity to describe diving behaviour, movements and to characterise critical habitats of blue sharks in the North-eastern Atlantic using satellite and archival telemetry.  Tracked blue sharks displayed southward movements away from the tagging areas, exhibiting pronounced site fidelity to localised high-productivity frontal regions.  Blue sharks also displayed a high degree of variability in vertical movements. Shifts in diving behaviour were detected both within and between individuals, whereas behavioural phases were linked to the thermal structure of the water column in coastal areas, and to changes in prey distribution or type in offshore regions.  High resolution data showed that blue sharks shift between Brownian (in productive habitats) and Lévy (less productive waters) behaviours.  Vertical movements ranged from the surface to 1160 m, and water temperatures varied between 7.2-27.2°C.  Behavioural data was also crucial in determining the degree of spatial and temporal overlap, and thus vulnerability, between blue sharks and high-seas longliners.  Confirmed fishing mortality was ~11% with four tagged sharks caught by surface longliners.  Simulations showed that boats/sharks overlap was higher in winter and early spring, with the majority of simulated sharks (~88%) at risk at least one day year-1.  Our results indicate that, depending on which geographical regions are occupied at specific times, different segments of the blue shark population face differential risk from longlines.  Sequencing of mitochondrial DNA suggested an absence of spatial genetic differentiation throughout the North Atlantic, providing strong evidence that blue sharks comprise a single population in this region.

Depression is uniformly identified as psychopathology by diagnostic systems such as the DSM-IV-TR and the ICD-10 and is viewed as a negatively biased perception by cognitive theories. However, a number of psychological and spiritual perspectives propose that the experience of depression may have positive outcomes for some individuals in the form of psychological growth and individuation, including theories from within the psychodynamic and humanistic traditions. These perspectives informed the formulation of the individuation theory of depression explored in this thesis. One empirically based perspective from which growth is considered as a potential outcome of depression, is that of depressive realism. This psychological stance of diminished self-deception in depressed individuals compared with non-depressed individuals is viewed as an opportunity for new levels of self-awareness and growth. The newly burgeoning field of posttraumatic growth research provides another empirical model from which the individuation theory of depression is explored in this thesis. The current research examined the relationships among depression, selfdeception and psychological growth in two studies. The first study used selfreport methodology, incorporating measures of prior and current depression, selfdeception (in the form of denial and positive illusions) and psychological growth (in the form of self-actualisation, adversarial growth and level of egodevelopment). The sample consisted of 132 women and 58 men (M=36 years, SD=14.4) who were divided into previously depressed (n=51), currently depressed (n=45), and never depressed (n=87) groups. The hypotheses regarding the individuation theory of depressive realism were partially supported by the enduring nature of diminished denial and a greater sense of positive personal change as sequelae of depression. Results suggest that the patterns of negative thinking and diminished use of positive illusions that are typically found in depressed individuals, subside after recovery from depression, but that the diminished use of denial endures. Also as predicted, a sense of positive personal change was significantly greater in the previously depressed group as compared with the never depressed group, particularly in the forms of personal strength and appreciation of life. Self-actualisation scores, however, were similar between the two groups. Contrary to expectations, no sex differences were evident for either the self-deception or the growth variables. Self-actualisation was significantly higher at the highest levels of ego development compared with the lowest as expected, yet levels of growth and self-deception were not significantly different between the levels of ego development. Preliminary analysis of qualitative data derived from responses to open-ended questions about change as a result of depression, reflected predominately positive themes of adversarial growth and benefit from the experience, especially in those of high ego-development. This formed the basis for the focus of the second study, which was an in-depth qualitative investigation. The second study examined the individuation theory of depression further via interviews with 10 women and 6 men of high ego development who had experienced a significant depression in their lives. After describing their experiences of depression, the respondents were asked to elaborate upon the ways in which they felt they had been changed by their depression. Themes were overwhelmingly positive and the most commonly reported responses were those of a changed perception of self through a newfound inner strength, greater selfworth and self-acceptance. Enhanced empathy and compassion were also reported, as were changed priorities and a greater appreciation of life, especially in aspects of simplicity. Recognition of choices and acceptance of personal responsibility for the choices made were prominent themes in some accounts, and a number of interviewees reported the need to revise their approach to spirituality. Although less prominent in their accounts, negative changes included an increased sense of vulnerability and sensitivity as a mixed blessing, and the need for ongoing management of the risk factors for depression in their lifestyle. Some degree of cynicism about aspects of life was evident in a few respondents. Paradoxes emerged in the interviewees� material congruent with high levels of ego development. For example, some individuals� accounts included perceptions of increased strength in parallel with awareness of greater degrees of vulnerability. Results from the two studies provide plausible evidence for the notion that growth is not only possible, but is also a commonly experienced outcome of depression, especially in those at higher levels of ego development. The salutary nature of depression is discussed in relation to the theories presented and an argument is made for a more developmentally defined and differentiated understanding of depressive experience than cognitive definitions and pathological labels generally afford. Suggestions are made for directions for further research into the individuation theory of depression, including deepening our understanding of the potential for growth as a result of depression at other levels of ego-development.

The blue shark, Prionace glauca, a large oceanic/pelagic predator with a continuous circumglobal distribution in temperate and tropical waters, is the most abundant and widespread of all extant shark species. They are heavily exploited in targeted and incidental fisheries worldwide. Concerns have been raised over the sustainability of such exploitation as severe declines in numbers have been recently observed. Sound management of any exploited fishery requires a proper understanding of the population sub structuring and basic breeding biology of the species involved. This is lacking for this ecological and economically important inhabitant of the open seas. In this study, we have developed nuclear microsatellite and mitochondrial (mtDNA) molecular markers for blue sharks. These were used in an assessment of the global population genetic structure of the species involving over 900 specimens sampled over its distribution range. Based on micro satellite data and 21 blue shark litters (N = 578 embryos), we have characterised the mating system ofthe species. Results from the analyses of microsatellite (16 loci) and mtDNA sequence (3,1 07bp) data indicate the presence of multiple stocks on a global scale (i.e. genetic substructuring). These genetic stocks were defined by major oceanic regions, thus confirming earlier physical tagging studies, which suggest that the equator acts as a barrier to dispersal between northern and southern oceans. Analysis of data comprising 32 complete mtDNA genomes, representing the distribution range species, provides new insights into the evolutionary history of blue sharks. Microsatellite DNA profiling of blue shark litters revealed a high incidence of polyandry (80.0%) in the species. Females of multiply sired litters were larger than those of single paternity litters. Furthermore, females demonstrated a tendency to have litters sired by more males as they became older and larger. Results are discussed in light of the high energetic cost associated with the aggressive nature of copulations.

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of what it means to be a Latino police officer within the theoretical foundation of the Latino Critical Theory (LatCrit). The research questions focused on how Latino police officers lived experiences influence their ability to maintain ethnic self-identity and assimilate into the police organizational culture. This study examined Latino police officers who have an intersectional status when their identity as an ethnic minority is in competition with their professional identity status as a police officer. The study was composed of Latino police officers who shared a common connection in the use of the Spanish language. The researcher used a convenience sampling strategy based on current or past membership within the Arizona National Latino Police Officer Association (AzNLPOA) who represented various police agencies in the Phoenix, Arizona Metropolitan area. In person, semistructured, open-ended interviews served as the data collection instrument, while a modified van Kaam phenomenological approach was used to analyze the transcripts. Results indicate that the police organizational culture was the most influential factor in what it means to be a Latino police officer, but challenged the beliefs that the police organizational culture will eventually strip away the racial identity of an individual. For these Latino police officers, the use of the Spanish language caused them to maintain a heightened sense of awareness of their Latino ethnic self-identity, yet allowed them to succeed and thrive within the police organizational culture and the Hispanic or Spanish speaking community.

The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is a highly migratory pelagic elasmobranch that inhabits ocean basins globally. As a result, this shark is exposed to intensive ocean exploitation by commercial target fisheries, by-catch and for recreational pursuits globally. This top predator is therefore at high risk of becoming overfished. Advances to current knowledge of genetic population structure and diversity of this species would provide vital information required to initiate co-operative management approaches. In this study, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class IIa and IIβ genes were successfully isolated and characterised from blue sharks. Phylogenetic trees of the class II genes showed three major clades; one of teleost fish, one of tetrapods and one of sharks. The MHC class IIβ gene exon 2 primers successfully amplified partial sequences in blue sharks from several global locations. Analysis of sequences using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) suggested the assay resolved different sequences up to one basepair, making the assay potentially very useful with further development. The class II genes presented in this study show conflicting evidence for the presence of more than one class II locus. To explore inheritance patterns of MHC exon 2 diversity, a single blue shark litter (mother + 19 pups) was cloned and sequenced, revealing evidence to suggest the possibility of more than one locus for class IIβ. Statistical analysis of parasite loads and diversities from blue shark spiral valves revealed no definitive population structure, supporting global and North Atlantic mtDNA and microsatellites genetic analyses presented here. The size (fork length) of sharks was found to be potentially influential when modelled with individual microsatellite heterozygosity and fork length. International co-operation will be required to prevent this species becoming extinct from global marine ecosystems. Reductions in numbers could lead to reduced genetic diversity, decreased immunity and ultimately an 'unhealthy' population.

