Marine Life & Conservation
Sharks: A Lost Message
There are many motivating articles, scientific papers and blogs that prove how amazing and valuable sharks are. So why is this message still not getting across? And why are sharks still not valued and seen as a vital component to sustain our current environment by the general public?
The big question – Why is there is no urgency to save sharks?
I believe it comes down to what affects us personally. If sharks go extinct, why does this matter to non-divers and to ‘Bob’ who lives in Coventry and rarely visits the oceans? Well, apart from the depletion of sharks resulting in the loss of commercially important fish species (yes that includes that lovely fish and chips you had last night), numerous scientific findings have also shown that the loss of sharks would impact the survival of mankind! Dramatic sentence, yes, but to the point and true.
Lets look at the facts:
Sharks, as apex predators, play a very important role in our oceans. By keeping the species below them in the food chain in check and maintaining competition, sharks ensure that species diversity thrives. Sharks take the lead keeping our largest and most important ecosystem (the ocean) healthy. This ecosystem controls the planet’s temperature and weather, provides a third of our world with food, removes half of the atmosphere’s anthropogenic carbon dioxide, and produces more oxygen than all the rainforests combined. Pretty important! But why aren’t we being told this?*
I have been very lucky to work closely with shark experts Fernando Reis and Manuela Domingues from Shark Educational Institute (SEI) this week at Freestyle divers, UAE, to create a tailored shark workshop specific to the local species of Blacktip Reef Sharks. This workshop involves educating divers about sustainable diving practices around these amazing creatures, identifying behavioural habits and using different techniques to record valuable information for future Citizen-Science. But I believe the most important part of the workshop is to get this message across: why sharks matter.
During the preparation for the workshop, most discussions focused on our diving experiences around the world with different species of shark (there are over 500 species by the way 😊), but taking a pause from these stories, we sat down to discuss why most of the world does not respect, admire or understand the importance of sharks as we as divers do. And to answer my question: why is there is no urgency to save sharks?
From his experience Fernando explained that there was a lack of communication in different areas. Firstly, between research sciences and the Environmentalist community, but also the communication to the rest of the world. The technical language sometimes used by scientists can isolate the public, which in turn leads to them closing off to the subject… thus the message is lost. To get people to care and listen, a certain amount of marketing skills are needed, which unfortunately, most scientists do not possess.
We also touched on the subject of trends, even within our line of work. 20 years ago, the job title ‘Ecologist’ was held at high esteem; now it’s ‘Conservationist’. I would class myself as a ‘Conservationist’ so this is not an attack on Conservationists, Ecologists or Environmentalists; they do a fantastic job and work exceptionally hard to protect and preserve. The issue is the title itself: ‘Conservationist’. We are at a point where conservation is too late – we are now in the period of recovery.
So much doom and gloom, but is there a solution? Whilst the current future for sharks is bleak (and evidently ours too), I believe there is also hope. Organisations like Shark Educational Institute (SEI) are using the tactic of education in the form of workshops to share vital information about the importance of sharks. These workshops are tailored and created to link in with their specific audience’s needs and in each specific environment. For example, educating fishermen as to why they should help look after sharks. First you need to listen to them and hear their problems instead of enforcing rules – think like them and then we can help them come up with a solution. They must want to care, not be forced. Also working in schools to educate the next generation has proven to have a huge impact in family dynamic and how they change their consumption choices to be more sustainable.
Governments and media also have an important role to play in the recovery of shark populations, but that is a whole other blog!
Overall people must want to care, and unfortunately to care it must affect them. Us shark lovers know and understand how vital sharks are, but this message needs to go further!
‘In the end we only conserve what we love,
we only love what we understand,
we will understand only what we are taught.’
– Mr. Baba Dioum
*References taken from:
www.seashepherd.org.au/apex-harmony/overview/shark-importance.html
http://eu.oceana.org/en/importance-sharks
Find out more about Kayleigh at www.followthewhitefin.com.
Marine Life & Conservation
Leading UK-based shark conservation charity, the Shark Trust, is delighted to announce tour operator Diverse Travel as a Corporate Patron
Corporate Patrons provide a valuable boost to the work of The Shark Trust. The Trust team works globally to safeguard the future of sharks, and their close cousins, the skates and rays, engaging with a global network of scientists, policymakers, conservation professionals, businesses and supporters to further shark conservation.
Specialist tour operator Diverse Travel has operated since 2014 and is committed to offering its guests high quality, sustainable scuba diving holidays worldwide. Working together with the Shark Trust will enable both organisations to widen engagement and encourage divers and snorkellers to actively get involved in shark conservation.
