Cayman Islands National Biodiversity Action Plan 2009 3.M.2.

2 Marine Species - Fish Southern Stingrays

Rev: 19 March 2012

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Southern Stingrays Dasyatis americana Taxonomy and Range Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Chondrichthyes, Order: Dasyatidae, Family: Dasyatidae The Southern stingray is found in shallow subtropical and tropical waters in the Western Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. Status Distribution: In the Cayman Islands, Southern Stingrays are found in lagoons and around the coral reefs. Free-ranging adult Southern Stingrays are also hand-fed by tourists and tour boat operators at two sites; Stingray City and the Sandbar, Grand Cayman. These sites constitute two of the most important tourism attractions in the Cayman Islands. Conservation: The Southern stingray is listed as Data Deficient (IUCN Red List 2008) based on inadequate information to assess extinction risk. At the Sandbar site, the stingray population size has been estimated at 160 individuals. The population size in the wild is unknown (Corcoran 2006). Legal: Under the Cayman Islands Marine Conservation Law, Southern Stingrays are protected within designated Wildlife Interaction Zones WIZs (surrounding Stingray City and Sandbar). Outside of these zones, the species has no legal protection in the Cayman Islands.
For Reference and Acknowledgement: Cottam, M., Olynik, J., Blumenthal, J., Godbeer, K.D., Gibb, J., Bothwell, J., Burton, F.J., Bradley, P.E., Band, A., Austin, T., Bush, P., Johnson, B.J., Hurlston, L., Bishop, L., McCoy, C., Parsons, G., Kirkconnell, J., Halford, S. and Ebanks-Petrie, G. (2009). Cayman Islands National Biodiversity Action Plan 2009. Cayman Islands Government. Department of Environment. Final Formatting and production by John Binns, International Reptile Conservation Foundation.

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Natural History Southern Stingrays are promiscuous and ovoviviparous: females give birth to 2-10 live pups each year. Males reach maturity at 51 cm and females at 7580 cm disc width (maximum recorded size 150 cm disc width). Southern Stingrays bury themselves in sand to hide from predators and prey, and use a serrated venom-filled spine at the base of the tail for defence. Sharks are their primarily predators. In the wild, Southern Stingrays are generally solitary and nocturnal, feeding on infaunal invertebrates and fish. However, at the Stingray City sites, they have adapted to the diurnal hand-feeding regime - feeding at the waters surface, and living in dense aggregations (Corcoran 2006). Associated Habitats and Species for Southern Stingrays ASSOCIATED HABITAT PLANS 2.M.2 Coral Reefs 2.M.3 Lagoons Current Factors Affecting Southern Stingrays Incidental catch: in the wild, threats to Southern Stingrays include occasional incidental capture and injury from fishhooks. Increased incidence of injuries from boats and predators: survey indicates that 85% of stingrays at the Sandbar site are injured in some way. The majority of injuries at the Sandbar were caused by boats: propellers, anchor chains, and anchors. An increased incidence of injuries from predators was also detected in comparison with wild counterparts. Grouping may attract an increased number of predators to the Sandbar site, and rays at the site may have decreased vigilance when competing for food. Injuries may also reduce the rays ability to detect, defend against, or escape predators (Semeniuk and Rothley 2008a). Increased parasite loads and potential for disease: incidence of parasites is increased in Sandbar individuals relative to those occupying wild sites. Parasites are more easily transmitted when animals live in groups. Conspecific injuries (from increased competition): all rays surveyed at the Sandbar show conspecific bite marks (injuries caused by other stingrays). Competition for food appears to increase aggression. Open wounds can result in infection. Aggressive and competitive behaviour may also result in the use of resources which might otherwise be devoted to growth or reproduction (Semeniuk and Rothley 2008a). Unnatural diet: stingrays at the Sandbar exhibited fatty-acid (FA) profiles which were significantly different from FA profiles of wild rays, and similar to the FA profiles of North Atlantic and North Pacific squid (Ilex and Loligo spp.) - the unnatural diet item primarily fed to the rays. As a result, the FA profiles of fed rays are characteristic of coldwater species, raising concerns regarding effects of unnatural diet on growth, immune health, resistance to parasites and disease, growth, reproduction, and survival (Semeniuk et al. 2007). Reduced body condition and suboptimal health: decreased body condition of stingrays at the Sandbar is likely due to the longterm detrimental impacts of feeding (Semeniuk and Rothley 2008a). Furthermore, indicators of health and immune response, such as levels of hematocrit (packed red blood cell volume) and leukocrit (packed white blood cell volume), proportions of leukocytes, concentrations of serum protein, and measures of oxidative stress, suggest that the long-term health and survival of fed rays may be affected (Semeniuk et al. submitted). Carrying capacity: feeding at the Stingray City and Sandbar sites may have caused stingray numbers to increase beyond the carrying capacity of North Sound. If this occurs, rays may become a threat to conch and other invertebrate populations, if feeding is discontinued or is interrupted. Opportunities and Current Local Action for Southern Stingrays The Guy Harvey Research Institute has been conducting research on stingrays in the Cayman Islands since 2002, and further research efforts have recently been carried out by Dr. Christina Semeniuk and others at Simon Fraser University. In response to preliminary results, and concerns expressed by water sports operators, the Cayman Islands Marine Conservation Board, the Cayman Islands Tourism Board, the Department of Environment, and local residents, in 2007 the Cayman Islands Government amended the Marine Conservation Law to designate areas surrounding Stingray City and Sandbar as Wildlife Interaction Zones WIZs. Tourist Section: 3.M.2.2 Marine Species - Fish - Southern Stingray Page: 2 ASSOCIATED SPECIES PLANS Nassau Grouper Epinephelus striatus Invasive Red Lionfish Pterois volitans

