Marine Life & Conservation
Your Vote Counts! Help Fund an Ocean Action Project
Help a conservation dream come true! Project AWARE’s Ocean Action Project supports individuals working on ocean and marine life protection at a local level.
Show your support for these ocean heroes by visiting the Project AWARE Facebook page, and voting for your favorite finalist in the Ocean Action project. These grassroots movements are key to protecting our oceans, and these dedicated individuals need your support with your vote. The winner will receive key backing from Project AWARE to give the extra push the project needs to help it succeed in the months ahead.
Your vote makes a difference! Here is a summary of the 10 finalists – vote today and show your support! Full project descriptions are available on the voting page.
1. This Project is Rubbish! South African Shark Conservancy, South Africa
The South African Shark Conservancy will compare the amount and the type of microplastics that enter the environment between beaches which get cleaned daily versus beaches which do not get cleaned.
2. What Goes Around Comes Around – Communicating Marine Debris Science Through Visual Arts, The Plastic Ocean Project, USA
Plastic junk collected from thousands of miles of ocean research has been transformed into a visual arts exhibition which is now travelling across the United States to educate people about ocean pollution.
3. Protecting Africa’s Sawfishes, Marine Megafauna Foundation and Eyes On The Horizon, Mozambique
This project aims to work closely with local fishermen to document where in Mozambique sawfishes still exist and to educate local communities about the importance of protecting sawfishes and their habitats.
4. Ecotourism and Awareness for Manta Ray Conservation, Planeta Oceano, Peru
The need to engage communities in manta conservation is essential, so Planeta Oceano will kick start a manta ecotourism and awareness project in Peru.
5. Developing a Solid Waste Management Network within Koh Rong Archipelago, The Song Saa Foundation, Cambodia
The majority of marine debris originates from land. The Song Saa Foundation will establish a solid waste management center and community education programs for the Koh Rong Archipelago.
6. Protecting Sharks and Rays from Fishing Boats in the Andaman Sea, Blue Guru Conservation, Thailand
Blue Guru will continue their surveys of shark, ray and fishing boat sightings to build key arguments to expand zoning and expand their work to include Koh Phra Thong sites.
7. The Marine Debris Thermometer Wall, Association of Coastal Conservation of Mozambique, Mozambique
This project brings together the entire community to take part in monthly beach and underwater cleanups and build a marine debris thermometer wall to measure progress.
8. Marine Debris Action Teams Create Plastic-Free Sea Turtle Habitat, Costa Rica
Partnering with local and international conservation groups, more than 1 ton of marine debris will be removed from important sea turtle nesting sites in Costa Rica.
9. Thailand eShark Project, Shark Guardian, Thailand
The Thailand eShark project will collect historical data from past diver logs as well as future dives where sharks are sighted or not sighted.
10. The Great Fiji Shark Count, Fiji Dive Operators, Fiji Islands
Information collected by divers aims to demonstrate that living sharks are more valuable than dead ones, and that shark fishing for the fin trade needs to stop before marine life populations crash.
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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