Accolades for DaMary!

DaMary in Fiji - everything the bikini bimbettes are not!

Finally!

Mary O'Malley is the March 2014 Sea Hero.

Yes I know, I've totally missed it when it happened - but now that I know, I really must congratulate Oris for having chosen the very best possible candidate. DaMary is of course my Most impressive individual Shark Conservation Advocate for both 2012 and 2013, and this public acknowledgment of her tremendous contribution to conservation could not have been more deserved.

Attagirl - I'm proud of 'ya!

DaMary!

DaMary, Lupodiver and the predators!

We've just said goodbye to Mary and Lupo.

We're honored, really.

Mary is of course none other than the same Mary O'Malley who pretty much single-handedly developed the Manta Ray of Hope project (of course, h/t to Shawn and to Paul Hilton!) and doggedly stayed the course  all the way to the epic decision of CITES to list them on Appendix 2 - and this also very much in the face of all that petty bickering by those Mobula fans, or whatever! And btw, now that she has shown everybody how to do it: have those EXPERTS learned the lessons, and will they come up with anything substantive for 2016?

We shall be watching!

Anyway.

Mary is my current Shark Conservationist of the Year and one of the very few people in Shark conservation I respect unreservedly and whose advice I will often seek and mostly heed.

This has really been rather epic.

Mary and Lupo are both accomplished and highly experienced Shark divers and also photographers, the Bull Shark action was off the charts, and we managed to stage some memorable (...!) encounters - not to mention the conversations on and off the boat!

And the bikini?

Yes she wears one!

Because she can, in spades - but under the wetsuit!

In fact, whilst being equally pretty, she is everything those bikini bimbettes are not: smart, determined, result-oriented, diplomatic - but above all, frustratingly humble all the way to outright self-effacing. 

In fact, where everything the bimbos do is geared towards shameless self promotion (yes Julie Andersen, I'm looking at you!), Mary would rather totally fade into the background, and her many accomplishments would go completely unnoticed were it not for the accolades by her friends and admirers - as it should be!

But I'm digressing as always.

This has been a really memorable, productive and highly rewarding week, and good things will come from it. There are great developments within Shark Savers where Mary sits on the board, and our already proven cooperation is about to be expanded to new projects.

Keep watching this space!

2013: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Part One!

Are you ready? :)

First things first.

BAD has once again done really well.

Nothing spectacular mind you: but things are ticking along very nicely indeed.

The research has once again yielded one great paper, see below, with three more (!!!) due in the immediate future - and when it comes to the field work, we've successfully completed a massive and (so far) secret  project that will complement the hugely popular GFSC, and are about to embark into a rather monumental research endeavor with Projects Abroad that will undoubtedly result in more useful insights allowing us to ever refine our conservation strategies.

Other than that, business is good, the staff are healthy and happy and the SRMR is thriving - and we will turn 10 in April which is nothing short of a miracle!

And the blog - well, it is! :)

The Good

I've decided that I'm gonna spare myself the lengthy intro.

More and more, I find myself repeating what I've already stated ages ago, so why bother. Should you really not know where I'm generally coming from, feel free to peruse the last recaps here and here, and maybe read the post about Shark diving, that old post about Shark conservation and finally, the post about the need for a change of paradigms - the latter with many links that you should equally peruse!

Granted, some of the data (e.g. the extent of the Shark fishing mortality) are now obsolete owing to new insights - but in general terms, that's what I believe.

Too far out there? No worries, I'll continue carrying the moniker of Judas Conservationist with the greatest pride and satisfaction - and let's then talk again next year! :)

So without further ado.

Remember these are opinions - not the truth!

• Most impressive Shark Conservation Org: The Pew Environment Group
  
  This time, I'm not only nominating the Shark Campaign because there is their Global Ocean Legacy Campaign that is increasingly overlapping and complementing the Shark-centric sanctuaries effort, see e.g. Bermuda and Pitcairn. Talking of which, I also hear that we may be witnessing the reappearance of Matt which would be a great blessing indeed!
  
  Be it as it may, they just simply stand heads and shoulders, and then some, above everybody else - and the unofficial list of their achievements in 2013, foremost of which the CITES win, is once again unparalleled and deserves our admiration and gratitude.
  
