Sharks play an essential role in maintaining the health of ecosystems. The present study used data of baited remote underwater video systems executing generalized linear models to identify drivers of the shark distribution around the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (FNA). The results place FNA among the world’s shark hotspots for richness and abundance. They show that reefs and fishing grounds are important predictors of sharks, signaling sharks compete for prey with fishermen and space with divers. The results also depict that home range of larger individuals exceed the current MPA limits, despite their important ecological role. Therefore, this study proposes to enlarge the MPA safeguarding more sharks. Furthermore, a proposal for human-shark mitigation methods is made since the distribution of tiger sharks overlaps with the most important region for tourists. Education is needed, by informing people entering the ocean of the existence of sharks and appropriate behavior to perform around them. Moreover, methods such as drones, clever buoys, and a shark spotting application are proposed for beaches and electronic deterrents and cryptic suits for individuals. The island’s economy strictly depends on eco-tourism and these conservation measures are potential drivers for a sustainable future for both sharks and humans in FNA.
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