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Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)
O tubarão azul, Prionace glauca, é considerado a espécie de elasmobrânquio encontrada em maior abundância, com ampla distribuição geográfica, alta taxa de natalidade e de rápido crescimento. Entretanto, também é a espécie mais explorada na pesca oceânica em nível mundial, o que tem levado a desequilíbrios estruturais das populações e aumentado as possibilidades de risco para a espécie. Em avaliações sobre o estado de conservação da espécie, realizadas no Brasil e também de maneira global, P. glauca foi classificada como “quase ameaçada”. Para o setor pesqueiro, a identificação de estoques diferenciados constitui informação fundamental pela sua relação direta com a produtividade total e uso sustentável dos recursos. A diferença nas freqüências de haplótipos de DNA entre amostras geográficas pode ser usada para estimar indiretamente padrões de diferenciação e de fluxo gênico e, portanto, a estrutura genética das amostras. Este trabalho utilizou amostras de tecidos musculares e epiteliais de tubarões azuis capturados pela frota pesqueira brasileira no Rio Grande do Sul (n = 38), São Paulo (n = 28) e Rio Grande do Norte (n = 31). Os níveis de variabilidade e estruturação genética nas regiões amostradas foram determinados a partir do sequenciamento da região controle do DNA mitocondrial (D-loop). Para P. glauca, este marcador apresentou 16 sítios polimórficos e 32 haplótipos. Os valores encontrados para diversidade haplotípica e nucleotídica foram, respectivamente, Hd =0,89±0,020 e π=0,00258±0,00013. O teste AMOVA detectou uma moderada estruturação populacional entre as regiões amostradas, com o maior valor de Fst = 0,103. Assim, considera-se para os efeitos de manejo pesqueiro, um único estoque da espécie na costa brasileira. Os níveis de estruturação genética demonstrados...
The blue shark, Prionace glauca, is the most abundant elasmobranch, with widest distribution, high birth rates and faster growth. However, it is also the most exploited species in the ocean fisheries worldwide, which has led to structural imbalances of their population and increased potential risk to the specie. In assessments of the state of conservation of the species, carried out in Brazil and globally, P. glauca was classified as near threatened according to IUCN categories. In fisheries, the stock identification are considered very important information due the direct relation with the total productivity and sustainable use of resources. The difference in the frequencies of haplotypes of DNA among geographic samples can be used to indirectly estimate patterns of differentiation and gene flow and thus the genetic structure of stocks. In the present study samples of muscle and epithelial tissues of blue sharks caught by the fishing fleet in Rio Grande do Sul (n = 38), São Paulo (n = 28) and Rio Grande do Norte (n = 31) estates were used. The levels of variability and genetic structure of the sampled regions were determined from the sequencing of mitochondrial DNA control region (D-loop). The use of this marker in P. glauca resulted in 16 polymorphic sites and 32 haplotypes. The nucleotide and haplotype diversity was, respectively, Hd = 0.89 ± 0.020 and π = 0.00258 ± 0.00013. The AMOVA test detected a moderate population subdivision among the sampled regions, with highest value of Fst = 0,103. Similarly, it is considered for the effects of fisheries management, a single stock in the Brazilian coast. The levels of genetic structure demonstrated in the present study, combined with data from fisheries exploitation of the blue shark, indicate the need for greater attention to the preservation of the species in Brazil... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Orientador: Fausto Foresti
Coorientador: Otto Bismarck Gadig
Banca: Paulo Guilherme Vasconcelos de Oliveira
Banca: Claudio Oliveira
Resumo: O tubarão azul, Prionace glauca, é considerado a espécie de elasmobrânquio encontrada em maior abundância, com ampla distribuição geográfica, alta taxa de natalidade e de rápido crescimento. Entretanto, também é a espécie mais explorada na pesca oceânica em nível mundial, o que tem levado a desequilíbrios estruturais das populações e aumentado as possibilidades de risco para a espécie. Em avaliações sobre o estado de conservação da espécie, realizadas no Brasil e também de maneira global, P. glauca foi classificada como "quase ameaçada". Para o setor pesqueiro, a identificação de estoques diferenciados constitui informação fundamental pela sua relação direta com a produtividade total e uso sustentável dos recursos. A diferença nas freqüências de haplótipos de DNA entre amostras geográficas pode ser usada para estimar indiretamente padrões de diferenciação e de fluxo gênico e, portanto, a estrutura genética das amostras. Este trabalho utilizou amostras de tecidos musculares e epiteliais de tubarões azuis capturados pela frota pesqueira brasileira no Rio Grande do Sul (n = 38), São Paulo (n = 28) e Rio Grande do Norte (n = 31). Os níveis de variabilidade e estruturação genética nas regiões amostradas foram determinados a partir do sequenciamento da região controle do DNA mitocondrial (D-loop). Para P. glauca, este marcador apresentou 16 sítios polimórficos e 32 haplótipos. Os valores encontrados para diversidade haplotípica e nucleotídica foram, respectivamente, Hd =0,89±0,020 e π=0,00258±0,00013. O teste AMOVA detectou uma moderada estruturação populacional entre as regiões amostradas, com o maior valor de Fst = 0,103. Assim, considera-se para os efeitos de manejo pesqueiro, um único estoque da espécie na costa brasileira. Os níveis de estruturação genética demonstrados... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)
Abstract: The blue shark, Prionace glauca, is the most abundant elasmobranch, with widest distribution, high birth rates and faster growth. However, it is also the most exploited species in the ocean fisheries worldwide, which has led to structural imbalances of their population and increased potential risk to the specie. In assessments of the state of conservation of the species, carried out in Brazil and globally, P. glauca was classified as "near threatened" according to IUCN categories. In fisheries, the stock identification are considered very important information due the direct relation with the total productivity and sustainable use of resources. The difference in the frequencies of haplotypes of DNA among geographic samples can be used to indirectly estimate patterns of differentiation and gene flow and thus the genetic structure of stocks. In the present study samples of muscle and epithelial tissues of blue sharks caught by the fishing fleet in Rio Grande do Sul (n = 38), São Paulo (n = 28) and Rio Grande do Norte (n = 31) estates were used. The levels of variability and genetic structure of the sampled regions were determined from the sequencing of mitochondrial DNA control region (D-loop). The use of this marker in P. glauca resulted in 16 polymorphic sites and 32 haplotypes. The nucleotide and haplotype diversity was, respectively, Hd = 0.89 ± 0.020 and π = 0.00258 ± 0.00013. The AMOVA test detected a moderate population subdivision among the sampled regions, with highest value of Fst = 0,103. Similarly, it is considered for the effects of fisheries management, a single stock in the Brazilian coast. The levels of genetic structure demonstrated in the present study, combined with data from fisheries exploitation of the blue shark, indicate the need for greater attention to the preservation of the species in Brazil... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)
Mestre

The blue shark, Prionace glauca, is one of the most vagile shark species worldwide distributed. The particular body shape allows blue sharks make transoceanic movements, leading to a circumglobal distribution. Due to its reproductive cycle, an extraordinarily high number of specimens is globally registered but, even if it is still a major bycatch of longline fishery rather than a commercial target, it is characterized by a high vulnerability. In this perspective it is important to increase the amount of informations regarding its population extent in the different worldwide areas, evaluating the possible phylogeographic patterns between different locations. This study, included in the "MedBlueSGen" European project, aims exactly at filling a gap in knowledges regarding the genetic population structure of the Mediterranean blue sharks, which has never been investigated before, with a comparison with the North-Eastern Atlantic blue shark population. To reach this objective, we used a dataset of samples from different Mediterranean areas implementing it with some samples from North-Eastern Atlantic. Analyzing the variability of the two mitochondrial markers control region and cytochrome b, with the design of new species-specific primer pairs, we assessed the mitochondrial genetic structure of Mediterranean and North-Eastern Atlantic samples, focusing on the analysis of their possible connectivity, and we tried to reconstruct their demographic history and population size. Data analyses highlighted the absence of a genetic structuring within the Mediterranean and among it and North-Eastern Atlantic, suggesting that the Strait of Gibraltar doesn't represent a phylogeographic barrier. These results are coherent to what has been found in similar investigations on other worldwide blue shark populations. Analysis of the historical demographic trend revealed a general stable pattern for the cytochrome-b and a slightly population expansion for the control region marker.

Mestrado em Engenharia Alimentar - Qualidade e Segurança Alimentar - Instituto Superior de Agronomia
This study aimed to identify the hazard associated with raw a cooked blue shark consumption given the bioaccessibility of Se, Hg and MeHg, using in vitro digestion method. After culinary treatments was verify an increase of Se, Hg and MeHg content, where in grilled blue shark was the one displaying highest values. The results of the bioaccessibility assessment of Se, Hg and MeHg in raw and cooked blue shark showed that Se bioaccessibility was higher than 83% (grilling treatment), but for Hg and MeHg showed a lower bioaccessibility, namely on grilled blue shark, which was the one displaying lowest values of 52 and 53%, respectively. A hazard assessment of raw and cooked blue shark consumption on the basis of the MeHg content on initial sample and after human digestion simulation was carried out. Considering an adult with 60 kg and infant 20 kg body weight, showed that all samples analysed exceeded the PTWI and TWI ratios established by FAO/WHO and EFSA, respectively. However, all Se-Heath Beneficial Values were negative, thus meaning a high MeHg health risk in the consumption of this species

A tintureira (Prionace glauca) é um tubarão pelágico relativamente abundante e frequentemente capturado como espécie acessória em pescarias de palangre de superfície. Apesar dos parâmetros biológicos terem já sido relativamente bem estudados, os impactos das pescarias nestas populações são ainda bastante incertos. Assim, o presente estudo pretendeu criar e apresentar modelos para melhor avaliar os impactos da pescaria Portuguesa de palangre de superfície dirigida ao espadarte nas populações de tintureira. Especificamente, o trabalho apresenta modelos relativos à mortalidade durante a operação de pesca utilizando modelos binomiais, recorrendo a abordagens com modelos lineares generalizados e equações de estimação generalizadas; e modelos relativos às taxas de captura usando modelos lineares generalizados e modelos mistos generalizados. Os resultados apresentados podem agora ser usados para prever as taxas de captura e de mortalidade da tintureira em diferentes cenários de pesca, contribuindo assim para uma melhor compreensão dos impactos desta pescaria nesta espécie; ABSTRACT: The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is a relatively abundant and wide ranging pelagic shark, commonly captured as bycatch in pelagic longline fisheries. While it is a species with relatively known biological parameters, the impacts of the fisheries in their populations is still largely unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to create and present models for understanding the impacts of the Portuguese pelagic longline fishery targeting swordfish, in this shark species. Specifically, the work focused on modeling two different fisheries aspects, namely the at-haulback mortality using binomial models with generalized linear models and generalized estimation equations; and the catch rates using generalized linear models and generalized mixed models. The results presented can now be used to predict the catch and mortality rates under various fishing scenarios, and contribute to a better understanding of the impacts of the fishery in this shark species.

The abundance of blue sharks, Prionace glauca, Linnaeus 1758 (BS), has dramatically declined over the last century in the Mediterranean Sea (a reduction of 75% over the last 30 years). In this study, the combination of a near-capillary sampling strategy of BS in several areas of the basin together with the development and use of genomic markers - that can represent both neutral and selective markers - offers the opportunity to assess and visualize for the first time for this poorly studied and vulnerable species population structure and potentially local adaptation. The phylogeography between Mediterranean Sea and North-Eastern Atlantic Ocean, inferred using mtDNA (control region, Cytb), highlighted no obvious haplotypic pattern of geographical differentiation, while Φst analyses indicated significant genetic structure among four geographical groups. Successively, spatial genetic differentiation of 203 Mediterranean and North-eastern Atlantic BS was estimated using 3,451 species specific SNP loci, developed using the ddRAD technology. Neutral SNPs differentiation was null or very low (pairwise Fst ranged from 0.2 to 0.5%) indicating a near or fully-panmictic population. A subpanel of potentially under-selection loci revealed significant higher Fst values (pairwise Fst ranging from 0.01 to 0.09), clustering analyses failed to evidence strong signals of differentiation among areas, probably due to the combination of migrants-mediated gene flow and the big population size. Based on these results, combined with the biology of this species, such the extreme vagility e complex population dynamics, it seems fair to suggest that the Mediterranean BS population could represent a meta-population, with spatially separated populations which interact through migrant specimens. This work has advanced knowledge on Mediterranean Blue Shark population biology and ecology relating ex-novo the Mediterranean BS population and the fishery stock to the Atlantic biological and management units, being the Mediterranean BS often not considered in the review of data and ecological relationships.

The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is among the most abundant and widely distributed of all oceanic elasmobranchs. Millions of blue sharks are caught annually worldwide in pelagic long line fisheries, and it accounts for the largest component of auctioned fin weight in the international shark fin trade. There is growing concern about the depletion of its populations worldwide and impacts of such large scale removal of an apex predator on oceanic ecosystem stability. The fragmentary nature of life history information available for blue sharks, including on its detailed movement and migratory behavior, continues to limit management efforts that require such data for stock assessment and sustainable catch modeling. To assist in obtaining a better understanding of blue shark movement behavior in the western north Atlantic, I used satellite telemetry to investigate the detailed habitat utilization and movements of sharks during the summer months when the sharks form aggregations on the continental shelf off the Northeast United States, and during their fall , pelagic migrations. Thirty-one (26 male, 5 female) blue sharks were tagged with pop-up archival satellite transmitters. The transmitters reported data from a total of 1,656 combined days, yielding 74,163 depth recordings and 74,125 temperature recordings. Tracked sharks exhibited two distinct movement patterns: During the summer months, the sharks remained within a restricted geographical area south of Nantucket Island and spent nearly 80% of their time in the uppermost part of the water column in <20 m depth (mean depth of 8 m). During fall months (October and November) the sharks made fairly directed offshore and southerly movements, with several sharks associating with waters east of Bermuda. During their pelagic migrations, the sharks demonstrated markedly different water column utilization behavior. They occupied much greater depths (127 m mean depth) and exhibited a clear diel depth pattern, occupying deeper water during the day and shallower water at night, not observed on the shelf. The longest duration track was that of an immature female for nine months. The greatest distance traveled was by a mature male that moved from Martha's Vineyard, MA to waters near Puerto Rico (a linear distance > 4,000 km). There was some indication that the different demographic groups (mature males, immature males, and immature females) may display different movement behavior, especially during their pelagic migrations. This study provides the first detailed information on habitat utilization and movement patterns of blue sharks in the Western North Atlantic, and points to the need for further investigation of movement behavior by different demographic segments of the population.