  With caveats mind you.
  The principal one being that rightly or wrongly, they continuously stand accused of walking away once they achieve legislative change and leaving the long term implementation = heavy lifting to others, namely to the RFMOs and local governments that often lack adequate resources, and to the local NGOs.
  Of course that's partly pernicious sniping by less successful competitors and partly factually misleading, as the implementation of legislation is obviously a prerogative of governments - but there's certainly also a kernel of truth and more importantly, it's bad publicity that Pew would be well advised to vigorously address, both in words and in deeds!

• Best Shark Conservation Advocacy Group: Shark Savers
  
  Once again, in their own category, they are simply without peer - especially when compared to the con artists in California, NYC and Jersey!
  Yes they don't only engage in advocacy but also pursue research and hands-on conservation at the legislative level - but especially now that their merger with WildAid is about to be sanctioned, I expect an even bigger focus on curbing the demand side in Asia, a strategy that is clearly showing positive results.
  
  But that's the future - for now, huge kudos to DaMary, Shawn, Michael, Sam, Jonn and Jennah for an extremely impressive job, see below!

• Best Shark Conservation Campaign at the Grassroots Level: Pelagic Life
  
  Now this is obviously highly subjective as I'm sure that there are many other groups doing stellar stuff on the ground - but these gals and guys happen to have caught my eye both with their México Pelágico project but above all, with their work in Baja that will result in a stellar ecotourism venture.
  So keep watching this space and by the same token, keep an eye out for Saving Our Sharks, equally from Mexico - it's gonna be challenging but by no means impossible!

• Most impressive individual Shark Conservation Advocate: DaMary
  
  Well what can I say.
  It's her second nomination and she deserves every bit of it, and then some!
  Red her laudatio here, and here is a newer version highlighting the simply brilliant and in many ways pivotal role she has played in getting the Mantas listed at CITES.
  Bravo!

• Best Marine Conservation Videos: Shawn Heinrichs
  
  Well, Shawn is of course much more than just a video producer - foremost of which an eco-terrorist! :)
  The correct technical term is probably, indefatigable - and I must confess that I'm simply incapable of enumerating all of his activities that see him hopping around from one remote corner of the globe to the other like a maritime Energizer Bunny!
  And whereas others (not Shawn!) may sometimes get a tad tired of all that unbridled energy, one thing's for sure: the heart is very much in the right place and whether you like those mermaids or not, the outreach is simply phenomenal!
  Kudos!

• Best Shark Defender: Angelo Taotaotasi aka the Saipan Blogger
  
  He is of course long transcended being a mere person but is instead a brand - and as such, he very much eludes definition! :)
  Pointers for why I like him include smart, innovative, extremely well informed, analytical, pragmatic - and above all: very very witty!
  Pointers for why he is actually an asshole controversial: all of the above!
  
  And the performance?
  Look no further than the rather epic rolling out of the Shark Stanley campaign for CITES, and the continued progress of Pew in closing down the Pacific to Shark fishing! Those are very much his babies - and whereas I have sometimes questioned his strategy and methods, the successes clearly speak for themselves!
  Here's to clever sheepherders! :)

• Ocean Hero: RickMac
  
  And it's not even my own accolade - unsung no more!
  One of my very favorite  people, Rick had a traumatic first half of the year that culminated in his resignation from CORAL. The end of the year finds him greatly diminished physically but greatly enhanced both privately and professionally - and generally speaking simply happy, which is simply great!
  Buddy, can't wait for you to come diving again - this time with bated breath! :)

• Most impressive Shark Conservation Achievement: CITES 2013
  
  This has been simply epic.
  Even I got caught up in the frenzy and partook vicariously with a barrage of posts. Once again, huge congratulations to everybody involved, foremost of which Pew and the Manta Ray of Hope project - and, and I cite, just a hint of a slow hand clap for those who will always believe that they know better, foremost of which the bickering Mobula lovers!

• Best Citizen Science Project: Great Fiji Shark Count.
  
  This is the only such nation-wide citizen science project and my hope is that it will be only the first of a whole array of similar endeavors. Huge thanks to the team, partners and donors who have successfully cooperated during the past four counts, with many more to come!
  And a special tip o' hat to the irreducible Sam and Shark Savers for the great cooperation during the Adopt-a-Bull-Shark project - it has been loads of fun, and the funds are highly welcome!
  Thank you! :)

• Best Kids Education Project: Sharks4Kids
  
  I missed the launch due to absence and have since failed to mention it: but this is the baby of Jillian the one, only and very much original Shark Girl - and it is great!
  Godspeed - and c'ya in Fiji sooner rather than later!

