Oceans Research and Conservation in South Africa

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This week kept our students on their toes—with one of those rare days where everything just lined up 🎣🌊 From teleosts and baitfish to our endemic pajama and leopard catsharks 🦈, the catches just kept coming.

There’s a reason the phrase goes “it’s called fishing, not catching.” Most days aren’t this generous. Conditions change, species move, and effort doesn’t always equal reward. That unpredictability is part of working in the ocean—it builds patience, sharpens observation, and reminds you that you’re dealing with a constantly changing system 🌊

Days like this are a reminder of what’s out there… and why we keep going back 💙

oceansresearch

This week, our students had the rare opportunity to take part in one of the most valuable sessions we offer — our marine mammal stranding practical 🐋

Because real stranding events are unpredictable and sensitive, this isn’t a practical we run often. To make sure students can still gain hands-on experience without risking harm, we use full-size inflatable training dummies to simulate real marine mammals. This allows them to practise handling techniques, positioning, and team coordination in a controlled environment.

Students were taken through the full response process used in the field — from initial assessment (body condition, responsiveness, visible injuries, and environmental factors like tide and terrain) to decision-making around rehabilitation versus euthanasia. A key focus is understanding that not every animal can be released, and that ethical, well-informed decisions are part of responsible marine conservation.

On the practical side, they learned how to prepare for a stranding response, assign roles within a team, and handle animals correctly — supporting the body, protecting sensitive areas like the blowhole, and minimising additional stress during movement. Using the dummies, they practised lifting techniques, stretcher use, and safe loading procedures, which are essential when dealing with large animals in real scenarios.

We also walk them through what a successful release would involve, ensuring they understand the steps needed to give an animal the best possible chance once back in the water 🌊

It’s not something we get to run often, but it’s an important session that gives students real insight into how stranding responses are carried out in the field.

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Not all learning happens in the ocean 🌊

Our students spent time at Hartenbos Animal Hospital learning what really goes into responding to marine animal strandings — from turtles to seals.

They got hands-on with how to properly handle a turtle (something most of them had never done before), learned about common injuries, and why handling technique actually matters.

The seal session stuck with a lot of them — real stories, real cases, and a proper look at things like rabies, how to spot it, and how to keep yourself safe. Not the “cute seal” version people expect.

They even got to practice handling using models — which sounds simple, but it’s the kind of thing you want to get right before it’s a real animal.

Probably one of the biggest takeaways: this work looks very different depending on where you are in the world — and being prepared matters.

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🦈🌙 Night shifts look a little different out here…

Our students headed out for some night shore fishing — and landed a really special catch: a lesser guitarfish (Rhinobatos annulatus).

This species is part of the elasmobranch group (along with sharks and rays) and is commonly found along sandy coastal habitats in southern Africa. Despite their shark-like bodies, guitarfish are actually rays — adapted for life on the seafloor where they feed on small invertebrates and fish.
So why do we catch them?

As part of our ongoing research, we collect small fin clips from selected individuals. These samples are used for genetic analyses, helping us:

• Understand population structure
• Assess connectivity between regions
• Support conservation and management decisions

All individuals are handled with care and released after sampling.

#MarineResearch #Elasmobranchs #Fieldwork #ConservationScience #SouthAfrica

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🦈 Tagged. Tracked. Then… silence.

Meet James — a white shark tagged on 6 March 2025.
• Transmissions stopped on 10 November 2025
• Then, almost exactly one year later, a new satellite position was recorded — in the same region where it was originally tagged

📍 East London (30 March 2026)
📍 Moving south past Port Alfred (31 March)
📍 Reaching Jeffreys Bay (3–6 April)

These are the most recent recorded positions.
On the map:

🟢 Green = early 2025 (March–July: Eastern Cape inshore to Western Cape offshore)
🟡 Yellow = late 2025 (Aug–Dec: KZN up to Richards Bay)
🔴 Red = latest 2026 positions

Now look at where those final red positions occur — in the same area where a demersal shark longliner is operating.

We are not claiming cause.

But spatial overlap like this cannot be ignored.
This is not just about one individual.

It highlights overlap between white shark movement and active fishing effort.

Even more concerning?

Other tagged individuals — including our largest female — are showing reduced movement ranges.

This is where the conversation needs to shift:
Not just what we can’t control —
but what we can.

🔗 Track our sharks here:

https://www.oceans-research.com/projects/marine/

#SharkConservation #MarineScience #Telemetry #WhiteShark #OceanResearch

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At the Oceans Research Institute, we develop practical skills in responsible fishing techniques used for research 🎣🌊

This includes learning how to correctly tie hooks and sinkers, and how to prepare and deploy bait effectively.

A strong emphasis is placed on ethical handling practices. We modify hooks by flattening the barbs to reduce injury and facilitate safer release 🐟 We also prioritise the use of circle hooks over traditional J-hooks, as they are more likely to hook fish in the mouth rather than being swallowed, significantly reducing internal injury and post-release mortality.

These techniques are essential for conducting fish biodiversity assessments while minimising harm and ensuring the integrity of the data collected 📊✨

#MarineResearch #CatchAndRelease #OceanConservation #EthicalFishing