O tubarão-azul, Prionace glauca, é uma das espécies de elasmobrânquios pelágicos, mais capturadas pela frota de espinhel-de-superfície. No presente estudo analisou-se o crescimento relativo e a idade de 83 embriões, provenientes de fêmeas grávidas capturadas em 1998, durante o Programa Avaliação do Potencial Sustentável de Recursos Vivos da Zona Econômica Exclusiva REVIZEE, na região Sudeste-Sul do Brasil. Foram analisados 48 caracteres morfométricos, verificando-se que entre as variáveis morfométricas mais expressivas, o comprimento furcal, o comprimento pré-caudal, o comprimento inicial da segunda nadadeira dorsal, o comprimento pré-anal e o comprimento pré-pélvico contribuíram com valores acima de 50% na composição do corpo do embrião. Por meio de regressões lineares de variáveis logaritmizadas, constatou-se alometria negativa em (53,2%), positiva em (36,1%) e isometria em (10,7%) dos caracteres morfométricos analisados. A idade de cada embrião foi estimada por meio da utilização do método da proporção direta modificada de Dahl-Lea, e os parâmetros de crescimento foram ajustados através das curvas de crescimento logística, de von Bertalanffy e de Gompertz. De acordo com os critérios de seleção de Akaike (AICmin, i e wi) e da soma dos quadrados dos erros (SQE), o modelo de Gompertz foi escolhido como o melhor representante do crescimento embrionário de P.glauca.
The blue shark, Prionace glauca, is a pelagic elasmobranchs, mainly captured by the Brazilian pelagic longline fleet. In this study we analyzed both the relative growth and the age of 83 of pregnant females captured in 1998 during the Program \"Evaluation of the Sustainable Potential of Living Resources of the Exclusive Economic Zone\" - REVIZEE in the Brazilian Southeast-South region. We analyzed 48 morphometric characters, showing that among the most expressive, fork length, the length pre-flow, the initial length of the second dorsal fin, the length pre-anal and the length pre-pelvic represented above 50% of the composition of the embryos bodies. By means of linear regressions of logarithmic morphometric variables values, we found negative allometry (53.2%), positive allometry (36.1%) and isometry in (10.7%). The age of each embryo was estimated applying the direct proportion of Dahl-Lea method modified, and the parameters of growth were adjusted to logistic growth curves of von Bertalanffy and Gompertz. According to the selection criteria of Akaike (AICmin, i and wi) and the sum of the squares of errors (SSE), the Gompertz model was chosen as the most representative of the growth of P.glauca embryos.

O tubarão-azul (Prionace glauca) é uma espécie que apresenta desenvolvimento vivíparo placentário em que o saco vitelino se desenvolve ao longo da gestação tornando-se uma placenta que executa função matrotrófica. A Indoleamina 2,3-dioxigenase (IDO) é uma proteína encontrada em mamíferos nos quais participa, além de outras funções, da tolerância materno-fetal, sendo também encontrada em peixes ósseos. Assim, a proposta deste trabalho foi verificar a expressão da IDO na interface materno-fetal de Prionace glauca e descrever sua localização. Para tanto, material placentário/uterino e embriológico de três fases distintas da gestação (pré-placenta, meia gestação e fim da gestação) de fêmeas de P. glauca foram coletados e processados para a imuno-histoquímica. Os resultados mostraram a presença da IDO ao longo do desenvolvimento do saco vitelino/placenta, na ectoderme nas três fases e na endoderme apenas nas duas primeiras fases. No epitélio uterino observou-se a marcação da IDO nas duas últimas fases. Esses tecidos de interface seriam locais de maior contato entre a mãe e o concepto, fato que poderia levar à indução de uma resposta imunológica contra o concepto semi-alogenêico. A soma destes fatores poderia contribuir como um indício de uma possível atuação da IDO como mecanismo da tolerância materno-fetal na interface placentária de Chondrichtyes, como relatado em mamíferos eutérios
The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is a viviparous placentary species in which the yolk sac develops along pregnancy turning into a placenta with a matrotrofic role. The indoleamine 2 3-dioxygenase (IDO) is a protein usually described in mammals, which, among other functions, participates on the maternal-fetal tolerance process. Although it has also been reported in bony fish, no information is available regarding its function. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of IDO in blue shark maternal-fetal interface and describe its distribution. Thus, placental / uterine and embryonic materials from three different stages (pre-placenta, middle and late gestation) of pregnant P. glauca females were processed for immunohistochemistry. The results showed IDO labelling during the yolk sac / placenta development in ectoderm along the three development phases and at endoderm only at phases I and II. In uterine epithelium, IDO was observed in the last two phases. These interface tissues are major contact areas between the mother ant the conceptus, that would induce an immunological response against the semialogeneic conceptus.The sum of these factors may contribute as an indication to the possible IDO role as a mechanism of maternal-fetal tolerance in Chondrichtyes placentary interface, as described in eutherian mammals

Post-pelagic juvenile and subadult Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) (20-40 cm straight carapace length) utilize nearshore waters of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico as nursery or developmental feeding grounds. This study utilizes 10 years of entanglement netting data to characterize long-term abundance and distribution of Kemp's ridley sea turtles at index habitats in this region. Netting surveys were conducted during April-October 1993-2002, primarily at Sabine Pass, Texas and Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana. Additionally, this study takes an ecosystem-based approach to understanding factors influencing Kemp's ridley in-water abundance and distribution via the development of a conceptual model incorporating data on nesting dynamics, environmental conditions, prey availability, and predation pressure. Overall monthly mean ridley catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) peaked in the beginning of summer (April-June), probably in response to rising water temperatures and seasonal occurrence of blue crab prey. Annual mean ridley CPUE across all study areas peaked in 1994, 1997, 1999 and 2002, suggesting a 2-3 year cycle in abundance that may be related to patterns in clutch size or hatch success at the Rancho Nuevo, Mexico nesting beach. However, ridley CPUE in nearshore waters remained relatively constant or decreased slightly even as number of hatchlings released from Rancho Nuevo increased exponentially. Annual declines in Texas strandings since 1994 and subsequent increases in Florida counterparts since 1995 suggest a shift in ridley distribution from the western to eastern Gulf in recent years. Significant declines in ridley CPUE at Sabine Pass since 1997 coincided with a concurrent reduction in blue crab size, but a similar trend was not detected at Calcasieu Pass. Kemp's ridley occurrence at study sites was not significantly related to shrimping activity/by-catch. There also were no biologically significant relationships between Kemp's ridley CPUE and abiotic factors, nor were ridleys deterred from utilizing areas frequented by bull sharks. Overall, nesting dynamics and prey availability were conceptual model components appearing to have the greatest influence on nearshore ridley occurrence.

Os cações são importantes recursos pesqueiros que podem apresentar concentrações de mercúrio (Hg) e arsênio (As) muitas vezes acima do limite de tolerância, o que os tornam impróprios como alimento. No meio aquático estes contaminantes são convertidos em espécies orgânicas, em especial metilmercúrio (MeHg) e arsenobetaína (AB), respectivamente. O MeHg é neurotóxico, sendo o sistema nervoso em desenvolvimento o mais susceptível. A AB é pouco tóxica, no entanto, o As inorgânico está envolvido em processos de estresse oxidativo, mutagênese e principalmente carcinogênese. Neste trabalho, foi avaliada a eficiência da cisteína na remoção de Hg, a ocorência de As total e inorgânico, e a redução de sua concentração com o emprego de borohidreto de sódio e de preparos para o consumo. A redução máxima de Hg, de 59,4%, com cisteína a 0,5% em pH 5,0, não foi reproduzida quando pretendida a reutilização da solução do aminoácido, importante do ponto de vista prático. O cação-azul continha elevados níveis de As total, 1,98 a 22,56 µg/g (base úmida), que foram removidos com borohidreto de sódio em 99%, demonstrando a alta potencialidade do método usado. O As inorgânico, presente na quantidade média de 0,0086 µg/g (base úmida), foi reduzido em 27,7%. O preparo para o consumo, por cozimento em água, do cação-azul em cubos (1-2 cm3), resultou em maior remoção de As total, de 65,9 a 71,2%; no cação grelhado a redução foi de 55,4 a 60,2%. As amostras, grelhadas ou cozidas, adicionadas de sal e limão enriquecido com ácido ascórbico, e as grelhadas contendo sal e sal com limão, apresentaram redução na concentração de As inorgânico de 30,1 a 42,8%.
The shark are important fishery resources that may have concentrations of mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) often above the limit of tolerance, which makes them unsuitable as food. In the aquatic environment these contaminants are converted to organic species, particularly methylmercury (MeHg) and arsenobetaína (AB), respectively. The MeHg is neurotoxic, and the developing nervous system more susceptible. AB is slightly toxic, however, the inorganic As is involved in processes of oxidative stress, mutagenesis and carcinogenesis mainly. In this study, we evaluated the efficiency of cysteine to remove mercury, the occurrence of the total and inorganic As, and the reduction of their concentration with the use of sodium borohydride and preparations for consumption. The maximum reduction of Hg, 59.4%, with 0.5% cysteine at pH 5.0, was not reproduced when you want to reuse the solution of the amino acid, important practical point of view. The blue-shark contained high levels of the total As, 1.98 to 22.56 µg/g (wet weight), which were removed with sodium borohydride in 99%, demonstrating the high potential of the method used. The inorganic As, present in the average amount of 0.0086 µg/g (wet weight) was reduced in 27.7%. Preparation for consumption by baking in water, the blue-shark into cubes (1-2 cm3) resulted in greater removal of the total As, 65.9 to 71.2%; in the grilled shark the reduction was 55,4 to 60.2%. The samples, grilled or baked, added salt and lemon enriched with ascorbic acid, and the grilled containing salt and salt with lemon, presented reduction in the concentrations of inorganic As from 30.1 to 42.8%.