• Best Shark Diving Paper: Bull Shark Provisioning in Fiji
  
  What else! :)
  But seriously, this is really great stuff, and based on a huge amount of data that we have collected over many, many years. Please read it, understand the implications and then share your knowledge wide and far!

• Best Shark Papers, ex aequo: Domeier about GWS, Johann about Lemons, Yannis about Tiger Migrations, Mark about Trophic Cascades, Feldheim about Natal Philopatry, Catlin about Shark Tourism Valuations (toothy debate here!), Heithaus about Tigers, Oliver about hunting Threshers, and then of course the incredibly important Shark Fishing Mortality Paper
  Read them! :)
  
  Yes obviously there has been more (but Guttridge et al is from 2012...) - so apologies for any involuntary (and voluntary) omissions!

• Best Shark Movie: Of Shark and Man
  
  Yes I know, it's not quite yet completed.
  But the teasers are simply stellar, and having seen what I've seen and knowing what I know,  I for one look forward to David delivering something absolutely fantastic and unique.
  No pressure!

• Best Resource for Shark Divers: Shark Angels
  
  Yeah I know I know - but one gotta give credit where it is due.
  Excellent job!

• Best Debunkers of Pseudoscience: Southern Fried Science
  
  That's really where they excel, and in the propagation of important research.
  Alas, I cannot really say the same about some of David's opinion pieces. Yes many of views expressed by the movement are shameful in their ignorance and frustrating to the max - but not everything in Shark conservation pertains to fisheries management in the US, and Sharks are much more than simple objects of research and management!
  Come Shark diving buddy! :)

• Most inspiring Visitors: Kerstin, Taryn and Jaap, Martin, Jero and Ana, Mary and Lupo, Bruno et Antonia, Warren, Ozzie Sam, Ingrid, Mike, Kris and Helen
  
  You know who you are!
  And Mike: thank you so much mate - that was really, really nice of you! :)

• Special Thanks: Gary and Brenda, Juerg, Drew, Nani, Tuma and Rusi
  
  Ten years of friendship and adventure, and counting! :)
  You are the glue that holds it all together - thank you!

• Special Mention: Scamsters, Vampires and Poo Pads, see at top!
  
  I could elaborate but I shall not - for now! :)

And here endeth the ominous list!
The juicy part will follow in due course - keep watching this space! :)

PS - dang I forgot to mention Sharknado!!!
You choose the category!
Humblest apologies.

Excellent News from Florida!

Smooth Hammerhead - one of the more uncommonly encountered species

Please check out this excellent post.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is considering protecting Tiger Sharks and three species of Hammerheads, Great, Scalloped and Smooth.

I am sure that many good people will get involved.
Personally, I will continue following the advice of DaMary. She is not only a dear personal friend but she has a stellar track record of getting things done. It is very much her enthusiasm and level handed guidance that have been instrumental in co-ordinating the activist effort last time when Florida ended up protecting the Lemons. Since that time, Mary has graciously integrated her Shark Safe Network into the bigger umbrella of Shark Savers of which she is now a Director.

I shall continue reporting about events as they unfold.
Should you wish to get personally involved, please consult the SS Blog where Mary, a Florida resident, will undoubtedly continue to post the latest news, timely and pertinent information, recommendations and action alerts, as she always does.

Let's get this thing sorted!

Shark Savers and WildAid - Merger!

Boy oh boy.

I've been asked to write something constructive - but to be perfectly frank, I don't quite know where I stand on this.

So bear with me - it's gonna be what it's gonna be.

So there - the cat is finally out of the bag.

Shark Savers and WildAid have announced that they are merging pending ratification by the relevant authorities. This is the official announcement by Shark Savers, this is the official announcement by WildAid, and these are some further explanations and reflections by Michael Skoletsky.
The merged org will be called WildAid.

Prima vista, this is obviously a good thing.

There are way too many orgs in Shark conservation, and pooling one's resources is certainly the rational thing to do. Shark Savers and WildAid have a long and successful history of cooperation, latest of which the brilliant Manta Ray of Hope project and subsequent stellar advocacy at CITES - so judging by those metrics alone, the future looks bright indeed. I'm also really, really happy to learn that Michael, DaMary and Sam are joining the new org as they are all friends with a terrific track record.

And yet I am saddened.

Ever since the eviction of Andersen and all her crazy BS, I've been a staunch supporter of Shark Savers' agenda of pragmatic and science based conservation initiatives and messaging.

