Saving Kenya’s ocean ‘rhino’
The halavi guitarfish belongs to one of the ocean’s most vulnerable groups of fishes, the shark-like rays in the family Rhinobatidae (dubbed the ‘rhino rays’). Little is known about this particular ray and it merits attention on the relatively poorly studied Kenyan coast. Nina and Andrew, co-leaders on the project, are looking into the life history of the halavi guitarfish, acquiring information to help better manage a Critically Endangered species that is targeted for its meat and fins, locally and internationally.
Andrew Temple
Growing up in a relatively inland area of the United Kingdom, I didn’t spend much time near the sea, yet I have always had a fascination for the animals living within it. Perhaps the many hours (arguably too many) that, as a child, I spent in front of the television glued to the Discovery Channel and National Geographic fuelled my interest, or the numerous visits to aquariums and zoos. Whatever the cause, it has driven me to pursue my fascination for the marine environment, undertaking a BSc, MPhil (Master’s by pure research) and PhD at Newcastle University, where I currently...
Nina Wambiji
Although I spent many of my early years around Egerton University in Kenya, where the only expanse of water was the university’s pool, I enjoyed school holidays on Kenya’s coast. Exposure to the ocean piqued my interest in the aquatic environment and marine research, even though I come from farming stock. I pursued my Master’s degree in India with a focus on fish dynamics in a lake ecosystem. My PhD at the University of Ryukyus, Japan, later took me back to the ocean, where I examined the molecular aspects of rabbitfishes. I clearly remember one eye-opening field trip to Kizimkazi,...
Fishing for rhinos: trends in the distribution and abundance of endangered Rhinopristiformes across the Middle East and East African region through stakeholder engagement
This project aims to facilitate the sustainable exploitation of Rhinopristiformes throughout the Middle East and Eastern Africa region, which includes the range of G. halavi, through the provision of spatial distribution estimates via fisheries-dependent and independent data derived from key-informant interviews.
The shark-like batoids (Order: Rhinopristiformes) are among the most threatened fish, with 71% facing near-term extinction (IUCN 2022). Fisheries are the greatest threat to these species, but conservation efforts are hindered by a lack of biogeographic and life-history data. This is especially true in the understudied regions that tend to coincide with unmanaged fisheries (Jabado 2018). These taxa provide an important source of income and sustenance for impoverished coastal communities (Barrowclift et al. 2017, Temple et al. In Submission), so eliminating exploitation is unlikely to work and could be considered unethical in some areas. Instead, quantifying and enforcing sustainable catch limits should be the shared goal of both conservationists and fisheries stakeholders. This project will address fundamental data gaps on the distribution of Rhinopristiformes from the Middle East and Eastern Africa region, including the North-western Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and, if possible, the Arabian Gulf, to inform future research and management efforts for these species across the region.
Initial efforts were made by the research team to document the catch and life-history of Glaucostegus halavi in Kenyan fisheries. Northern Kenya was initially believed to be one of the few remaining refuges for this species. Despite ongoing monitoring of known landing sites (Temple et al. 2019), there have been no reported catches since the project began. However, live sightings by recreational divers have been reported in Kenya. Meanwhile, there have been new reports of two possible nursery ground discoveries in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea, providing some hope for the future of this species (Hardenstine et al. pers. comm.). Despite the immediate conservation concern and historical exploitation of Rhinopristiformes throughout the Middle East and Eastern Africa region (Jabado et al. 2018; Temple et al. 2018), there has been almost no targeted study of this taxon’s distribution in the Middle East and Eastern African waters. We therefore propose to alter the focus of this project to instead undertake a regional study of the current and historical distribution of the Rhinopristiformes Order.
This project aims to facilitate the sustainable exploitation of Rhinopristiformes throughout the Middle East and Eastern Africa region, which includes the range of G. halavi, through the provision of spatial distribution estimates via fisheries-dependent and independent data derived from key-informant interviews:
1) Describe the current and historic spatial distribution of Rhinopristiformes across the Middle East and Eastern African region via key-informant interviews with diving and sport fishing operations (online), and local fishers (in-person).
2) Understand historic trends in the occurrence of species across the Middle East and Eastern African region.
3) Identify potential occurrence hotspots for Rhinopristiformes and any associated seasonality.
4) Communicate the outputs to relevant researchers and managers, including the Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) team.