First report on a pupping area of the tope shark Galeorhinus galeus (Carcharhiniformes, Triakidae) in the south-west Atlantic.

Neonates of the tope shark Galeorhinus galeus are captured in sport and recreational coastal fisheries from January to April each year in Engaño Bay (42° 58'-43° 41' S), Chubut, Argentina. The presence of these neonates is the first evidence of a pupping area for this shark in the south-west Atlantic Ocean. Knowledge of the pupping areas of chondrichthyans is important for establishing conservation measures and appropriate fishing regulations.

Fish waste as an alternative resource for gulls along the Patagonian coast: availability, use, and potential consequences.

We evaluated the volumes of waste from fish processing plants in Chubut Province, Argentina, and discuss its potential consequences for Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) population dynamics and coastal management. Mean volume of waste produced between 1989 and 2001 in three coastal cities was 49.8+/-10.9 thousand tonsy(-1). The amount of waste varied between years and cities, being larger at Puerto Madryn and Comodoro Rivadavia than at Rawson (24.1, 19.3 and 6.4 thousand tonsy(-1), respectively). Waste was disposed at the three cities during all months of the sampled years. Large numbers of Kelp Gulls have been recorded taking advantage of fish waste disposed at these waste sites throughout the year. Considering its energetic content, waste generated at processing plants may support a population of between 101000 and 209000 Kelp Gulls. Fish waste could be contributing to their population expansion through increased survival and breeding success. Conflicts due to the use of waste and derived effects on other coastal species and human populations could be minimized by adequate fish waste management.