MATOS - Mid-Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System

Project Title: Rhode Island Division of Marine Fisheries Movement Ecology of Recreationally-Significant Coastal Sharks in Southern New England

MATOS Project Code: RICSS

Data Type: Tracker

Project Duration: January 2020 - December 2025

Project Description: Coastal pelagic sharks are keystone species in regulating lower tropic levels, serving an important service in marine ecosystems. As top predators and larger fish, these species have also been long sought after by recreational fishers throughout the eastern United States, including Rhode Island. These and other species have supported pastimes of recreational fishing amongst avid anglers for leisure, as well as support party and charter businesses and shark diving tours during certain times of the year. This work aims to improve our understanding of these species movement and occupancy within certain areas of Southern New England, including Rhode Island state waters.

Objectives:

Improve scientific understanding of coastal shark ecology in Southern New England
Where applicable, use movement data to inform public safety measures

Principal Investigator:	Conor McManus (RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries)
Email:	conor.mcmanus@dem.ri.gov

Point of Contact:	Conor McManus
Email:	conor.mcmanus@dem.ri.gov

Collaborators:

Jon Dodd (ASI)
Pat Brown (RI DEM DMF)

Participating Organizations:

RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries
Atlantic Shark Institute

External URL: http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/marine-fisheries/

RIDEM DMF Coastal Shark Tagging Study