Adopté par l’article 2 de la loi n°2016-1087 de reconquête de la biodiversité, de la nature et des paysages du 8 aout 2016, le principe de solidarité écologique appelle « à prendre en compte, dans toute prise de décision publique ayant une incidence notable sur l’environnement des territoires concernés, les interactions des écosystèmes, des êtres vivants et des milieux naturels ou aménagés ». Ce principe général du droit de l’environnement inscrit à l’article L110-1 du code de l’environnement est destiné à conserver les interactions écosystémiques et les processus écologiques ainsi qu’à améliorer la gestion environnementale des territoires. La dualité de son objet en fait un principe d’une grande richesse, qui devrait concerner de nombreuses décisions. Divers fondements supranationaux, au sein de la jurisprudence et dans les textes internationaux et européens peuvent ainsi lui être attribués. Dans un contexte d’interdépendance écologique, l’évolution de la dimension internationale et européenne du principe reste essentielle pour juger de ses effets au regard de la conservation de la biodiversité. Au niveau du droit interne, son ancrage au cœur de l’équilibre de l’environnement lui apporte un rayonnement particulier. Il conforte le droit à un environnement équilibré et prolonge les principes constitutionnels de prévention et de développement durable. Face à la crise d’extinction mondiale de la biodiversité menaçant notre survie, le principe de solidarité écologique se présente comme cette ultime chance de la conserver. Deux grands ensembles de dispositifs permettent de mesurer la dynamique du principe de solidarité écologique : la trame verte et bleue et la gestion intégrée de la mer et du littoral. Ils constituent une base pour concevoir la solidarité écologique et représentent ainsi le commencement d’un droit nouveau. Le principe de solidarité écologique appelle à les renforcer et, de manière plus générale, à faire évoluer l’ensemble des décisions concernées par le principe
Adopted by article 2 from act nr 2016-1087 concerning the reconquest of biodiversity, nature and landscape of August 8th 2016, the principle of ecological solidarity calls “for taking into consideration the interactions of ecosystems, living creatures and natural or developed environments in all public decisions having a notable impact on the environment of the territories concerned”.This general principle of environmental law inscribed in article L110 1 of the environmental code is designed to preserve the interactions of ecosystems and ecological processes as well as to improve the environmental management of the territories. The duality of its objective renders it a highly valuable principle which should be applied to numerous decisions. Various supranational foundations, within jurisprudence and in international and European laws, can thus be assigned to it. In the context of ecological interdependence the evolution of the international and European dimension of the principle remains essential in order to see the benefits concerning the safeguarding of biodiversity. It is greatly enhanced, as regards internal law, by the fact that it is at the very center of the environment's equilibrium. It justifies the right to a balanced environment and extends the constitutional principles of prevention and sustainable development. Confronted with the crisis of world-wide biodiversity extinction that threatens our survival, the principle of ecological solidarity emerges as the last chance to preserve it. Two major groups of systems allow us to measure the dynamics of the principle of ecological solidarity: the green and the blue line belt network and the Ocean and coastline Governance Framework. They constitute a basis on which to develop ecological solidarity and represent the beginnings of new legislation. The principle of ecological solidarity requires them to be reinforced and more generally to advance all decisions concerned by the principle

Dr. Eleine Mad är Madeleine Jacobsssons talesperson för dom vetenskapliga och paranormala upptäckter som uppstår i hennes världar. Hon beskriver innehåll, teknik och estetik utifrån ett kategoriseringssytem där konsten delas upp som olika typer av komponenter och därefter avkodas dessa allteftersom. För att förstå intuitionens inblandning i arbetsprocessen omförvandlas den till tre separata roller av en Sökare, Samlare och Myntare. Med rollerna försöker jag beskriva på vilka sätt som intuitionen är till gagn eller av förödelse för det konstnärliga arbetet. Sagan om M handlar om en grodlik karaktär, Delop, som lämnar sin hemplanet för att uppsöka andra världar. I sitt sökande hittar Delop ett folkslag vars syn och levnadssätt skiljer sig från hennes erfarenheter av “verkligheten” såsom hon lärt sig att överleva i den.
Dr. Eleine Mad is Madeleine Jacobsson's spokesperson for the scientific and paranormal discoveries that arise in her worlds. She describes content, tecniques and aesthetics based on a categorization system where art is divided into different types of components and then decoded as they go. To understand the intuition's involvement in the work process, it is transformed into three separate roles by a Seeker, Collector and a Myntare(In swedish language the one who is a "myntare" -is verbally declaring a concept or term). With these roles I try to describe in what ways intuition is beneficial or devastating to the artistic work. The story of M is about a frog-like character, Delop, who leaves the home planet to seek out other worlds. In her search, Delop finds a world whose views and lifestyles differ from her experiences of "reality" as she learned to survive in it.

Recorded sound and image material of the presentation is available for private use.

As populações de predadores pelágicos de topo têm vindo a decrescer drasticamente nas últimas décadas, sendo a sobrepesca considerada a principal responsável por estes declínios. As repercussões destes decréscimos são especialmente graves para as populações de tubarões, uma vez que, dado o seu lento ciclo de vida, estas espécies apresentam uma maior dificuldade em restabelecer os seus números após períodos de pesca intensiva. Além disso, dada a sua posição de topo na cadeia trófica, a remoção de tubarões dos ecossistemas gera efeitos em cascata nos níveis tróficos inferiores, tendo consequências graves e imprevisíveis para todo o ecossistema. Os tubarões azul (Prionace glauca) e anequim (Isurus oxyrinchus) são as duas espécies de tubarões pelágicos mais pescadas no Oceano Atlântico, constituindo, em conjunto, mais de 95% de todos os tubarões pelágicos capturados anualmente neste oceano e estando, respetivamente, classificadas como “quase ameaçada” e “em perigo” pelo IUCN. No entanto, continuam a existir graves problemas ao nível da regulamentação, monitorização e reporte da pesca destas duas espécies, tendo apenas no ano passado (2020) sido estabelecida uma quota máxima para a captura de tubarão azul no Oceano Atlântico, enquanto o tubarão anequim continua sem qualquer quota a restringir a sua captura. A determinação de áreas prioritárias para a conservação de predadores pelágicos de topo é complicada pela extrema mobilidade destes animais e a consequente dificuldade em identificar zonas de agregação devido à falta de dados fiáveis, uma vez que os estudos destas espécies estão historicamente restringidos a dados inerentes às pescas, sendo, por isso, extremamente enviesados. Porém, o advento da tecnologia de telemetria de satélite tem permitido descrever novos comportamentos, bem como uma melhor compreensão da real distribuição espacial e utilização de habitat, horizontal e vertical, destes predadores. Neste sentido, estudos anteriores utilizando dados de esforço de pesca e/ou telemetria de satélite têm sugerido a atração de uma grande variedade de predadores de topo por fenómenos dinâmicos de média dimensão, tais como frentes térmicas e vórtices oceânicos, que estará relacionada com movimentos de procura de alimento. Neste estudo, os movimentos de procura de alimento de 34 tubarões azuis e 24 tubarões anequins foram analisados relativamente à presença de frentes de oxigénio dissolvido (OD), que até agora não tinham sido consideradas na literatura. Para tal, estes tubarões foram capturados em 5 localizações diferentes do Oceano Atlântico Norte (Açores, Cabo Verde, ao largo de Nova Iorque e a sudoeste de Portugal e Inglaterra) e marcados com transmissores de satélite SPOT, que são fixados à barabatana dorsal e permitem seguir os seus movimentos horizontais com elevada precisão. Todas as variáveis ambientais foram extraídas da plataforma CMEMS’s (Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service) Ocean Products, que disponibiliza dados oceanográficos diários e mensais recolhidos através de uma combinação de medições de satélites e de boias à superfície e a meia água. Para identificar a presença de frentes, foram calculados os gradientes máximos de OD (e temperatura) entre células adjacentes. Os resultados aqui apresentados sugerem que frentes de OD podem representar extensas zonas de alimentação para estas duas espécies, sendo esta relação particularmente evidente para os tubarões azuis. Dois tipos de frentes de OD foram identificadas como atrativas para estas espécies: frentes conjuntas de temperatura e OD, forte, persistente e verticalmente estruturadas, onde a grande produtividade existente cria importantes áreas de alimentação que, por sua vez, atraem predadores de níveis tróficos subsequentemente mais elevados; e frentes exclusivas de OD, associadas a zonas hipóxicas, onde a compressão de presas nas águas superficiais, mais oxigenadas, da coluna de água aumenta a probabilidade de encontro entre predador e presa. No entanto, apesar de ambas as espécies terem revelado afinidade para com estes fenómenos, diferenças importantes foram constatadas. Os tubarões azuis demonstraram uma maior relação com as frentes de OD que os tubarões anequins, enquanto o contrário se verificou em relação às frentes de temperatura, resultados que se coadunam com as diferentes estratégias metabólicas apresentadas pelas duas espécies. Presumivelmente, dada a menor taxa metabólica associada a uma estratégia ectotérmica, os tubarões azuis terão uma maior tolerância a diminuições momentâneas de oxigénio, explorando, por isso, zonas de frentes exclusivas de OD quando possível, tal como acontece nas zonas de oxigénio mínimo (ZOMs). Por outro lado, os tubarões anequins, dada a sua capacidade em manter uma temperatura corporal mais ou menos constante – endotermia - combinada com uma maior necessidade de oxigénio, tenderão a favorecer zonas de fortes gradientes térmicos. Este estudo reforça ainda a importância dos vórtices oceânicos para a alimentação de predadores pelágicos em águas oligotróficas, tendo os tubarões anequins revelado uma clara preferência por vórtices ciclónicos (VCs). Por outro lado, os tubarões azuis demonstraram uma utilização mais equilibrada de VCs e vórtices anticiclónicos (VACs), corroborando parcialmente estudos anteriores que sugerem uma relação entre procura de alimento por parte de predadores de topo e VACs, apesar de estes, há muito, serem considerados apenas como “desertos biológicos”. Os resultados aqui apresentados sugerem que a integração de frentes de OD em modelos utilizados para identificação e gestão de áreas prioritárias de conservação destas duas espécies poderá melhorar significativamente os seus resultados. Além disso, a adoção de medidas de gestão de stocks em tempo real, de acordo com a informação inferida destes modelos, tal como é feito, na Austrália, com o Atum Rabilho do Sul (Thunnus maccoyii), uma espécie ameaçada e com uma quota limite estabelecida, poderá melhorar significativamente a gestão e conservação destas espécies, sendo o mesmo, possivelmente, aplicável ao caso de outros predadores pelágicos de topo. Finalmente, este estudo realça a importância da telemetria de satélite para a aquisição de informação relativa aos padrões ecológicos de movimentação a larga escala de grandes predadores marinhos. Acresce que a análise destes movimentos em conjunto com dados oceanográficos permite inferir com maior confiança quanto à importância de determinadas áreas e fenómenos para estas e outras espécies, possibilitando assim, decisões mais informadas no que respeita à gestão de stocks e proteção de habitats de extrema importância ecológica e económica. Pois apenas melhorando o conhecimento que temos sobre os hábitos destas espécies podemos almejar impedir uma total perda da biodiversidade e uma completa disrupção dos ecossistemas marinhos.
Pelagic top predator populations worldwide have suffered sharp decreases in abundance over the last decades, with overfishing being the main cause of such declines. Blue (Prionace glauca) and mako sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus) are the two most caught pelagic shark species in the Atlantic Ocean, being classified, respectively, as “near-threatened” and “endangered” by the IUCN red list. However, their catches remain highly unregulated, unmonitored, and unreported. Identification of priority areas for pelagic top predators’ conservation is hampered by the high mobility of these animals and the consequent difficulty in determining aggregation areas, yet mesoscale dynamic features such as thermal fronts and eddies have been suggested to attract a variety of large apex predators while foraging. In this study, the foraging movements of 34 blue and 24 mako sharks, satellite-tagged across 5 different locations in the North Atlantic Ocean, were analysed in relation to dissolved oxygen (DO) fronts, which until now had not been considered. The results presented here suggest that DO fronts might represent extensive foraging areas for these two species, but particularly for blue sharks. Two different DO front types were noticed to attract these species: strong, persistent, and vertically structured thermal-oxygen fronts, where high productivity creates important foraging opportunities; and oxygen-only fronts associated with hypoxic areas where the compression of prey in the more oxygenated surface waters results in higher predator-prey encounters. This study also reinforces the importance of eddies for pelagic predators foraging in oligotrophic waters. In addition, mako sharks revealed a clear preference for cyclonic eddies (CEs) while blue sharks showed a more balanced usage of CEs and anticyclonic eddies. These results strongly suggest the integration of DO fronts in conservation and management modelling, as they can substantially improve the identification of priority conservation areas for these two sharks and, possibly, many other pelagic top predators.

