Dataset about sharks in French Polynesia extracted from the ORP citizen science network

Observers of the Polynesian Shark Observatory (ORP), a citizen science network organized mainly through the Polynesian dive centers, collected an unprecedented amount of data in 43% of the islands of French Polynesia between July 8, 2011, and April 11, 2018, during 13,916 dives. The objective of such a data collection, not accessible to standard research resources, was to provide a unique dataset, offering the opportunity to explore the specific diversity, distribution, seasonality and abundance of many elasmobranch species spread out throughout the overall French Polynesia territory. Indeed, since the data are based on random citizen observation, the spatial distribution was biased toward the most frequented sites and islands where the scuba diving activity is mostly developed. Overall, the increase in observed abundance of rays and sharks observed in French Polynesia and the three most sampled islands, as well as the high specific diversity recorded for the region, provide the first evidence of the effectiveness of the Shark Sanctuary established in 2006. These data, collected randomly by the volunteers, also give insights about potential movement patterns and site fidelity of some species more often seen. While not leading to final conclusion, the network of volunteers filling with information to the Polynesian Shark Observatory is essential in giving preliminary results and research perspectives and directions for future projects on sharks and rays in French Polynesia.