Thomas Farrugia

Flat sharks (=skates and rays) researcher, marine biologist, fisheries mgmt and economics, PhD candidate at University of Alaska Fairbanks

[David Curnick @DavidCurnick]

Delighted to share our new #SharkScience paper in @ScienceAdvances

Diving into the vertical dimension of elasmobranch movement ecology

Available here: https://t.co/pOsI9VFo7k

A short 🧵on #VerticalSharks
1/5

ps. thanks to Simon @MantaTrust for the infographic

[Sammy Andrzejaczek @DrSammyShark]

NEW COLLABORATIVE PAPER: Our team, co-led by @DavidCurnick, compiled the first global synthesis of vertical habitat use by elasmobranchs.

For more info, check out the infographic and #openaccess article

https://t.co/VEjEhUlDpd

More tidbits in the 🧵below (1/4)

#VerticalSharks

[Thomas Farrugia @flatsharks]

Check out the new Fish of the Week! podcast episode from @USFWSAlaska - it's on big skates :) https://t.co/W1czyGxi6R

[Thomas Farrugia @flatsharks]

New great beach safety info available from @CSULBsharklab! Check it out to stay safe during those hot summer days:
https://t.co/RTQYgtv3ZK

[Shark Advocates @SharkAdvocates]

Happy #FlatSharkFriday! The Thaiger @phuketgazette reports that Thailand 🇹🇭 is adding a number of stingrays & sawfishes to its protected species list. (Reported species might need some clarification, @WillWhitesharks @spottedcatshark). https://t.co/LHZWARj4SP

[Thomas Farrugia @flatsharks]

Going back to my masters roots, attending a talk on shovelnose guitarfish by Oscar Sosa-Nishizaki! Artisanal fishery in Mexico has landed about 800 tons a year #Sharks2018

[Shark Advocates @SharkAdvocates]

#Sharks2018 Winning #FlatSharkFriday slide from Monique van de Water of @WWF Netherlands 🇳🇱 , part of a presentation on reintroduction of Endangered elasmobranchs ⁦@DutchSharkSoc⁩

[Thomas Farrugia @flatsharks]

van de Water: can a captive breeding program for thornback rays help restore the wild populations? The pilot project successfully reared and released dozens in the North Sea, with the aim to do that with hundreds more. Now need to see how they fare in the wild. #Sharks2018

[Shark Advocates @SharkAdvocates]

Big #FlatSharkFriday thanks to all involved in making the launch of the ⁦@IUCNShark⁩ #Sharks2018 panel discussion on #sawfish a success! Learn more and keep in touch through https://t.co/0XmPYDy7YL

[Thomas Farrugia @flatsharks]

@WhySharksMatter @Pselaphacus @walking_sharks Haha, I made sure to get the shirt in the picture, otherwise it was just another shot of a white shark :) loved it, he said it was a company called Danger Zone, I think...

[Thomas Farrugia @flatsharks]

Huveneers: trials of shark deterrence show some decrease in shark interaction with bait with electric surfboard #Sharks2018

[Shark Advocates @SharkAdvocates]

Hey #Sharks2018: Did you catch Olga Koubrak’s insightful talk on inadequacies in Canada’s process for protecting shark species at risk? Now you can follow her on Twitter @OlgaKoubrak #FollowFriday (She also works on Caribbean elasmobranch conservation policy)

[Shark Advocates @SharkAdvocates]

#Sharks2018 ⁦@WhySharksMatter⁩ reveals results of polling conservation ngo reps about shark scientists. Many complain scientists claim their research is relevant to management when it’s really not, and that research is too focused on big, charismatic shark species

[Gail Schwieterman, PhD @GDSchwieterman]

@WhySharksMatter There are two kinds of shark conservation policies: Those that work towards a set target (like a catch limit), and those that seek to eliminate all shark fishing. Scientists are overwhelmingly in favor of the target-based approach #Sharks2018

[Shark Advocates @SharkAdvocates]

#Sharks2018 Thomas ⁦@flatsharks⁩ Farrugia reports on directed skate fishery off Falkland Islands that takes 5-7K t per year. Big #FlatSharkFriday shoutout to @SharkTrustUK for collaboration on id guides! #ElevateTheSkate

[Thomas Farrugia @flatsharks]

Thank you all to those that came to see my talk! For those of you who couldn’t make it, here’s a still of the video of a skate failing to eat a crab! #Sharks2018 #FlatSharkFriday

[Shark Advocates @SharkAdvocates]

#Sharks2018 Thomas ⁦@flatsharks⁩ Farrugia on #FlatSharkFriday: Falkland Island observers have recorded data from 3000+ skates, mostly from 3 genera. #ElevateTheSkate

[Shark Advocates @SharkAdvocates]

Kicking off #FlatSharkFriday afternoon at #Sharks2018 with ⁦@flatsharks⁩ talk on Falkland Islands elasmobranch biodiversity hotspot: 20 skate species of 5 genera #ElevateTheSkate

[Thomas Farrugia @flatsharks]

Looking forward to giving my talk at 13:45 at #Sharks2018! Come learn about the elasmobranch being caught in the toothfish fishery. Spoiler alert: skates make a very prominent appearance :) Fitting since it’s #FlatSharkFriday and we want to #ElevateTheSkate

[Thomas Farrugia @flatsharks]

Alastair Harry: ages from vertebrae seem reliable in early life, but then become uncertain at older ages. Age was underestimated in half of populations, sometimes by as much as 34 years! #Sharks2018