WildAid, not so much.

Check out this interview with Tod Bensen.

This is of course compelling stuff.

And there is certainly a need to curb demand.

Indeed, if you look at the 2000 numbers (click on the graph), finning accounts for 908 tons of the 1411 tons of caught Sharks that were not discarded, making it 64% or roughly 63 million Sharks of which we can state that they were caught for their fins alone. Then of course there is an additional albeit unknown number among the IUU and FAO number - and judging from what we learn about what is happening now in the W/C Pacific, those trends do not appear to have been much reversed.

So once again, judging by those metrics alone WA's principal focus is certainly legit.

I also understand the part about the need to be a niche player.

And still, for me, this is just too uni-dimensional. I won't bother you with the usual ranting about the fact that "Sharks" are not Rhinos and neither all endangered, nor apex predators nor keystone species, or about supply limited fisheries and sustainability, let alone certified Shark fins - just read the links if you care, or don't. The real world is way more nuanced, and so must be the different conservation strategies.

What I will however say is that Shark Savers has a broader scope and that I like that - so here's to WildAid becoming more broadly involved as a result of the merger!

And then, there's the messaging.

Shark Savers has it down to an art, both on their website that is easy to read and navigate, and brimming with excellent content, and on their stellar Facebook page where Sam is doing an excellent, commendable job. WildAid's website is frankly optically rather shocking, and their FB is a mish-mash of different causes that will not equally appeal to all the Shark people.

So here's to a better website and to a dedicated Shark FB page!

Long story short?

One will need to see where this is going.

The merger can result in a better, better funded, more broadly based and generally much improved organization and as long as it appears to be heading that way, it still has my full support and Godspeed to everybody involved.

And if not, not.

To be continued no doubt!

Mermaid and Tiger Sharks?

This is gonna be a difficult one.

But first, watch this.

Now, read this and then, watch the video.

Yes it certainly is what it is.

To say it mildly, it has generated a lot of interest within the Shark community, and opinions are vehemently divided about whether this is actually conservation or rather, merely one more of those productions - and I'm sure you know what I mean.

Personally, I must confess that I'm conflicted.

I've never met Hannah who for me is a professional doing a difficult job, and this well - but I know both Shawn and Jimmy and in my book, they are good men that care deeply. 

But what is more important, is that they have earned my respect.

Jimmy is without a doubt one of the world's most experienced and renown Shark diving operators and a passionate voice for Shark conservation. 

Shawn has evolved into one of the universally most respected conservationists who combines limitless passion and energy with profound knowledge of the situation especially in the lesser developed countries, with admirable tenacity and the absolute willingness to risk life and limb in his relentless investigation and documentation of the trade, and in the pursuit of realistic solutions. Case in point: his and DaMary's ongoing epic Manta Ray of Hope project (watch this space for an important update!) that has directly led to the listing of the Mantas on CITES 2 and continues to spawn Manta Ray sanctuaries, latest of which in the Maldives.

From that point of view alone, this is certainly miles away from those pathetic self promoting productions featuring the usual menopausally challenged bikinettes, precocious home-schooled brats and media whores - and yes I can certainly leave it at that, they know who they are and so do you!

But is this conservation - and is it effective?

To some it may be art, whereas most Europeans including me would define it as typical American over-the-top new-agesque Kitsch - but be it as it may, the fact is that there is a lot of people who simply love those mermaids, meaning that like Shawn eloquently explains, the outreach is simply phenomenal. 

When it comes to having a real impact, however, not convinced.

This is specifically being framed as a protest against the Aussie Shark cull - and I just cannot see how it is going to influence the decision about whether to extend the slaughter to 2017. The assessment by the WA EPA will be a formal process, and so will be the review by the feds - meaning that if at all (!), the decision makers will be swayed by rational as opposed to emotional arguments.

But who knows, maybe some of them have watched it and something sticks.

Long story short?

On this one, I'm with Jimmy an Shawn.

It has been created by the right people and for the right reasons, the production is impressive, the interactions are respectful, the safety protocols impeccable, the imagery and soundtrack and editing excellent, the outreach unmatched.

So bravo and best of luck.

May I be mistaken and may this effect change.

Not convinced - but fingers crossed!

David - Teaser-Trailer # three!

Yes this would be a stack of 3m Bull Sharks - fabulous pic by DaMary!

This is just awesome!

Yes of course I'm biased.

