Corey Green2, Miss Rebecca Skurrie1, Craig Sherman1, Adam Miller1
1Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Australia, 2Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA), ,
In Australia, the shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchyus, is increasingly being targeted as a recreational fisheries species, however there is currently a lack of information on movement patterns and near shore visitation rates to inform management of this species. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is an emerging technology that can provide a rapid, targeted, and cost-effective tool for detecting the presence of a species and can provide crucial information on the movement and near shore visitation rates of sharks to better inform management. In the study, I tested and validated a qPCR assay designed to be specific to I. oxyrinchyus. My study shows that the assay is highly species specific and did not cross amplify with the other Australian shark species tested. Analyses showed that the assay was highly sensitive and could reliably detect DNA at very low concentrations. A controlled laboratory eDNA decay trial showed that sharks may be detectable within an area up to two days after a visitation. Finally, the assay was shown to reliably amplify field water samples collected from around a shortfin mako shark capture. The results from this study demonstrate that this qPCR assay is highly species specific and sensitive for detecting I. oxyrinchyus in the field and provides a new tool to help current tracking of this species and understanding movement and near shore visitation rates.
Biography:
Enthusiastic lover of marine life! Successfully completed my Bachelor in Zoology/Animal Science. During this degree, I went to Costa Rica for a 4 week placement at the Camaronal Wildlife Refuge to help with the Turtle Restoration project. I then completed my Bachelor of Science (Hons), looking at eDNA and how we can use this new technology for tracking Mako Sharks. I am now completing my PhD, looking at the invasive Asian Shore Crab in Port Phillip Bay.