IMIS - Marine Onderzoeksgroepen

The EMERGE project aims to study the spatial ecology of benthic elasmobranchs (rays, skates, and small sharks) along the French Mediterranean coast. Focused on the Cerbère-Banyuls Marine Reserve, it uses passive acoustic telemetry to monitor tagged individuals across a transboundary receiver array (Barcelona–Marseille). This is the first multi-species tracking initiative dedicated to coastal elasmobranchs in this region. The project investigates site fidelity, seasonal movement, and habitat use, with the goal of informing conservation efforts, including the potential designation of an Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) in the Gulf of Lion. EMERGE is conducted as part of a PhD research project by Célia Bertrand, led jointly by the NGO Je navigue’RAIE and UMR MARBEC (University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, IFREMER), in close collaboration with MPA managers and local small-scale fishers.