So once again, I'm not gonna dwell in superlatives but instead invite you to refer to my assessment of Mr. Diley here - I cannot but fully confirm, and then some! And, do check out this post on David's blog!

Bravo!

Only this.

I fully concur that the letterboxed version is by far the better one so please please pretty please, do edit the movie in Anamorphic! And more importantly: I really want to thank the many people who've kindly agreed to be interviewed and are now providing awesome quotables - in this particular case Ratu Leone and Alfie from Uprising, Manasa, my dive buddy Rusi, the ever formidable Helen and the unequaled MPO. And of course the forever Facebook-status-changing Nani!

Vinaka vaka levu!

So without further ado, here it is!

Enjoy!

AND, here's one more post!

The global Value of Shark Diving - Paper!

Another brilliant one by DaMary!

Read this paper (click on study).

Synopsis by Pew here.

It is certainly well intentioned.

As one of those Shark diving operators, I cannot but applaud it - and yet, I am irritated as I got a gut feeling that the numbers are inaccurate and that the conclusions may be questionable.

Or maybe they aren't.

More about it tomorrow once I've done some more fact checking

Indonesia - Manta Ray Sanctuary!

Source.

Huge belated congratulations!

Watch this.

I'm sure that many have contributed.

But for me, this is once again the very personal success of the tireless efforts of the indefatigable DaMary and Shawn, and their Manta Ray of Hope project.

Details here.

Bravo - I'm fucking proud of 'ya!

Fiji - protecting the Mantas and Mobulas!

Disheartening - source.

Bravo Fiji and WWF Pacific!

This is excellent stuff.

Fiji is spearheading efforts to list the Reef Manta, Manta alfredi and the Mobulas under the CMS, this in addition to the Giant, or Pelagic Manta, Manta birostris that was listed in 2011. This is also particularly timely in view of the risk that now that Indonesia is going to (eventually...) shut down the fishery, the trade may seek to source those gill rakers in new markets.

Details here - and here is the announcement of further excellent initiatives to come!

Remember?

And talking about the Mobulas.

You really gotta check out this article about their deep diving behavior that has led to a unique morphological adaptation of their brain - fascinating stuff!

And incidentally, good to finally see some published research!

Following the breakthrough with the Mantas, the Mobulas are certainly prime candidates for listing under Appendix II at the next CITES CoP - that is, provided that the infamous Mobula fans and the researchers come up with the necessary data like what has been done by DaMary, Christine and many others for their big cousins!

Just sayin' - chop chop!

Adopt a Bull Shark - one last Push please!

This is what you can see if you win one of the two prizes - awesome pic by DaMary! Click for detail.

Last chance!

But first things first.

Thank you Shark Defenders - the brilliant and passionate team at Shark Savers has indeed been instrumental in many Shark conservation successes and really deserves the support of every Shark enthusiast!

Much appreciated!

Now it's only a matter of hours.

As the project is drawing to a close, some of the very best perks like this one-of-a-kind, epic t-shirt are still up for grabs. And this awesome little Shark is still without a name!

PLUS, you can win two whole weeks of Shark diving in Fiji - one by chance and one by smart timing!

So, what are you waiting for!

Vinaka!

Streetlight Effect!

The streetlight effect: The streetlight effect is our human tendency to look for answers where it’s easy to look rather than where the actual information is. For instance, counting the lines of code produced is easy but doesn’t tell us anything about the quality of the application, the functionality it provides or even the effectiveness. Click for detail. Source.

My pal Randy is hallucinating.

I would like a singularity of voice by the ocean conservation movement. 
As a communicator, that is what you wish for. Not dozens of groups competing against each other with their various brands. Just one, singular, simple, powerful voice, created by all the major NGOs, coming together to convey the upsetting truth, that the world’s oceans have lost X percentage of their total wildlife biomass, and if things don’t change, by 2030 it will be down to Y. 

And then I’d like for EVERY group to get behind that singular message, dedicating themselves to stopping the trend in all their various ways. Instead of waging all their, “Yay, we’re winning, give us more money” campaigns.

Yeah, right.

Simply not gonna happen.

Granted, there has been progress.

The IUCN, also owing to its makeup whereby it's an NGO of NGOs has always been a great unifier. It has also been refreshing to note that despite of the occasional sniping, the Elasmobranch conservationists have presented a largely unified front at this year's CITES CoP. And even on an individual basis, people like DaMary shine by always striving to rally all the relevant players around a common goal, like she and Shawn have successfully done in the Manta Ray of Hope initiative.