boats must be licensed in order to enter WIZs, and the number of boats and passengers permitted in the zones at any one time is regulated under licensing conditions. Additionally, within these zones, stingrays may not be taken, and efforts have been made to regulate diet by prohibiting feeding any food not approved by the Marine Conservation Board, and regulating feed quantities. Regulations have also been made to prevent anthropogenic injuries, by prohibiting visitors from lifting rays from the water, wearing footwear, or anchoring in waters less than three feet deep. Future management efforts can be guided by a recently completed system dynamics model (Semeniuk et al. 2008b), which was completed with the goal of determining the most effective management plan for the Stingray City sites in terms of tourist numbers, stingray population size and stingray life expectancy. The model suggests that a management plan which controls boat congestion, restricts holding of stingrays (in the water) to tour operators, and reduces feeding, as well as improves the quality of food, will have a positive effect on tourist experience and stingray health in comparison to alternative management plans. SPECIES ACTION PLAN for Southern Stingrays OBJECTIVES 1. Ensure the long-term stability of the Stingray City and Sandbar sites. 2. Ensure the long-term stability of wild stingray populations. 3. Manage impacts of Stingray City and Sandbar sites on the natural environment of North Sound, and educate the public and tour operators towards minimising impact. TARGET ongoing ongoing ongoing

Southern Stingrays PROPOSED ACTION Policy & Legislation PL1. Pass and implement the National Conservation Law and WIZ regulations. PL2. Consider instituting legal protection of wild stingrays. SM1. Ensure enforcement of and compliance with WIZ legislation. SM2. Reduce feeding and improve quality of food at Stingray City and Sandbar. SM3. Restrict holding of stingrays in the water to tour operators. SM4. Consider safety devises on boat propellers such as cages and guards. SM5. Prevent establishment of additional feeding sites. SM6. Develop a hurricane recovery plan for Stingray City and Sandbar specifically site maintenance and avoidance of detriment to North Sound invertebrate populations. SM7. Implement associated HAPs. Advisory A1. Advise in the training of water sports operators and development of educational materials for tourists. RM1. Continue monitoring of population size and conducting of research on diet and health of fed rays, including physiological and immunological impacts and inbreeding potential. RM2. Monitor physiological and immunological indicators - particularly oxidative stress, since this represents a combined diet-adequacy and immunesystem indicator. RM3. Monitor wild stingray populations to determine if legal protection is needed.

LEAD

PARTNERS

TARGET

MEETS OBJECTIVE

CIG DoE DoE DoE DoE DoE DoE CITA DoE

DoE MCB MP CITA MP CITA MP CITA MP CITA CIG DoE

2009 2010 ongoing ongoing ongoing 2010 ongoing 2010 2015

1,2,3 2 1 1 1 1,2,3 2,3 1,3 1,2,3

Safeguards & Management

DoE

CITA

ongoing

1,3

Research & Monitoring IntC DoE 2012 1

IntC DoE IntC DoE

2012 2012

1 2

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Southern Stingrays PROPOSED ACTION RM4. Identify and protect stingray nursery areas. CP1. Communicate risks to stingrays from improper handling, crowding, and other conditions. CP2. Educate the public on research conducted to date, threats to stingrays, and the benefits of new management initiatives (WIZ legislation). References and Further reading for Southern Stingrays

LEAD IntC DoE Communication & Publicity DoE DoE

PARTNERS

TARGET 2012

MEETS OBJECTIVE 1,2

CITA CITA

2009 2009

1,3 1,3

Corcoran (2006). The influence of supplemental feeding on the movement patterns of the southern stingray, Dasyatis Americana, at Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. Masters thesis, Nova Southeastern University. Guy Harvey Research Institute: http://www.nova.edu/ocean/ghri/ Semeniuk, C.A.D., Bourgeon, S., Smith, S.S. and Rothley, K. Hematological differences between stingrays at tourist and non-visited sites suggest physiological costs of wildlife tourism. Biological Conservation. (in press) Semeniuk, C.A.D., Haider, W., Beardmore, B. and Rothley, K.D. (2008b). A multi-attribute trade-off approach for advancing the management of marine wildlife tourism: a quantitative assessment of heterogeneous visitor preferences. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. (published online) Semeniuk, C.A.D., Speers-Roesch, B. and Rothley, K.D. (2007). Using fatty-acid profile analysis as an ecologic indicator in the management of tourism impacts on marine wildlife: a case of stingray-feeding in the Caribbean. Environmental Management, 40(4):665-677. Semeniuk C.A.D. and Rothley, K.D. (2008a). Costs of group-living for a normally solitary forager: effects of provisioning tourism on Southern Stingrays Dasyatis Americana. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 357:271-282.

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