Palm Beach Dive Thread

[Pavao]

Yeah, that pie chart definitely represents accurately the diversity seen in specific dive sites and times of the year, but most definitely not the diversity in the area. Of 450 sightings 80% being Lemons/Bulls/Sandtiger (~160/160/45), while about less than 5% being Caribbean Reefs (~20)?

There’s not enough information on the post to know the chart is intended to represent the area as a whole, although I almost certainly think it is, and I’m also definitely not criticizing anyone or the study, I certainly support any effort towards understanding and conservation of sharks not just in our area, but anywhere.

It’s just a little detail I think many of us familiar with the diving in the area would immediately recognize.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

@NothingClever - Unfortunately I was not at this presentation. Can you provide some context of what the presenter was saying with regards to the image below, i.e. where the dives took place, at what time of year, were these feeding dives, over what length of time were the dives, are they subset of other dives where no sharks were observed, etc?


Adding Since First Posted: I went to the American Shark Conservancy website and found the data sheet for partners, Shark Data Sheet

So I am guessing the pie chart came from the data sheets that have been submitted? Would still like to hear what the presenter had to say.

I asked Hannah for clarification on where those data come from. That's older data presented to the American Elasmobranch Society a few years back and collected by Hannah and ASC staff volunteers, not sourced from the community. It was also taken primarily on shark-specific (read: baited) trips and if I had to guess probably a lot of them were snorkel trips on or past the Jupiter Deep Ledge - hence the low numbers of Caribbean reef sharks (which do show up out there occasionally) and high numbers of bulls along with sandbars and silkys. Lemons I presume would be primarily from Lemon Drop and Wreck Trek areas, although sometimes they are on the Deep Ledge (tiger and great hammerhead sharks are usually from the Wreck Trek area, but sometimes the ledge and Lemon Drop).