Baseline data collection on Whale Sharks by photo-identification, Whale Shark sex & size and collection of plankton samples to determine Whale Shark prey items.

This study used Stable Isotope analysis to investigate the foraging behaviour of sharks through the analysis of δ 13C and δ 15N values in the dermis. Field trips occured during May 2013 and May 2014 to Ningaloo Reef for the collection of biopsies from 50 Whale Sharks. Biopsies were taken by snorklers using a hand spear fitted with a biopsy probe tip. Samples of zooplankton, stomatopod and decapod larvae were collected in both 2013 and 2014, and other nekton were collected only in 2014. Zooplankton samples were collected by horizontal or oblique tows using 200 and 300 µm mesh nets for 10 min at a speed of ∼2 knots from a boat. Other nekton were collected using light traps deployed on the surface at night. All datasets generated for this study are included in the manuscript and/or the Supplementary Files.

During May 2007 and May and Nov 2008 a total of 305 individuals from 46 fish species were collected with line or spear under the approval of the Department of Environment and Conservation (permit numbers SF006335, CE001989 and SW012041). Reef-based fishes were collected from one of seven sites that traverse the reef, from reef slope to lagoon (thumbnail), while pelagic species were caught by trolling along the reef slope in the vicinity of stations 6 and 7. Paired tissue and gut samples were taken to determine stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen and fatty acid analysis

To determine Whale Shark numbers at Ningaloo Marine Park by working with whale shark industry videographers to collect footage - part of the Whale Shark Management Program.

Migration Patterns of Whale Sharks; A summary of 15 satellite tag tracks from 2005 to 2008. Each year from March to May, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), aggregate on the continental shelf of the central Western Australian coast. At Ningaloo Reef, whale sharks are often found swimming close to the reef front, within a few kilometres of the shore and in water of less than 50 m deep. A tourist industry based on snorkelling with the sharks in this area has developed over the last 10 years and is now worth over $20 m annually to the local economy of the Ningaloo region. The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) has a long-term research project that examines the ecology of whale sharks. A central aim of this project is to determine regional long-term movement patterns of whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef. This is achieved by tracking sharks with a variety of tags, principally Wildlife Computers SPLASH tags Benthos Point intercept data extraction from high resolution still images @ 10m spacing was entered into the AIMS TowedStills system prior to subsequent specialist statistical analyses.

During May 2007 and May and Nov 2008 a total of 305 individuals from 46 fish species were collected with line or spear under the approval of the Department of Environment and Conservation (permit numbers SF006335, CE001989 and SW012041). Reef-based fishes were collected from one of seven sites that traverse the reef, from reef slope to lagoon (thumbnail), while pelagic species were caught by trolling along the reef slope in the vicinity of stations 6 and 7. Paired tissue and gut samples were taken to determine stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen and fatty acid analysis

Large vessel surveys were conducted during the summers of 2012 and 2014 in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico north of the Dry Tortugas. Data were collected on the abundance and spatial distribution of sperm whales and other marine mammals in this region. Satellite telemetry tags were deployed on sperm whales occupying these waters to examine residency and movement patterns. This aggregation of sperm whales may be distinct from those occupying the rest of the northern Gulf of Mexico and are associated with unique physical oceanographic features in this area. These data were used to evaluate the residency and habitat use patterns of this aggregation of sperm whales.

Fish and shark assemblage data are being obtained from the analysis of Stereo-BRUV footage captured in October 2014. Data is comprised of raw camera output stream files (.MTS) for 105 Stereo-BRUV drops in shallow water (~10m)in the northern region of the Ningaloo Marine Park, Western Australia. Files are less than 1.9GB and total approximately 1.5TB. Videos are structured within Stereo-BRUV drops (identified with an OpCode i.e. NCB1-NCB272) with a left and right camera folder within each drop. Videos are lodged with the iVEC Data Store - https://data.ivec.org The Pilbara Marine Conservation Partnership (PMCP) was an initiative designed to enhance the net conservation benefits of the globally-significant coral reef ecosystems of the Pilbara (Western Australia) by providing an assessment of the condition and trajectory of key ecological values. These assessments were designed to inform and complement existing governance and management arrangements and the PMCP is intended to provide ongoing advice and assessment for conservation efforts in the region, providing lasting benefits. The PMCP concept is based on three core ecological components, namely: Coral Reef Health - concentrating mainly on habitat forming primary producers. Fish and Sharks - their community structure, interactions and impacts on lower trophic levels. Environmental Pressures - physical and anthropogenic factors that influence the condition of reefs and associated biota.

Whale Shark research, including collection of ID photos, stereo video for size measurements, biopsies for tissue sampling, and deployment of short term video tags. A number of whale sharks were surveyed during the small boat phase of the field work. Paired ID photos taken for 72 of these animals, tissue samples collected for genetic and isotope analysis from 26 individuals, and stereo-video footage to obtain accurate measurements were obtained from 63 animals. Accelerometer tags were deployed on three whale sharks, as well as four camera tags (accelerometer combined with cameras) on whale sharks to track short term movement and behaviour over 24 to 48 hour periods. Sonar tags were deployed to record the prey field of the whale sharks, with 4 successful deployments during the study period. By concurrently recording the prey field and shark movements the response of whale sharks relative to prey density can be recorded for the first time.