“Sharks are truly at the heart of every diver and at Diverse Travel, we absolutely share that passion. There is nothing like seeing a shark in the wild – it’s a moment that stays with you forever!” says Holly Bredin, Sales & Marketing Manager, Diverse Travel.
“We’re delighted to celebrate our 10th year of business by becoming a Corporate Patron of the Shark Trust. This is an exciting partnership for Diverse and our guests. We will be donating on behalf of every person who books a holiday with us to contribute towards their vital shark conservation initiatives around the world. We will also be working together with the Trust to inspire divers, snorkellers and other travellers to take an active role – at home and abroad – in citizen science projects and other activities.”
Paul Cox, CEO of The Shark Trust, said:
“It’s an exciting partnership and we’re thrilled to be working with Diverse Travel to enable more divers and travellers to get involved with sharks and shark conservation. Sharks face considerable conservation challenges but, through collaboration and collective action, we can secure a brighter future for sharks and their ocean home. This new partnership takes us one more valuable step towards that goal.”
For more information about the Shark Trust visit their website here.
For more about Diverse Travel click here.
Marine Life & Conservation
Shark Trust Asks Divers to help with Shark Sightings this Global Citizen Science Month
Whether you are stuck for ideas of what to do with the kids or are off on the dive trip of your dreams. You can get involved in Citizen Science Month and help the Shark Trust by providing vital data about sharks are rays both close to home and further afield.
In addition to reporting the sharks and rays you see on your dives, the eggcases you find on the beach, the Shark Trust is looking for some specific data from divers who are asked to report any Oceanic Whitetip and Basking Sharks.
Oceanic Whitetip Sharks
The Shark Trust are looking specifically for Oceanic Whitetip Shark sightings over the coming weeks and months. So, if you are diving anywhere in the world, please report your sightings via the website or app.
Website: https://recording.sharktrust.org/
App: Search The Shark Trust in your app store
The Oceanic Whitetip. Known for their incredibly long dorsal and pectoral fins, this species was once the most abundant oceanic-pelagic species of shark on the planet.
Large and stocky, they are grey or brown above, and white below and famous for their huge rounded first dorsal fin and paddle-like pectoral fins. The fins also highly prized within the shark fin trade. Whilst they are mostly solitary, Oceanic Whitetips do occasionally hunt in groups.
An inquisitive species, they were easy prey for fisheries. Combined with their low reproductive rate, they were inevitably at high risk of population depletion. And declines of up to 99% have been reported in certain sea areas. They are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Redlist (2019).
Conservation efforts to discourage further declines include listing on CITES Appendix II and CMS Appendix I. They’re also the only species prohibited from take by all the Tuna RFMOs (Regional Fisheries Management Organisations). However, these measures do not mean that Oceanic Whitetips are not still caught – whether targeted or as bycatch – in some parts of the world. With populations declining at such a high rate, effective implementation of management measures is essential to ensure that the species can recover.
If you are lucky enough to get an image of an Oceanic Whitetip and you record your sighting on the Shark Trust app or website YOU CAN WIN! All images submitted with sightings, that also give consent to use in conservation messaging, will be in with a chance to win an Oceanic Whitetip T-shirt and mug. The competition will run until the end of “Shark Month” in July – so keep those sightings (and images) coming in.
Basking Sharks
Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus) season is upon us, and the Shark Trust is asking everyone to keep an eye out for these majestic giants over the summer months. If you see any, you can record your sighting to the Basking Shark Sightings database.
Each year, these mighty fish return to British waters to feed on plankton. You may see one, (or a few if you’re really lucky) from around April-October. They can be seen feeding at the surface of the water, where they look like they’re basking in the sun. Thus, their name!
Sighting hotspots around the British Isles include southwest England, Isle of Man, north coast of Ireland, and western Scotland. The Sea of the Hebrides is the most prolific sightings area in Scotland, but they have been spotted all around the coast and have even ventured into some of the sea lochs. The Shark Trust has received thousands of sightings since the Basking Shark project began, but more data is needed to truly understand what is going on with population numbers and distribution. You can help by recording your sightings this summer.
Great Eggcase Hunt
The Shark Trust has an Easter Egg Hunt with a difference for you to try. Take part in the Great Eggcase Hunt and get involved with a big citizen science project that helps shark, ray and skate conservation. And it’s an enjoyable activity for all the family.
The Shark Trust also want snorkellers and divers to record their underwater eggcase findings. Underwater records help pinpoint exactly where sharks and skates are laying their eggs and can help link to beach records. Learning the depth and substrate that they lay on also helps better understand the species.
Find out more: https://www.sharktrust.org/great-eggcase-hunt
Whether you are diving, snorkelling or exploring on the beach you can take part in Citizen Science Month and get actively involved in shark and ray conservation. Find out more: www.sharktrust.org
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