But of course that remains the exception.

The divisive competition for ever scarcer donor funds continues unabated and in a world where any three chicks with a Facebook page can mount the next global conservation initiative, the fragmentation and senseless duplication of efforts has become bigger and not smaller - and I'm not even talking about the distraction by the whacks, bullshitters and shameless self promoters, foremost of which the great hydra of personality cult and pseudo-conservation whose unparalleled expertise in crowd funding continues to syphon away funds that are desperately needed elsewhere!

AND, we continue to focus on the effects and not the ultimate causes, i.e. population growth and more importantly, the growth of individual ecological footprints!

The consequences are devastating - read this post.

Solutions?

Forget reform from within.

It would inevitably lead to job losses - and not only are the professional conservationists gonna cling to their precious seats and oppose any such move, but those who will get shafted will moreover create their own NGOs and further add to the grudge, fragmentation and divisiveness!

Examples? :)

But the major donors could become the catalysts for change.

People like e.g. the folks at Ocean 5 are rooted in the real world and one would hope that they would not be suckered into thinking that professional conservation  is any different, and that it should not be measured by the very same metrics that rule good old fashioned business ventures: stuff like ROI, accountability, efficiency, effectiveness, market share and penetration, etc - and failing that, restructuring all the way to mergers, redundancies and ultimately, closures!

And the likelihood of that happening?

Quite possibly more than 50%, especially in the midst of this persistent recession - but having said that, both philantropy and marketing which are the major sources of such funding are more often driven by passion and emotion than by rational thinking, so who knows.

But as always, we shall see!

And our hope in the face of the ugly truth?

It, and and the passion that fuels us are all we really got.

Randy's ever shifting baselines (watch this slide show!) will never be reestablished as extinction continues to erode biodiversity - but they remind us of never getting cocky, and that the mission is really never accomplished. If we persevere and are successful and above all, very very lucky, we will eventually end up with a new wilderness, a managed, less biodiverse space that will be but a shadow of its glorious past - and guess what, owing to the shifting baselines effect, the next generations won't even notice!

That's the best case scenario.

Granted, it's not much to look forward to - but at least that, I am convinced, we can achieve.

Shark Report Fiji - brilliant Job by Art!

Yes this would be a pile of Fiji Bull Sharks - epic pic by DaMary. Click for detail!

Nice!

First time I see it - but I had heard about it as it has been doing the UW film festival circuit for a while now, and finally, Ocean Geographic has posted it online. 

If I remember correctly, Ed Snijders was only here for a couple of days so the images are what they are - so thanks to Arthur for adding all of the substance with his rather stellar interview. Art is not with us anymore but has moved on to CORAL where he is spearheading their Fiji Shark campaign.

Enjoy!

As to the forefathers having protected their reefs?

Well yes, maybe, sometimes.

But now, things have changed.

The village populations have grown - but the fishing grounds have not, meaning that the pressure by mere subsistence fishing is now too big. And to top it off, fishing has now become a commercial business whereby the fishermen are now catching many more Fish than they would require for their own consumption, and the reefs are increasingly being affected by anthropogenic threats like pollution, physical habitat degradation all the way to Global Warming and Acidification.

The FLMMA?

It's the continuation of the tabu tradition, and if the map alone were an indication for its success, things would very much be on the mend.
But those locally protected marine areas are not legislated, and their scientific monitoring and enforcement are generally poor - so much still needs to be done to turn them into effective management and conservation tools. As always, it's a matter of disposing of the necessary resources - but more than that, it's a matter of accountability and there, things do not look good.
That is one of the reasons why the SRMR is not part of FLMMA.

But it is a beginning and as such, certainly nice.

A lot of good people are working on this, so at least, there are grounds for hope.

As always, we shall see!

Shark Photographers - behold!

Just how good is this - click for detail!

And talking of DaMary and Bull Shark action.

This is how you do it.

I told you that she's an accomplished Shark photographer!

There's more Bull Sharks than ever, and we've developed now procedures that allow you to capture images just like this one right from the wall and whilst being perfectly safe.

The peak season is right now!

So, what are you waiting for! 

Killing for Conservation?

Excellent stuff from Florida - again!

