Ma’O Cycling: Acoustic Monitoring of Sharks Around an Offshore Fishery Disposal Site
Project Leader
Ma’O Cycling investigates how tiger and silky sharks respond to human-derived food sources at an offshore fishery disposal site in French Polynesia, tracking their adaptation as waste releases are phased out.
Year
Location
The Research & Technology
Ma’o Cycling is a research and conservation programme led by IREMP in French Polynesia that investigates how large predatory sharks respond to human-derived food sources in the marine environment. The project focuses on an offshore fishery by-product disposal site off the coast of Tahiti, where waste from the local pelagic fishery has historically been released at sea. Using passive acoustic telemetry, biodiversity surveys, and long-term ecological monitoring, the team tracks the movements and habitat use of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) and silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis) to better understand how these animals interact with this artificial food source. To date, around 50 sharks have been acoustically tagged and monitored.
PROJECT LEADER
Clémentine Séguigne, PhD
Clémentine Séguigne, PhD is a marine biologist specialized in shark ecology and conservation, and the founder and director of the IREMP (Institut pour la Recherche sur les Écosystèmes Mésophotiques et Profonds). Her research focuses on the ecology, behavior, and conservation of sharks in the Pacific, with a particular emphasis on French Polynesia’s shark sanctuary, the largest in the world.
As Project Leader, she develops and coordinates multidisciplinary research programs combining field science, acoustic telemetry, advanced diving operations, citizen science, and community engagement to improve the understanding and conservation of marine ecosystems.
Clémentine holds a PhD in Shark Conservation and has authored numerous scientific publications on shark ecology, behavior, and conservation. She is actively involved in international collaborations linking research, education, and marine conservation initiatives throughout the Pacific region.
The Impact & Management
As local authorities consider reducing and ultimately ending these offshore releases, Ma’o Cycling provides a unique opportunity to study how sharks adapt to changing food availability under real management conditions. The project generates scientific data to support evidence-based decision-making on shark conservation, fishery waste management, and coastal risk mitigation. By combining cutting-edge research, collaboration with local institutions, and engagement with maritime stakeholders, Ma’o Cycling contributes to a better understanding of shark ecology while helping build sustainable coexistence between people and marine predators in French Polynesia.
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