The Patagonia Azul Project successfully equipped eight specimens of Broadnose Sevengill Shark (Notorynchus cepedianus) with satellite transmitters, in an unprecedented campaign that turns the waters of Chubut into the setting for a key advancement in marine science.
The goal is to understand the migratory routes of this emblematic species of Patagonia, fundamental for the biological balance of coastal ecosystems.
State-of-the-art technology
Ignacio “Nacho” Gutiérrez, the project’s Conservation Coordinator, explained that Mini-PAT pop-up satellite transmitters were placed on eight females. These devices will measure variables over nine months such as:
- Depth.
- Temperature.
- Light intensity.
At the end of the period, the devices automatically detach and transmit all the collected information via satellite, without the need to recapture the animal.
The role of the Sevengill Shark in the ecosystem
Dr. Nelson Bovcon, a researcher at IIDEPyS-GSJ and IIH-FCSyCS-UNPSJB, defined the Sevengill Shark as a “top predator” that regulates the presence of mesopredators. Its absence could create an imbalance capable of altering the stability of the marine system.
A distinctive feature of the species is its cooperative hunting ability: prey with bites of different sizes have been documented, evidence of coordinated attacks by several specimens.
Challenges and expectations
One of the major challenges is the lack of information about their movements in the blue corridor that stretches from southern Brazil to Patagonia. Researchers hope the data will reveal:
- Feeding zones.
- Mating areas.
- Resting sites.
“We believe there may be important conservation sites that are unknown,” Gutiérrez noted, highlighting that the information will serve as a basis for defining more effective management measures or creating new protected areas.
Community participation
In addition to satellite technology, conventional plastic tags were used. If a fisherman captures a tagged specimen and reports it, it provides valuable data on the animal’s growth and site fidelity.
Bovcon compared this process to assembling a “biological puzzle” that allows reconstructing the species’ life history.
A regional project
The initiative in Chubut is part of a larger conservation effort in the Southwestern Atlantic, joining campaigns conducted in Buenos Aires and Uruguay. Looking ahead, the Patagonia Azul team plans to extend studies to other vulnerable species, such as the smoothhound shark, and deepen collaborative work with provincial authorities.
The Patagonia Azul Project marks a scientific and conservation milestone: equipping Sevengill Sharks with satellite transmitters will generate the necessary knowledge to ensure sustainable seas. The health of the sharks is, ultimately, a direct indicator of ocean health, on which the entire community that inhabits it depends.