ABSTRACT

Top oceanic predators, especially large predatory sharks (TOPS), appear to be experiencing varying degrees of population declines. Life history data (e.g. diet, reproductive status, age and growth, mortality) are critical for developing effective conservation strategies for TOPS. Presently, lethal sampling remains the most effective and accurate means of gathering these data. To meet such challenges, many scientists have utilized specimens obtained from recreational and commercial fisheries, but have needed to supplement those data with fishery-independent sampling.

However, there is growing public and scientific debate as to whether lethal sampling of TOPS is justified for obtaining conservation data.
Here we describe the development and use of non-lethal alternatives for collecting data on (1) trophodynamics; (2) maturity state and fecundity; and (3) growth and mortality rates necessary to enact conservation measures for threatened or even data-deficient TOPS.

CONCLUSION

In the case of TOPS which are highly protected, lethal sampling is not an option.
As such, scientists have generated innovative non-lethal alternatives for obtaining data on trophodynamics, age-growth, maturity, and reproductive status. This is best exemplified in the white shark Carcharodon carcharias, which is designated as Vulnerable to Extinction by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; Fergusson et al. 2005), listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and fully protected in South Africa, Namibia, the USA, Australia, Israel, Italy, and Malta (Fergusson et al. 2005).

For example, white shark diet and feeding habits have been determined from gut content analysis of specimens obtained from fisheries (Cliff et al. 1989, Bruce 1992, Cortés 1999, Hussey et al. in press, Smale & Cliff in press). Sulikowski et al. (in press) recently developed non-lethal techniques to assess the reproductive biology of white sharks. Moreover, electronic tagging (Domeier & Nasby-Lucas 2008, Weng et al. 2007, Jorgensen et al. 2010), mark-recapture (Anderson et al. 2011), photo identification (Domeier & Nasby-Lucas 2007, Chapple et al. 2011), and application of molecular genetics (Gubili et al. 2009, Jorgensen et al. 2010) have been used to determine population size and structure of white sharks in a variety of locations.

In his book ‘Why big fierce animals are rare: an ecologist’s perspective,’ Colinvaux (1978) elegantly described how the second law of thermodynamics restricts the abundance and size of apex predators. He wrote: …Great white sharks or killer whales in the sea, and lions and tigers on the land…are very thinly spread. One may swim many lifetimes in the world oceans without encountering a great white shark… (p. 27) Even nearly a century ago, long before overfishing, Elton (1927) pointed out that large carnivores were rare.

Given the threatened status of many TOPS, there is a growing need to develop feasible alternatives to lethal sampling.
We recognize that this will not happen overnight; but as scientists, we need to become creative, collaborate, and challenge ourselves to do so, because this is the direction we need to be moving in, if conservation is our goal.

Finally, a voice of reason!
The above is from Killing for conservation: the need for alternatives to lethal sampling of apex predatory sharks, by Neil Hammerschlag and James Sulikowski and you can thankfully read the whole (short and clear, so do not worry) paper here.

I remain generally dead set against lethal sampling and must commend the authors for having tackled a subject that is highly controversial and for having unequivocally spoken out in favor of the animals. May I also add that it cannot be a coincidence that the first two people that are being acknowledged are DaMary and Jimmy, a clear tribute to their excellent advocacy for Sharks.
Be it as it may, kudos to everybody involved.

This is clearly the way forward and once again, you have positioned yourself very much at the forefront of Shark research and Shark conservation.
Bravo!

When Bull Sharks attack!

Big Fiji Bulls - another epic pic by DaMary!

Big, slow and mellow?

Mostly - but not always! :)
Story here!

CITES - done!

Source.

Victory!

Congratulations to everybody involved.
But not to the POB in Jersey who don't even know what the FAO is, contributed nothing as always but still have the audacity to claim credit for the success!

I really got nothing else to say about the Sharks - but lemme say something about the Mobulas.

Because the proposal to list them came from Fiji.

The parties to CITES are not those NGOs but nation states, and it is only they who can make proposals and cast votes. In brief, had it not been for Fiji, there would have been zero pamphlets, PSAs, press releases, articles, posts and interviews and above all, zero lavish junkets essential trips and conferences, meetings and committees by all those terribly important conservation professionals (yes that's only the provisional list!) that are now busy clapping themselves on the back whilst making terribly profound statements in the media!

And did anybody thank let alone praise Fiji?

So here's to the Fijian Delegation.

• Here's to you Bati who together with Eleni from Environment obtained Government approval and ensured that the powers that be kept on signing all the relevant paperwork. As always, you rock!


• And here's to you Ian who greatly, and quietly assisted in keeping the ball rolling!


