PSAT Meta Data Analysis Project Geoff Arnold, Rich Brill, Michael Domeier, Molly Lutcavage, Michael, Musyl, Yonat Swimmer, Steve Wilson & Lianne M c Naughton
This study is designed to look at variables explaining: Failure rates (percent reporting) Percentage of retrieved depth, temperature, and geolocation data Retention rates Longevity of attachment Comparisons to be made using data from > 1000 PSATs deployments worldwide
Variables in the PSAT Performance Evaluation Study: Tag Birthday Tag Serial Number Programmed Pop-off date Date Deployed Age of Tag at Deployment Species Tagged Sex Days-at-liberty % Temperature % Depth % Geolocation ARGOS latitude ARGOS longitude RD1500 Swivel Tether material Tag Head Attachment methods Manufacturer
It is anticipated that: Patterns/commonalties will emerge with respect to: attachment methodologies, target species, experimental design. Conclusions will allow an unprecedented and critical appraisal of the overall efficacy of PSAT technology.
Tag Failure Modes Battery failure passivation over time (temperature dependent)? Rupture of pressure housings/seals, contraction/expansion, etc. (extensive vertical movements = low reporting rates of PSATs swordfish & bigeye thresher sharks)? Sharks predation/nuptial bites (sharks attracted to the EMF of PSATs, very few tagged males report back)? Damage to antennae by predation or fouling organisms? Malfunction other than battery -Fusible link and/or RD1500?
177 PSATs Applied to 14 Different Species by Hawaii-based Research Group Bigeye thresher (8) Bigeye Tuna (5) Black Marlin (1) Blue Marlin (37) Blue Shark (32) Green Turtle (1) Loggerhead turtle (18) Olive ridley turtle (15) Short-fin Mako shark (4) Silky Shark (6) Striped Marlin (2) Swordfish (30) Oceanic White-tip shark (13) Yellowfin Tuna (5)
Vertical niche partitioning: DAYTIME
Vertical niche partitioning: NIGHTTIME
Of 177 PSATs attached to sharks, billfish, tunas and turtles, 59% reported data. 41% Non-reporting is not synonymous with mortality.
Sharks (n = 55) Species Blue Shark (Prionace glauca ) Bigeye Thresher Shark (Alopias superciliosus) Silky Shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) Oceanic White-Tip (Carcharhinus longimanus) Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) No.Tagged * No. Waiting 7 *1 4 *2 8 *5 No. Reporting 2 6 4 1 Total Days at Liberty 32 16 1854 480 4 1087 694 Mean (range) 116 (1-247) 240 (240) 271 (31-197) 115 (10-215) % PSATs Reporting Male Female 50% 21% 72% 29% na na 100% 100% 100% 75% 67% 80% 155 155 25% 100% 0% 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Blue Thresher Silky White-tip Mako
Billfishes (n = 59) Species Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) Black Marlin (Makaira indicus) Striped Marlin (Tetrapturus audax ) No.Tagged * No. Waiting 28 *2 36 *1 1 1 64 1 *1 No. Reporting Total Days at Liberty 9 496 28 2140 Mean (range) 55 (1-187) 76 (1-245) % PSATs Reporting 32% 78% 64 100% 1 12 12 100% 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Swordfish Blue Black Striped
Tunas (n = 10) Species Bigeye Tuna - PSAT (Thunnus obesus) Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) No.Tagged * No. Waiting 4 *1 3 *2 No. Reporting Total Days at Liberty 2 47 2 56 Mean (range) 24 (9-38) 28 (20-36) % PSATs Reporting 50% 67% 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Bigeye Yellowfin
Sea Turtles (n = 34) Species Green (Chelonia mydas) Olive ridley (Lepidochelys oliveacea ) Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) No.Tagged * No. Waiting No. Reporting Total Days at Liberty Mean (range) 1 1 26 26 100% 15 12 656 18 *4 10 843 55 (6-115) 94 (34-196) % PSATs Reporting 80% 71% 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Green Olive Ridley Loggerhead
Lowest reporting rates in species with extensive daily vertical movements Depth (m) 0 100 200 300 400 500 Bigeye Thresher Shark - 29% 9/4 9/5 9/6 9/7 9/8 9/9 0 200 400 600 800 1000 Swordfish -32% 5/4 5/9 5/14 5/19 0 100 200 300 Bigeye tuna - 52% 400 500 Shortfin Mako - 25% 4/9 4/10 4/11 4/12 4/13 4/14
Pop-off Period versus Days-at-liberty 300 250 y = 0.0804x + 32.282 R 2 = 0.011 200 Days-at-liberty 150 100 50 0 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 Programmed Pop-off period (days)
% Days-at-liberty Pop-off Period versus % Days-at-liberty Programmed Pop-off period (days)
35 PSAT Age versus Reporting Rate 30 Reporting Non-Reporting Number of PSATs 25 20 15 10 5 0 60 120 180 240 300 365 >365 Age of PSAT at deployment
Average Percentage of Data recovered by PSATs Temperature Depth Geolocation 0.49 ± 0.38 (SD) 0.48 ± 0.37 (SD) 0.54 ± 0.35 (SD)
% Data Recovered PSAT Age versus % Data Recovered Age of PSAT at Deployment % Temperature % Depth % Geolocation
Tag Attachment Methods No Swivel Swivel % Days-at-liberty
Conclusions PSAT reporting rates/data are influenced by: Species vertical movement patterns Sex (sharks) Tag age Retention rates may be improved by modifications to tether and arrowhead
Future activities: * Adding PSAT performance data from Geoff Arnold, Michael Domeier, Molly Lutcavage, and Steve Wilson. * Statistical analysis (Bayesian framework) including information on battery and pressure cylinders failure rates. * Posting of data on PFRP website to encourage improved data collection, submissions, and experimental design (i.e., proper selection of candidate species, attachment methodologies, etc.).
Mahalo s To: John Sibert Michael Laurs Scientists, Crew and Officers of the NOAA RV Townsend Cromwell and the Elton Oscar Sette JIMAR PIFSC/NOAA