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This article explores the presence of site fidelity, or philopatry, in blue sharks. While blue sharks are typically known for their wide-ranging movements, this study documents the repeated sightings of two blue sharks at a specific location in the Azores archipelago. The sharks were attracted to the area by local dive operators who regularly provide food. These findings challenge the belief that blue sharks are strictly oceanic wanderers and suggest that they may exhibit some form of site fidelity to predictable feeding areas. The study emphasizes the importance of citizen science and collaboration between scientists and the diving industry in gathering valuable information for the management and conservation of marine migratory species. However, further research using longer-term satellite telemetry is necessary to gain a better understanding of the behavioral ecology of these sharks and its implications for their management and conservation. [Extracted from the article]

In the Northeast Atlantic, elasmobranchs are a common bycatch in many fisheries, including demersal trawls, longlines, or gillnets and many countries do not have regulations or any control over the amount taken. In the Mid Atlantic, the Azores EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone), small-scale fishing operations, artisanal and hook-and-line fishing methods are responsible for part of local total landed elasmobranch biomass, although some species are specifically focused and severely harvested by international large-scale fleets. This work provides a review and analysis of the commercial elasmobranch fisheries in the Azores EEZ, and its evolution over the last two decades, highlighting management priorities, taking into account the Northeast Atlantic elasmobranch fisheries status. In the Mid-Atlantic, elasmobranch fisheries mainly target 4 species, that are usually landed as bycatch: the tope shark ( Galeorhinus galeus ) and the thornback ray ( Raja clavata ), captured mainly by local demersal artisanal fisheries, the blue shark ( Prionace glauca ) and the shortfin mako shark ( Isurus oxyrinchus ) captured by a more industrialised fleet, including those from foreign nations. Considering elasmobranchs life history traits and fishery history, caution is advised in the development of a management strategy focusing on these species, considering the Northeast Atlantic context and regional, local and national interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]