Overfishing is a major global concern. Many of the worlds fish stocks are currently over exploited and require immediate action toward effective management and recovery strategies. Sharks are especially susceptible to overexploitation as they are generally slow growing, late maturing and produce few young. As large predators, sharks play an important, but poorly understood, role in marine food webs. As such, the ongoing exploitation of shark stocks is likely to cause detrimental and lasting ecological shifts within many marine systems. Within numerous fisheries, sharks are primarily targeted for their highly priced fins, and in many cases, they are the only body part retained by fishermen. This has created many issues for management as no practical methodologies currently exist to allow for the proper identification and quantification of individual species from fins alone. The high price of fin has resulted in an increased take of sharks, while also increasing the likelihood of illegal activity such as under-reporting and foreign fishing. Consequently, a large proportion of the total fishing mortality (from both commercial and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing) appears to be unaccounted for, exemplified by an investigation of Australian shark fin export figures (Chapter 1). Confounding this, shark management receives low priority and limited funding. As a result, this has highlighted the immediate need for cost effective tools to quantify shark catch for both legal and illegal fisheries and, in the case of Australian fisheries, validate logbook data. Therefore, the major challenge is to develop cost effective methods for use in the field to identify sharks from fins alone, and to use these methods to generate data on catch composition. Morphological methods for identifying sharks from fins, if accurate, may be the most appropriate tool for such data collection. This premise is tested in this thesis; a major component is the development of methodologies to identify shark species from isolated fins. These techniques were then trialled successfully on specimens from illegal confiscated catch from northern Australian waters to demonstrate the applicability of these protocols for assessing the status of shark species. The majority of the methods investigated in the thesis rely on the analysis of shark fins from digital photographs. This is because digital images provide a cost effective and easy method to collect information about the morphological features of each specimen, and can be used both in field and lab situations. In order to justify the core methodologies used and to evaluate if robust methods could be developed, bias associated with this method were first investigated (Chapter 2). Fins can be wet (fresh) or in varying stages of dryness when identification is needed. As the majority (91.35%) of the confiscated IUU fins available to this study were wet, and there was a limited degree of drying in the foreign fishing vessel (FFV) catch, the identification protocols were developed using wet fins. In order to develop the identification protocols in Chapter 4, morphometric measurements, measured from digital images of the fin specimens, were used. On all fins, substantial changes in camera angle (from 0-20º) did not significantly affect any of the examined measurements. This result validated the use of a handheld camera as a practical tool for capturing images which are to be used for identify species of shark from isolated fins. Dermal denticles, (minute tooth-like structures which cover the body and fins of sharks) have been used as a tool for species identification of whole sharks in many shark taxonomic studies and species guides. Quantitative criteria were assessed in order to test the hypothesis that the morphological characters of the denticles on the dorsal and pectoral fins can be used to distinguish species (Chapter 3). These criteria described denticle crown variation at four specific areas on the dorsal and pectoral fins of 13 species of shark that are common to northern Australian waters. Skin samples from a total of 56 individuals from these 13 species were examined. All but three (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides, C. limbatus and C. tilstoni) could be distinguished from all other species investigated by the denticles at one or more areas using dorsal fins, and all but two (C. limbatus and C. tilstoni) using pectoral fins. Galeocerdo cuvier could be distinguished from all other species investigated at all areas on both dorsal and pectoral fins. The most useful area for dorsal and pectoral fins, in terms of percentage of species pairs distinguished (the proportion of all species pair combinations that could be differentiated) were identified. Using the character descriptions devised in Chapter 3, most species show differences in crown morphology at one area, or a combination of areas. Therefore, denticle crown morphology, when described using specific locations on the fin, provided an effective method of discriminating shark species from fins alone. Furthermore, denticles show markedly different crown morphologies with location on both the pectoral and dorsal fins, likely due to hydrodynamic and life-history adaptations. Therefore, when comparing denticles on the fin between adult specimens of different species, it is essential to specify the region that is used for comparison. While the use of dermal denticles to differentiate between species of shark may be effective, it is not always the most appropriate method for the field. Differences in denticle morphology are often subtle and require magnification to investigate, while more obvious visual characters may be used for species differentiation in the field, such as fin tip colour, fin colour or distance measurements. In order to investigate such alternative methods, distance measurements, fin tip colour and fin colour were used to develop a protocol to identify 35 shark species, found in northern Australian waters, from their isolated dorsal fins (Chapter 4). A series of discriminant analyses (DA) were conducted using distance measurement and RGB colour data on dorsal fin samples from 541 specimens of known species. These were subsequently used to predict the group (species) membership of 93 dorsal fin samples from the seized catch of IUU fishing boats. The accuracy of this method was then tested by comparison with molecular species identifications from the same dorsal fin. This validation demonstrated a correct classification of 80.4% of these specimens. Furthermore, to predict shark size from the identified dorsal fin, the relationship between shark total length (TL cm) and dorsal fin base length (B mm) was examined using linear regression to generate predictive equations for 35 shark species. Although a high level of accuracy was achieved, the complicated nature of the method resulted in an identification system that is not conducive to use insitu. The key to the future effectiveness of this method might be to incorporate measurements into an automated system (e.g. a computer program) that is applicable for easy use in the field. Ultimately, the goal of developing identification methods for species is to generate data with which to estimate exploitation levels in order to manage these resources sustainably. The denticle and DA identification methods from Chapters 3 and 4, were used to provide the first detailed account of both the number and biomass of sharks from the seized catch (as represented by dorsal fins) of 15 illegal foreign fishing vessels apprehended in northern Australian waters between February 2006 and July 2009. The catch of 13 small Indonesian and two large Taiwanese vessels was quantified, resulting in the identification of 1182 individual sharks with a total estimated biomass of 67.1 tonnes. The catch of the Indonesian fleet, as characterised by the 13 vessels, was mainly composed of smaller inshore and benthic species such as Spot-tail Sharks (Carcharhinus sorrah), Whitecheek Sharks (C. dussumieri) and juvenile Blacktip Sharks (C. limbatus/tilstoni). This species composition was similar to the reported catch from commercial shark fisheries in northern Australia. The Taiwanese fleet, as represented by two vessels, was characterised by a far greater catch of larger, pelagic species such as Blue Sharks (Prionace glauca), Silky Sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis), Oceanic Whitetip Sharks (C. longimanus), and Smooth Hammerheads (Sphyrna zygaena). The catch composition of these vessels was markedly different to the northern Australian commercial shark fishery, due to the fishing activity of these vessels occurring in deeper, offshore waters. Results show that IUU fishing in northern Australia is likely to have detrimental impacts on shark stocks in the region. The estimated level of illegal fishing for sharks by Indonesian vessels for the year 2006 is between 289.6 and 1071.04 tonnes, which is comparable to the largest commercial shark fishery that was operating in northern Australian waters at that time. One of the important distinctions of this assessment was to highlight the inadequacy of current methods, which assess illegal fishing impact based on the number of fishing vessels. In this study, a single Taiwanese vessel was found to be capable of removing the same amount of shark biomass as between 96 and 166 Indonesian vessels. As such, future assessments should include vessel characteristics (e.g. size, holding capacity) as large differences were highlighted both in terms of catch composition and volume of captured species. Ecosystem models often use broad functional groups of species to describe the structure and function of an ecosystem, and predict changes to those ecosystems. Furthermore, species from the same functional group generally exhibit similar morphology, as the ability to move is of crucial importance in many ecological contexts. Therefore, characterization of the morphology of the locomotor apparatus of many organisms (e.g. shark fins), which are subject to suites of interacting selective pressures, may enable the characterization of the animal to a functional group. In order to investigate the difference in fin shape between three broad functional groups of carcharhinid sharks, oceanic epipelagic, neritic epipelagic, and benthopelagic, morphometric measurements from the dorsal, pectoral and caudal fins of 167 specimens from 19 carcharhinid species were compared via multivariate analysis. Results showed a significant difference between the fins between all three functional groups. SIMPER analysis identified the ‘dorsal fin outer posterior margin’ and the ‘pectoral fin height’ as the morphometric characters that most distinguished between the oceanic epipelagic and neritic epipelagic categories; the ‘pectoral fin height’ and the ‘dorsal fin outer posterior margin’ as best distinguishing the oceanic epipelagic and the benthopelagic categories; and the ‘upper postventral margin’ and ‘width’ of the caudal fin as best distinguishing the neritic epipelagic and the benthopelagic categories. Of the four stepwise discriminant analysis models, the model that used morphological variables from all three fin types was the most successful at discriminating the three functional groups, 82% of all hold-out specimens identified correctly. The ability to distinguish between broad functional groups may be important for collecting data that can be used for ecosystem models, in the absence of more specific data. Such models are applicable to many countries, where fisheries management practices are extremely limited, resulting in a paucity of species-specific data. While this thesis has focused on sharks, overharvesting and exploitation are responsible for loss of species diversity globally. As the extent of a large amount of wildlife exploitation is not quantified, the illegal wildlife trade, such as the shark example presented here, undermines national efforts to manage resources sustainably. Given the limited resources allocated for investigating and managing the wildlife trade, the future of effective species conservation relies on the development of innovative and cost effective techniques for quantifying exploitation. This thesis has developed and demonstrated both the practicality and applicability of an accurate and affordable method for quantifying the trade in shark fins using morphological techniques. These methods could potentially change the way that shark fisheries are managed, by enabling accurate identification of individual species within regulated and non-regulated, target and non-target shark fisheries. The resulting protocols will have wide reaching implications by altering practices within specific fisheries, and more importantly, by enabling accurate conservation assessments to be made on many exploited shark species on a national and global scale.

碩士
國立海洋大學
環境生物與漁業科學學系
91
This study was examined the reproductive biology of blue shark, Prionace glauca occurred in northwestern Pacific Ocean. All specimens of this study were captured by longline from surface to 200m in depth from Oct. 2001 to Feb. 2003. A total of 1,079 specimens (including 576 males and 503 females) of blue shark, Prionace glauca were determined in this study, included 40 gravid females. Females and males reached sexual maturity at about 178-200cm and 172-206cm, respectively. Reproduction pattern of blue shark is yolk sac placenta type with uterine compartment. Ova (eggs) are ovulated when they reach 16-20mm in diameter. The data of fertilized eggs and embryos suggested the mating season occurres in early spring to late summer, a gestation period about 10 months and parturities between February and May for this species. Size at birth is approximately 37-45.5cm total length (TL) and litter size varies from 3-53 with a mean value of 29. The predicted reproductive cycle is two years.

碩士
國立海洋大學
食品科學系
89
Abstract In order to develope blue shark (Prionace glauca) as material for processing kamaboko, 2 months frozen storage fish was stored at -20℃ for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 months, and then took out for thawing and processing into kamaboko. The salt soluble protein, Ca++-ATPase and protease activity, total-SH and reactive-SH of fish muscle were monitored. And the quality, gel-strength and whiteness, of kamaboko were also determined. From the results, it was found that the salt soluble protein and Ca++-ATPase activity were decressing with storage time extension, from 62.31 mg/g and 74.77μmole pi/min/10g to 26.34 mg/g and 29.24μmole pi/min/10g, respectively. The protease specific activity gradually increased as setting temperature increase and time extension. And the optimal gel-forming condition of fish meat was found setting at 4℃, 13 hurs; the gel strength of kamaboko reached to the best level, 151 g•cm, and its folding test was A-B grade at the same time. It was also found that 15% of potato starch was the optimal quantity for adding into fish paste to produce kamaboko, and the sucrose and sobitol were the best cryoprotectants of this fish.