• And to you Art who I hear gave a rousing speech that did sway several delegates!

Vinaka vakalevu and very well done!

And since we're at it.

Here's to you DaMary - you know why, and so do they!

And the dreaded Mobula lovers?

I hear that having been led to their senses, they did in fact assist - so here's just a hint of a slow hand clap for those who will always believe that they know better! :)

Do Maui's Manta Rays need saving?

This is by far the biggest threat facing global Manta Ray populations - source.

No don't worry.

I'm not about to totally blast this and call it a scam.

Mark Deakos is certainly a good man who cares deeply, and the projects he is suggesting are certainly legit.

But of course there has to be a BUT! :)

Assuming that there are only so many people willing to invest only so much money into Mobulid conservation - is that the best way to invest those 75 grand?

Yes those Maui Manta Rays may be inconvenienced and some may even fall victim to accidental entanglements - but nobody is actively trying to kill them, and I really have a very hard time believing that the Hawaiian population is at risk of extinction like asserted, meaning that in reality, they also don't need to be "saved"!

Surely the real problems facing Manta Ray conservation are their continued wholesale persecution in e.g. the Subcontinent and Asia, and the challenge of enforcing local protections but also the CITES regulations in order to curb the totally unsustainable disgrace that is the gill raker trade - or not?

And when it comes to the Mobulids in general, surely the biggest and most urgent conservation challenge is to obtain the population data and the other science that are the prerequisites for a CITES listing of the Mobulas - and oh yes, I'm very much talking to you, slow hand clapping mobula fan!

I say, better send your money to the Manta Trust.

This is really the clearing house for global Manta and Mobula conservation, and Guy Stevens, DaMary, Shawn  & Co are probably best suited for conducting the required triage and directing any funds to where they are most needed - including to Deakos who is one of the project leaders!

Or am I missing something here?

CITES - Victory for the Mantas!

Did I really just post this thing to my blog???

First and foremost, a big hug to YOU DaMary! :)

And bravo Manta Ray of Hope!

And a huge kudos to Pew!

If the Shark and Manta listings are confirmed in the plenary session, it will be a HUGE slap in the face to Japan, China and their cronies - the ultimate irony being that their insistence on secret ballots may have well allowed several delegations to vote against the instructions of their so-called development partners!

Hint: one should ask for secret ballots at the plenary session! :)

Congratulations Angelo!

No I'm not gonna pose with a flat Shark on my blog - but please, do take the opportunity to investigate the reasons why the delegates have voted in favor this time. I'm quite sure that many will answer if you ask them, and good lessons may be learned for the best strategies going forward!

Was it the excellent science - or may they have been principally swayed by, gasp, those bloody petitions and pictures?

Anyway, thank you ladies and gentlemen.

Thanks to your efforts, this has really been an excellent day!

PS: Thanks Angelo, this is very nice of you!

PS2: and this, too!

Please help the Sharks of Playa!

Source - and yes that looks like a subadult Bull, a small endangered Hammer and possibly a good-sized Mako.!

We never do petitions, for obvious reasons.

But this is different, so there.

We will make an exception when there's a worthwhile cause, with good people working on the ground, and when that team ask for signatures because it will help them sway their interlocutor, normally some politician or the like. One example was the push to get Florida's Lemon Sharks protected that was spearheaded by the likes of Doc, Walt Stearns and DaMary, etc, and where somebody within the FWC suggested that it would be good to show public support. That endeavor was ultimately successful and I hear that those signatures did in fact help sway the legislators.

And now we have a similar situation in Playa.

The picture at the top documents the latest, and perfectly legal haul by the only licensed Shark fisherman on that coastline. I must also add that that fisherman is the same person who used to target and kill those big Bull Sharks - but a lot has happened since that post, and he has now agreed not to fish for them during the tourist season when they migrate to the region, possibly in order to pup. So there has definitely been progress - but still, those dead Sharks are disturbing, and not anymore commensurate with the many marine conservation and ecotourism projects that are popping up all throughout Quintana Roo.

Hence this petition.

Launched by the outstanding people of Saving our Sharks and as always, very much enabled by my friend Chino of GSD member Phantom Divers, it aims at establishing a no-take zone for Sharks around the local barrier reef system. This follows years of dialogue, cooperation and lobbying with the local authorities, meaning that it has a real chance of succeeding.

This is an excellent undertaking.

Please lend a helping hand by signing the petition.

Thank you.