Marine Life & Conservation
The Price of Fish – A Video Interview with Wildlife Pathologist Vic Simpson
Intro by Jeff Goodman:
For me, one of the pleasures of diving is the journey to the dive site. Watching out for dolphins that may come to look at the boat, or the sea birds purposefully heading along the coast to some secret fishing ground. Watching gannets streamline their bodies as they plummet out of the sky into the water or the miniature auks duck-diving to safety as the boat approaches. The cormorants and shags that glide gracefully across the water with a small fish in the beak. Then, on very rare occasions, one of these magnificent birds will pass by you underwater ensuring the topic of your conversation when getting back to the surface.
Hundreds of thousands of sea birds die each year in fishing gear. These are staggering figures and are probably a huge under-estimation so it seems a marvel that any survive at all when you also consider the loss of breeding habitat and an increasing shortage of food. The issue of ‘accidental’ bird mortality is a global issue but happens throughout the world at local levels. A recent case was near my home in Cornwall where 26 cormorants, shags and guillemots, were washed up on the shore in Falmouth after what is now surmised as being caught and drowned in local fishing nets. For any air breathing animal, drowning and struggling for life while being held underwater must be a true horror. It is something we all fear and yet we willingly and constantly subject other species to this painful death in the name of our dietary desires.
The birds were taken for autopsy to Vic Simpson, one of the world’s leading wildlife pathologists. This short video clip shows Vic working with scientific rigour as he highlights some of the processes that will determine the cause of death. But even such an experienced scientist as Vic feels the frustration and despair of providing the information needed to help understand our wildlife and the inability of people to implement this into more wildlife friendly methods of fishing.
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For further reading on marine by-catch, click here and here.
The Shark Trust is excited to announce that, for two more days only, all donations, large or small, will be doubled in the Big Give Green Match Fund!
Donate to Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants
The Shark Trust is hoping to raise £10k which will be doubled to £20k. This will go towards Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants. And they need YOUR help to reach they’re goal.
The Shark Trust’s citizen science project is to monitor and assess basking sharks through sightings; encouraging data collection, community engagement, and promoting nature accessibility. This initiative aims to enhance health and wellbeing by fostering a deeper connection with British Sharks.
Campaign Aims
- Increase citizen science reporting of Basking Sharks and other shark sightings to help inform shark and ray conservation.
- Provide educational talks about the diverse range of sharks and rays in British waters and accessible identification guides!
- Create engaging and fun information panels on how to ID the amazing sharks and rays we have on our doorstep! These can be used on coastal paths around the Southwest. With activities and information on how you can make a difference for sharks and rays!
- Promote mental wellbeing through increasing time in nature and discovering the wonders beneath the waves!
Donate, and double your impact. Click Here
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.
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