Top predators have an important role in the trophic chain, especially in marine ecosystems, where the hypothesis that pristine biomass pyramids are inverted and therefore, with a more pronounced top-down control, is highly debated. Their abundance, however, have showed a marked decline over the years, due to exploitation and human-predator conflicts. Currently, a better appreciation of the importance of the relationships between species, have pushed areas like fishery research, to look at ecosystem-based management, with multispecies management strategies. Sharks are notorious predators, highly vulnerable to the many threats they face, due to their biological characteristics. Particularly, blue shark (Prionace glauca), because of its wide distribution is one of the shark species most impacted by fisheries. Here, the objective is to understand what can be inferred about the state of the blue shark population using records of landings in Portuguese ports, since 1989. The analysis focused on data of landings, average price, and size. Results showed a tendency for decreasing landings and increasing average price over time, which can be associated with overfishing. Size data was very inconstant and not very informative, it did not seem as relevant for juvenile protection as it could and should be. General measures for blue shark protection have been implemented since 2016, but more attention should be given to the large number of juveniles that inhabit the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Portugal. Further studies could focus on the ecological value of this species for the ecosystem and, particularly in Portugal, on a better understanding of the market and of consumer knowledge and awareness.
Os predadores de topo têm um papel fundamental nas cadeias tróficas, principalmente nos ecossistemas marinhos, onde a hipótese de que, as pirâmides de biomassa de habitats pristinos são invertidas e, consequentemente com um controlo top-down mais acentuado, é bastante debatida. A abundância destes predadores, no entanto, tem vindo a diminuir ao longo dos anos, devido à sua exploração e a conflitos entre o ser humano e predadores. Atualmente, o reconhecimento da importância das relações interespecíficas, motivou a área da investigação pesqueira a considerar uma gestão baseada nos ecossistemas, com estratégias que contemplem as multiespécies envolvidas. Os tubarões são predadores notórios, altamente vulneráveis às várias ameaças que enfrentam devido à sua biologia característica. Particularmente, o tubarão azul (Prionace glauca), devido à sua larga distribuição, é uma das espécies mais afetadas pela atividade pesqueira. O objetivo deste trabalho é compreender o que pode ser inferido sobre o estado da população de tubarão azul, usando os registos de desembarques em portos Portugueses, desde 1989. A análise focou-se na quantidade de tubarão azul desembarcada, no preço médio e no tamanho dos indivíduos desembarcados. A quantidade desembarcada apresentou uma tendência para diminuir ao longo dos anos, enquanto que o preço médio, uma tendência para aumentar, o que pode ser um indicador de risco de sobrepesca. O registo do tamanho dos indivíduos revelou-se extremamente inconstante, e pouco esclarecedor em relação à pesca de juvenis, sendo que esta informação pode ser importante para a sua proteção. Várias medidas têm vindo a ser implementadas para proteger esta espécie desde 2016, no entanto, mais atenção deveria ser dada à quantidade de juvenis que habita a Zona Económica Exclusiva (ZEE) de Portugal. No futuro, uma melhor compreensão do valor ecológico desta espécie e, particularmente em Portugal, do seu mercado e do conhecimento do consumidor, podem ser factores importantes para a sua conservação.
Mestrado em Ecologia Aplicada

Dissertação de mestrado, Biologia Marinha, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2017
The blue shark, Prionace glauca, is a cosmopolitan species considered to be the most abundant pelagic shark in the world. It is frequently caught in pelagic fisheries, being the most captured shark by the Portuguese pelagic longline fishery targeting swordfish. The biology of blue sharks has been relatively well studied in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. However, high levels of uncertainty still persist regarding many of its biological aspects in the Indian Ocean, specifically in terms of age estimation and growth modelling. For this study, a total of 818 vertebral samples were collected from blue sharks captured by pelagic longliners in the Indian Ocean, between March 2013 and September 2016, with sizes ranging from 82 to 301 cm fork length (FL). The age of individuals was estimated through counting growth band pairs in sectioned vertebrae, assuming annual deposition. Two growth models were fitted to the age data, a three-parameter von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) re-parameterized to calculate L0 (size at birth) and a two-parameter VBGF with a fixed L0. The latter was considered the most adequate to describe the growth of the species, with the estimated parameters being Linf = 272.2 cm FL, k = 0.15 year-1 for males and Linf = 283.2 cm FL, k = 0.13 year-1 for females. These results suggest that females have a slower growth than males. The maximum age estimated was 25 years, representing the oldest attributed age to this species so far. Further work is needed regarding blue sharks in the Indian Ocean, but this study adds important life-history information that can contribute for the management and conservation of the species.
Os tubarões oceânicos permanecem menos estudados que os tubarões costeiros, e estão entre os menos estudados de todos os elasmobrânquios, que incluem raias e tubarões. A sua natureza altamente migratória dificulta o estudo destes organismos, e a falta de fiabilidade por vezes existente em termos de registos de capturas e rejeições limita as projeções em termos dos impactos de atividades pesqueiras. No entanto, a biologia destes organismos, incluindo características como crescimento lento, ciclo de vida longo, maturação sexual tardia, entre outras, torna-os mais vulneráveis em termos de sobreexploração. Neste sentido, a importância destes predadores de topo nas cadeias alimentares oceânicas impõe a necessidade de aumentar o nível de conhecimento sobre os mesmos. A tintureira, ou tubarão azul, como é conhecida a espécie Prionace glauca, é um tubarão pelágico e oceânico com uma distribuição cosmopolita, que inclui águas temperadas e tropicais. Além da distribuição abrangente, esta é considerada a espécie de tubarão pelágico mais abundante em todo o mundo, assumindo, portanto, grande importância nestes ecossistemas a nível global. Apesar de ser uma espécie oceânica, pode ser ocasionalmente encontrada em ambientes costeiros, nomeadamente no caso de juvenis. Grandes migrações são também uma característica desta espécie, podendo os seus movimentos migratórios estar relacionados com o seu ciclo reprodutor, distribuição de presas, correntes oceânicas ou mesmo com a temperatura da água. Relativamente à distribuição da tintureira no Oceano Índico, dados recentes apontam para uma maior abundância de tintureiras de maior dimensão em zonas equatoriais e tropicais, enquanto os indivíduos mais pequenos demonstram uma preferência por zonas temperadas nas latitudes mais altas. A nível de tamanhos, a tintureira ultrapassa os 300 cm, podendo chegar até aos 380 cm. São tubarões vivíparos, com um período de gestação que poderá prolongar-se por 9 ou 12 meses, após os quais as fêmeas dão à luz entre 4 a 135 crias, durante a Primavera e o Verão. Ambos os sexos atingem maturação com um comprimento corporal e idades semelhantes, sendo a idade de maturação para machos entre os 4 e 6 anos, e entre os 5 e 7 anos para fêmeas. Em termos de longevidade, pensa-se que esta espécie possa viver até aos 20 ou 23 anos de idade. A tintureira é uma das espécies de tubarão pelágico mais frequentemente capturada como presa acessória (bycatch) pelas frotas pesqueiras em todo o mundo, principalmente por palangres de superfície. A nível de pesca desportiva, esta espécie é uma das preferidas por parte de quem pratica esta atividade e frequentemente um dos alvos principais. Em termos de pesca comercial, a tintureira tradicionalmente era uma espécie de baixo valor comercial, no entanto o interesse nestes organismos tem vindo a aumentar. No Oceano Índico, esta é a espécie de tubarão mais capturada pela frota Portuguesa de palangre de superfície dirigida ao espadarte, sendo a segunda mais capturada além da espécie alvo. A tintureira encontra-se atualmente listada como uma espécie quase ameaçada (Near Threatened) pela IUCN a nível global, assim como no Nordeste Atlântico, sendo já considerada como criticamente ameaçada (Critically Endangered) no Mediterrâneo. A idade de um organismo é considerada um dos parâmetros biológicos mais importantes, sendo que é necessário por exemplo para o cálculo de taxas de crescimento, taxas de mortalidade, produtividade e longevidade. Em termos de avaliação de stocks em biologia pesqueira, a idade e crescimento são muito relevantes, dado que são utilizados para calcular parâmetros como abundancia e mortalidade, que estão na base do estabelecimento de medidas reguladoras da atividade pesqueira. Os estudos de idade e crescimento em elasmobrânquios são feitos através da análise de deposição de bandas de crescimento em estruturas calcificadas destes organismos, sendo que as suas vértebras são as mais utilizadas para tal. Uma vez que a tintureira é uma espécie muito comum nos ecossistemas pelágicos de todo o mundo, a sua biologia tem sido muito estudada ao longo dos anos, incluindo estudos de idade e crescimento. No entanto, estes estudos têm-se focado em regiões dos Oceanos Atlântico e Pacífico, existindo atualmente apenas dois estudos de idade e crescimento desta espécie no Oceano Índico. Dadas as lacunas no conhecimento da biologia de tintureira no Oceano Indico, especificamente em termos de idade e crescimento, este trabalho tem como objetivos: 1) estimar a idade de indivíduos da espécie em estudo através da leitura das bandas de crescimento depositadas nas vértebras dos mesmos; 2) obter modelos de crescimento para ambos os sexos na região do Índico Sul e finalmente 3) fornecer os dados de idade e crescimento obtidos à IOTC (Indian Ocean Tuna Commission), sendo esta a organização inter-governamental internacional responsável pela gestão desta espécie no Oceano Índico. Para tal, um total de 818 vértebras foram recolhidas por observadores de pesca do IPMA abordo de navios de pesca comercial dirigida ao espadarte, com arte de palangre de superfície. As amostras recolhidas foram submetidas a um processo de limpeza e posteriormente de seccionamento. Uma vez obtidas as secções das vértebras, estas foram utilizadas para a contagem de bandas de crescimento. Tendo como base estudos prévios de validação da idade desta espécie, uma deposição anual das bandas de crescimento foi assumida. Após as leituras de idade efetuadas às amostras, foi atribuída uma idade final a um total de 679, tendo estas sido usadas para os modelos de crescimento. Dois modelos foram utilizados, a função de crescimento de von Bertalanffy com três parâmetros re-parametrizado para calcular L0 (tamanho à nascença), e a função de crescimento de von Bertalanffy com dois parâmetros, mantendo o L0 fixo. Ambos os modelos foram ajustados para machos e fêmeas em separado, e para ambos simultaneamente. O modelo final recomendado por este estudo é o modelo com dois parâmetros, mantendo o L0 fixo, para cada sexo separadamente visto que se verificaram diferenças significativas entre sexos. Os valores estimados para cada parâmetro com este modelo sugerem que as fêmeas atingem um tamanho máximo assimptótico maior e que os machos têm um coeficiente de crescimento mais elevado, o que indica que as fêmeas têm um crescimento mais lento (machos: Linf = 272.2 cm FL, k = 0.15 year-1; fêmeas: Linf = 283.2 cm FL, k = 0.13 year-1). A idade máxima atribuída foi 25 anos. No geral, os resultados obtidos neste estudo enquadram-se nos intervalos de valores previamente obtidos por outros estudos. No entanto, a idade máxima estimada no presente estudo foi a maior até agora descrita para esta espécie. Estes resultados vão de encontro ao facto de a tintureira ser uma espécie com um crescimento lento e elevada longevidade, representado uma nova e importante fonte de informação acerca da biologia desta espécie no Oceano Índico. Mais concretamente, estes resultados foram já fornecidos à IOTC, para serem considerados aquando a próxima avaliação desta espécie em Setembro desde ano.

