Objective:
- to enhance human resource development in elasmobranch taxonomy,
- to improve landing data recording from generic ‘sharks’ and ‘rays’ to species level,
- to increase awareness on conservation, and
- to use data for Non-Detriment Findings (NDFs) study for sharks and rays
This project was sponsored by Training Department SEAFDEC (SEAFDEC TD) from October 2018-September 2019 under project ‘Research for Enhancement of Sustainable Utilization and Management of Sharks and Rays in the Southeast Asian Region’. SEAFDEC TD had agreed to fund a one-year activity for ‘Data Collection on Sharks and Rays by Species in Tawau, Sabah’ with budget amounted to US$3,000. Apart from that, the Department of Fisheries Sabah provided two officers as enumerators. MFRDMD researchers were appointed as technical advisors for this project especially on research methodology, verification of data, and preparation of the report.
The project aimed to enhance human resource development in elasmobranch taxonomy, to improve landing data recording from generic ‘sharks’ and ‘rays’ to species level, to increase awareness on conservation, and to use data for Non-Detriment Findings (NDFs) study for sharks and rays in Sabah in future.
Recording of landings data was conducted at two landing sites namely Tawau Fish Market and Batu 4 Jetty in districts of Tawau. Two staff from the Department of Fisheries Sabah trained in shark taxonomy were involved in the endeavor, collecting data at least 12 days per month.
Project Leader : Hamizah Nadia binti Alias @ Yusof (hamizah[at]seafdec.org.my) &
Rosdi bin Mohd Nor (rosdi[at]seafdec.org.my)