碩士
大仁科技大學
生物科技研究所
100
The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is a species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae, that has cartilage axial skeleton. The main constituents of cartilage are collagen, glycosaminoglycan and a variety of proteins. The scientific literatures showed that the active substances of shark cartilage could inhibit angiogenesis, tumor formation and inflammation. The objective of this study was to investigate the anti - inflammation and immune modulatory effects of blue shark cartilage alkaline extract (BSC-AE) and purify extract (BSC-PE) by in vitro using primary cells from BALB/c mice. The BSC-AE was extracted from shark cartilage by alkali extraction, following ethanol precipitation to obtain BSC-PE, and chondroitin sulfate content of extracts was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The cell viability was determined by MTT (3- (4,5-cimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) test and cytokines secreted in the spleen and peritoneal cell cultures were quantified by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay). The results showed that chondroitin sulfate contents of BSC-PE and BSC-AE were 48.40% and 10.16% respectively. In spontaneous pattern, BSC-AE and BSC-PE significantly (P <0.05) increased the interleukin (IL)-10 level that secreted by splenocytes. The high dose (1000 μg/ml) of BSC-AE was significantly (P <0.05) decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6) level and pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6/IL-10) ratio in both of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and concanavalin A (Con A)- stimulated splenocyte cultures, it also significantly (P <0.05) reduced the IL-6 levels in the spontaneous and LPS-stimulated peritoneal cell cultures. The BSC-AE (125-1000 μg/ml) markedly (P <0.05) inhibited the secretion of helper T cell type II (Th2) cytokine (IL-4), increased the ratios of Th1/Th2 cytokines, interferon-γ (IFN-γ)/IL-4, in the Con A-stimulated splenocyte cultures. Besides, the IFN-γ levels were significantly (P <0.05) improved in the splenocyte cultures that stimulated by BSC-PE and BSC-AE. The results suggest that the blue shark cartilage extracts, BSC-AE and BSC-PE, might have the potential to alleviate the inflammation and hypersensitivity in allergic diseases (such as asthma) via modulating the Th1/Th2 balance toward Th1 pole.

Aquamarine of distinctly dark blue colour was discovered during the summer of 2003 in the Pelly Mountains, southern Yukon Territory, Canada. The beryl is found within quartz veins that fill sigmoidal tension gashes, which cut a Mississippian syenite. The True Blue showing is differentiated from other beryl occurrences in the northern Cordillera by the colour of the beryl, host rock, mineral associations, timing, and mineralizing fluid. The syenite was emplaced within an extensional setting into undeformed Paleozoic platform sediments of the Cassiar Platform and felsic volcanics of the Pelly Mountain Volcanic Belt. Post late-Triassic tectonics resulted in a number of northeast-directed thrust panels that were subsequently cut by Cretaceous granitic magmatism. Accessory minerals in the veins include siderite, ankerite, allanite, fluorite, and minor albite, various sulfide minerals, and Fe-Ti-Nb oxide minerals. Electron microprobe analyses of beryl (n = 192) revealed that FeO values range up to 5.92 wt.%, Na₂O up to 2.66 wt.%, MgO up to 3.42 wt.%, and CaO up to 0.11 wt.%, while little to no Cr, Sc or V were detected. The darkest blue beryl has the highest concentrations of FeO. Allanite is of the Ce-dominant variety, contains up to 26 wt.% REE₂O₃, and exhibits Fe²⁺ > Fe³⁺. Fluorite from several veins that co-precipitated with beryl has been dated using Sm-Nd geochronology at 171.4 ±4.8 Ma. In situ and whole-mineral δ¹⁸O[sub SMOW] values from beryl and whole-mineral δ¹⁸O[sub SMOW] values from quartz are variable and temperature estimates derived from this data suggests fluid temperatures between ~275 and ~425 °C. Conventional gem beryl formation models, and consequently exploration parameters, applied in Yukon invoke late-stage magmatic fluids. Evidence gathered in this study points to a metamorphic origin for the mineralizing fluid and local derivation of vein constituents, thus differentiating the fluids at True Blue from other intrusion-related beryl-forming fluids in the northern Cordillera.
Science, Faculty of
Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of
Graduate

碩士
國立臺灣海洋大學
環境生物與漁業科學學系
100
The blue shark (Prionace glauca), an oceanic migratory elasmobranchii species is one of the most commonly bycatch species caught by longline fisheries. The specimen collected by observers in Taiwanese longline fisheries is used for age and growth analysis. Between Mar. 2009 and May 2011, 87 female and 180 male were captured in Pacific (41˚22´- 1˚28´S, 178˚40´W - 167˚38´E). Between May 2006 and Dec. 2011, 311 female and 337 male were captured in Atlantic (40˚06´- 0˚57´S, 50˚35´W - 13˚51´E). Edge analysis and marginal increment rate (MIR) analysis indicated that the translucent and opaque bands on vertebral centra were formed once a year. The best fitted growth model was von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF). Applied the Likelihood ratio test, the VBGF between female and male revealed which in Pacific was significant different (p<0.05), growth parameters for female and male were estimate to be L∞=330.4 cm TL, k=0.164 yr-1 and L∞=376.6 cm TL, k=0.128 yr-1 and in Atlantic was no significant different (p>0.05), growth parameters for both female and male were estimate to be L∞=352.1 cm TL, k=0.131 yr-1 .

碩士
崇右影藝科技大學
文化創意設計研究所
106
Abstract In recent years, with the awakening of environmental awareness and the emphasis of marine education in Taiwan, the news media constantly reported about the serious damage caused by ocean waste, and the destruction of marine ecology. The author hoped to create the ocean themed popular science picture book to promote the concept of ecological conservation, and introduce the habit of the migration of the whale sharks, the influence of marine waste, and the close relationships between human, marine life and the environment. Besides, picture books have been widely used by teachers for a long time in the classroom. They are interesting and meaningful teaching materials that help students to learn. This thesis is divided into two main parts, including literature analysis and the creation of picture book. Literature analysis explored the definition and the characteristics of picture books, the cognition of marine pollution, the impact of marine waste on marine life and the characteristics of whale sharks. This paper analyzed the three characteristics of the excellent marine picture books recommended by Taiwan Ocean Education Center in 2017. The analysis based on the theme, text and picture of the picture books related to marine education issues. The final part is the author’s personal creation of picture book. The theme of this story is about the impact of the marine waste on marine life, and the author transformed the migration of the main character, the whale shark blue into the concept as traveling around the ocean. The author tried to express the main idea of the story through the collocation of images and texts. Children can develop the correct concept of marine education after reading this picture book, and reduce the marine waste in their daily life from childhood. Through the professional selection in the marine picture books competition which was held by Ministry of Education in 2017, The Whale Shark Blue won the first place. The result of this competition showed that The Whale Shark Blue was analyzed to be an excellent picture book suitable for marine education, meanwhile the results of children’s reading tests are significant. Therefore, The Whale Shark Blue is an excellent picture book to promote the concept of marine ecology conservation.

碩士
大仁科技大學
製藥科技研究所
102
Asthma is known as the T-helper type 2 (Th2)-skewed allergic disease, Th2-type cells are vital in humoral immunity, which leads the body to produce IgE and IgG1 antibiotics and the defense against pathogens by eosinophilic infiltration. The cytokines that belong to Th2-type includes IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10 and IL-13. IL-4 and IL-13 can activate B-cells to produce IgE. In contrast to the Th2-type cells, Th1-type cells can produce IL-2, interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Th1-skewed cells can lead to the immune response in the body cells to destroy pathogens. By blocking the infiltration of eosinophil and the production of IgE and IgG1, strengthens the production of IgG2a. Th1-skewed immune reactions are generally pro-inflammatory and may result in autoimmune and chronic inflammation. However, the Th2-skewed immune response may cause asthma and allergy. Whether it is possible to maintain the Th1/Th2 balance through dietary modification, especially the dietary lipid pattern, is an important issue in immunology. This study is based on assessment of blue shark alkaline extract of shark cartilage of chicken ovalbumin sensitization of asthma mode female mouse allergic asthma improvement. By analyzing chicken ovalbumin sensitized mice serum to assess the extraction of blue shark cartilage in sensitized mice lung pipe flushing fluid cytokine effects.

Tese de Doutoramento, Ciências do Mar (Ecologia Marinha)
O tubarão azul tornou-se uma importante captura acessória na pescaria de palangre do Atlântico norte ou até, nalguns casos, a espécie alvo da pescaria quando a abundância de espadarte é reduzida. Contudo, a sua complexa estrutura populacional e ciclo de vida permanecem largamente desconhecidos, limitando os actuais esforços de conservação e gestão desta espécie. Em particular, é preocupante a possível sobreposição da pescaria com zonas de maternidade, pois a sobrevivência juvenil foi demonstrada ser essencial para a manutenção das suas populações. O objectivo principal desta dissertação foi, assim, melhorar o conhecimento da ecologia espacial desta espécie no Atlântico norte, centrada no segmento juvenil e na área central desta bacia oceânica. Esta região foi identificada como possível maternidade e tem sido intensamente explorada pelas frontas palangreiras espanhola e portuguesa. A análise detalhada da demografia e abundância sazonal de tubarão azul no Atlântico norte central baseada em dados independentes da pescaria e em dados de observadores demonstrou o papel central da área para a população norte Atlântica. As capturas variaram significativamente ao longo do ano, reflectindo a presença variável dos diferentes sexos e componentes etários da população na área, e foram fortemente influenciadas por factores ambientais como a temperatura de superfície, as anomalias de altura superficial, e o ciclo lunar. Em geral, as capturas foram dominadas por tubarão azul juvenil, sobretudo nos meses de inverno. Os juvenis de primeiro ano de ambos os sexos encontram-se na região durante todo o ano enquanto os de maior idade alternam sazonalmente a sua presença. A presença de fêmeas maturas em estado de gravidez avançado sugere também que a área possa ser usada como zona de desova. Machos maturos aparecem sobretudo no verão, provavelmente para se alimentar. A presença periódica destas componentes populacionais enfatiza o papel central da área pois algumas estão também sazonalmente associadas a um dos lados do Atlântico. Este papel central da área foi corroborado por uma experiência de telemetria de satélite desenhada para investigar os movimentos de longa duração, distribuição e uso do habitat dos juvenis. Desta experiência resultaram fortes evidências da existência de uma maternidade anual para os juvenis pequenos de tubarão azul no Atlântico norte central. Os padrões de larga escala de segregação sexual e as mudanças na distribuição e movimentos ao longo da vida da espécie são revelados e discutidos à luz das adaptações evolutivas dos tubarões pelágicos no seu ambiente oceânico. Finalmente, o habitat pelágico dos juvenis de tubarão azul foi inferido usando uma modelação estatística ambiental desenvolvida para quantificar a preferência do habitat baseado em dados de telemetria e das pescarias. Os modelos demonstraram que os padrões de distribuição espacio-temporal dos juvenis e de segregação são moldados, em larga medida, pelas diferentes preferências, e revelaram a existência de estratégias distintas para explorar alguns habitates mais productivos dentro da área de distribuição. Pela primeira vez são feitas predicções do habitat essencial pelágico de juvenil de tubarão azul para o Atlântico norte, oferecendo um enquadramento unificador da dinâmica especial estruturadora da população juvenil à escala da bacia oceânica.
ABSTRACT: In the North Atlantic, blue shark has become an important by-catch for the pelagic swordfish fisheries, and, in some cases, even the target species of the fishery when swordfish abundance is low. Still, their complex life cycle and population structure remain poorly understood, limiting current management and conservation efforts for this species. Particular concern exists regarding the possible overlap between pelagic longline fisheries and putative juvenile grounds, given that juvenile survival was shown to be essential for the maintenance of blue shark populations. The main goal of this dissertation was therefore to improve the knowledge on the spatial ecology of North Atlantic blue shark, particularly focusing on the juvenile segment of the population and the central area of the oceanic basin. This region in the central North Atlantic has been identified as a putative nursery area and is being heavily exploited by pelagic longline fleets from Spain and Portugal. A detailed analysis of the demography and seasonal abundance of blue shark in the central North Atlantic based on detailed analyses of fishery independent and observer data, demonstrated the central role of the area for North Atlantic blue shark population. Catch rates varied greatly over the year, reflecting the changing presence of different sex and life stages in the area, and were strongly influenced by environmental factors, namely sea surface temperature, sea surface height anomalies and lunar cycle. In general, the catches were strongly dominated by juvenile blue sharks, with higher catch rates during winter months. Young-of-the-year juveniles of both sexes were present throughout the year, while the presence of older juveniles of both sexes alternated seasonally. The presence of mature females in advanced stages of pregnancy during spring further suggests that the area is used as a pupping ground. Mature males appear mainly during summer, probably for feeding. The periodic presence of all these life stages emphasises the central role of the area, as some of these population components are seasonally associated with one of either sides of the North Atlantic. This central role was corroborated by a satellite tagging experiment that was designed to investigate the long-term movements, distribution and habitat use of mainly juvenile blue shark. This experiment provided strong evidence for the existence of a year round oceanic nursery for small juvenile blue shark in the central North Atlantic. Moreover, large scale patterns of sexual segregation and shifts in distribution and movements across the species’ life history were revealed and discussed in light of the evolutionary adaptations of pelagic sharks to their oceanic environment. Finally, the pelagic habitats juvenile blue shark were inferred using a statistical modeling approach that was developed to quantify habitat preference based on both satellite telemetry data and fisheries data. The models demonstrated that the spatio-temporal distributions of juveniles and patterns of segregation are shaped to a large extend by differential habitat preferences and revealed the existence of different strategies to exploit some of the most productive habitats within their range. For the first time, predictions of essential pelagic habitats of juvenile blue shark in the North Atlantic provide a unifying framework to understand the dynamic spatial structuring of the juvenile blue shark population at the scale of entire ocean basin.
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, Grant number SFRH/BD/46891/2008).
EU FP7 (FP7 KBBE/2007/1/210496).

碩士
大仁科技大學
製藥科技研究所
101
To evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of blue shark cartilage alkaline extract (BSC-AE) on ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized and -challenged BALB/c mice. Experimental mice were divided into five groups, including non-sensitized control (code as PBS/DDW), dietary control (OVA/DDW), low dose BSC-AE supplement group (OVA/LD, 150 mg/kgBW/day), medium dose BSC-AE supplement group (OVA/MD, 450 mg/kgBW/day), and high dose BSA-AE supplement group (OVA/HD, 1350 mg/kgBW/day). The mouse allergic airway inflammation model was used in this study. Mice received 0.3 ml extra of deionized water or BSC-AE by tube gavage for five weeks. All experimental mice were sacrificed at day 35 and the was collected to determine the levels of pro-inflammatory (interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-6), anti-inflammatory (IL-10), T-helper type 1 (Th1) (IL-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-5) by ELISA assay. The results showed that BSC-AE supplement significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the cytokine levels but did not markedly (P > 0.05) affect the cytokine ratios of Th1/Th2 and pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokines. It is suggested that BSC-AE supplement may not modulate the Th1/Th2 balance toward Th1 pole in the allergic asthmatic murine model, but benefit to diminish the Th2-skewed allergic airway inflammation.

碩士
國立高雄海洋科技大學
漁業生產與管理研究所
104
The blue shark catch and effort data from observers’ records of the Taiwanese large longline fishing vessels operating in the Indian Ocean from 2004-2013 were analyzed. Based on the effort distribution and fishing grounds of the target species, four areas, namely, A (north of 10°S, east to 70°E), B (north of 10°S, 70°E-120°E), C (south of 10°S, 20°E-60°), D (south of 10°S, 60°E-120°E) were categorized. To cope with the large percentage of zero shark catch, the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of blue shark, as the number of fish caught per 1,000 hooks, was standardized using a two-step delta-lognormal model that treats the proportion of positive sets and the CPUE of positive catches separately. Each model includes the main variables year, quarter, longitude, latitude,area, hooks per basket (HPB), and all two-way interactions between quarter, area and HPB. Standardized indices with 95% bootstrapping confidence intervals were reported. In India Ocean, the high shark bycatch number was found in major fishing ground for the bigeye tuna fleet, the highest proportion was blue shark. The standardized CPUE showed a stable trend for blue sharks from 2004 to 2008 and increased steadily thereafter with peaks in 2013. The results obtained in this study can be improved if longer time series observers' data are available.

碩士
國立高雄海洋科技大學
漁業生產與管理研究所
106
This study was based on observers’ records of the Taiwanese tuna longline fishing fleets operating in the Atlantic Ocean in the period 2004-2015. Observers’ data analysis included those of operation area, fishing effort, species composition, shark by-catch species composition, shark discard/release rates, and catch per unit effort (CPUE) of blue shark from Atlantic Ocean. Five areas: A (north of 20°N), B (5°N-20°N), C (5°N-15°S), D (15°S-50°S, west to 20°W) and E (15°S-50°S, 20°W-20°E) were categorized based on the blue shark nominal CPUE distribution. To cope with the high zero shark catch percentage, the CPUE of blue shark, calculated as the number of fish caught per 1,000 hooks, was standardized using a two-step delta-lognormal approach that treats the proportion of positive sets and the CPUE of positive catches separately. Standardized indices with 95% bootstrapping confidence intervals were reported. Major shark by-catch species were blue shark (Prionace glauca) (75.74%), bigeye thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus) (8.91%), shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) (4.53%) in the North Atlantic Ocean and blue shark (67.70%), crocodile shark (Pseudocarcharias kamoharai) (14.38%), cookiecutter shark (Isistius brasiliensis) (5.68%) in the South Atlantic Ocean. The standardized CPUE showed a stable trend for blue sharks from 2007 to 2014. The results obtained in this study can be improved if longer time series observers' data are available.

Tese de Doutoramento em Engenharia de Tecidos, Medicina Regenerativa e Células Estaminais
The growing life expectancy pays the price of ageing-related musculoskeletal system diseases, compelling the urgent need for development of novel therapeutic strategies. Collagen-based solutions have been widely employed, but the primary sources for obtaining collagen, bovine and porcine, are not enough to keep up with needs. On the one hand, they conflict with certain religious beliefs, while on the other hand restrictive rules have been limiting their use, namely concerning the problems associated with the non-negligible risk of diseases transmission to humans, like bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Furthermore, we are facing the problem of terrestrial animals’ overexploitation, that even so, does not meet the crescent collagen demands (Chapter I). With this background, the work developed under the scope of this thesis focuses on the use of marine biomass, particularly blue shark (Prionace glauca) skin, as a promising source of collagen for production of safe, eco-sustainable and versatile composite biomaterials envisaging the engineering of hard tissues. The potential of blue shark collagen was tested after processing it in combination with marine-origin bioapatite, by freeze-dry technique, rendering 3D composite scaffolds. These 3D microporous scaffolds were suitable for Saos-2 cell line culture (Chapter III) and revealed capacity to promote in vivo bone regeneration in critical-size bone defects created in New Zealand rabbit models, 12 weeks post-implantation, similar to the performance observed with bovine collagen-based composite scaffolds (Chapter IV). Freeze-dry was also employed to produce blue shark collagen and blue shark collagen:hyaluronic acid scaffolds, with the former being able to trigger early-stage chondrogenic differentiation of human adipose stem cells (hASC), with hyaluronic acid being needed to support later stage chondrocyte phenotype (Chapter V). Inspired on the composite nano structural organization of mineralized tissues, a co-precipitation approach was followed to in situ mineralize blue shark collagen to ultimately produce stable bioinks to enable bioprinting approaches (Chapter VI and VII). Mouse fibroblast cell line (encapsulated) survival during and after printing was favored by the presence of mineralized collagen as exhibited by the biological performance of the hydrogels (Chapter VI). The osteogenic potential of the ink on encapsulated hASC, without exogeneous stimulations, was confirmed by immunodetection of RUNX2 and Osteopontin 21 days after hydrogels culture (Chapter VII). Based on a strategy of blue shark by-products valorization, highly promising tissue engineering approaches were developed envisioning the regeneration of bone and cartilage.
O aumento da esperança média de vida e, consequentemente, das doenças do sistema músculoesquelético relacionadas com o envelhecimento, forçam a necessidade do desenvolvimento urgente de novas estratégias terapêuticas. Soluções baseadas em colagénio têm sido amplamente aplicadas; no entanto, as principais fontes de obtenção de colagénio, bovinas e porcinas, não são suficientes para suprir as necessidades. Por um lado, estas soluções entram em conflito com certas crenças religiosas, por outro lado, o seu uso tem sido limitado pelo risco de transmissão de doenças a humanos, como a encefalopatia bovina espongiforme. Para além disso, enfrentamos o problema da sobre-exploração de animais terrestes, que ainda assim não seria suficiente para acompanhar a crescente procura por colagénio (Capítulo I). Nesta perspetiva, o trabalho desenvolvido no âmbito desta tese foca-se no uso de subprodutos marinhos, particularmente pele de tubarão azul (Prionace glauca), como uma fonte promissora de colagénio para a produção de biomateriais compósitos, ambientalmente sustentáveis e versáteis para a aplicação na engenharia de tecidos duros. O potencial do colagénio foi testado, após processamento, em estruturas 3D preparadas pela técnica de liofilização. As estruturas mostraram-se adequadas para cultura com a linha celular Saos-2 (Capítulo III). In vivo, o potencial destas estruturas foi avaliado, 12 semanas após implantação em defeitos ósseos críticos criados em coelhos. Os resultados não mostraram diferenças significativas em comparação com estruturas de colagénio de origem bovina (Capítulo IV). No Capítulo V, a técnica de liofilização foi aplicada para produzir estruturas de colagénio e estruturas de colagénio:ácido hialurónico para estudar o potencial condrogénico de células estaminais do tecido adiposo humano, com e sem estimulação exógena. As estruturas de colagénio desencadearam a condrogénese no seu estágio inicial, enquanto o ácido hialurónico suportou o fenótipo de condrócitos num estágio posterior. Atendendo à nano-organização estrutural de tecidos mineralizados, foi explorada, nos Capítulos VI e VII, a mineralização in situ do colagénio para preparação de pastas para impressão. Fibroblastos incorporados na pasta revelaram uma maior sobrevivência, durante e após impressão, com o aumento da quantidade de colagénio. O potencial osteogénico da pasta, sem qualquer estímulo exógeno, foi confirmado através da imunodeteção da RUNX2 e Osteopontina 21 após cultura de células estaminais do tecido adiposo dos hidrogéis. A valorização de subprodutos de tubarão resultou em abordagens terapêuticas altamente promissoras para aplicação em Engenharia de Tecido.
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Funding that allowed me to perform all this work, Norte 2020, for financing my PhD scholarship “NORTE-08-5369-FSE-000044’’.