The Great Fiji Shark Count - Info!

Let me give you some background information here.

This all actually started with Juerg and Christine Ward-Paige.
Christine did publish this excellent open source paper about the value of having recreational divers count elasmobranchs and in the lively discussion that ensued, Juerg proposed and Christine very graciously accepted to test the concept here in Fiji. Christine has currently another job but she will provide for the scientific oversight and analyze the data under the umbrella of eShark, and this completely on her own time and with no incremental funding! Potential donors: hint hint - funding this will make you shine for many years to come!
Christine thank you!

Fiji is of course the ideal destination for this endeavor.
Thankfully and in spite of the recent highly disturbing developments, we do still have a reasonable number of Sharks and Rays, and even Turtles.
Plus, the dive and tourism industry is tight knit and forward looking, as witnessed by the many past initiatives that were able to unite everybody around a common goal.
In 2008, we had the first tourism-based Great Butterflyfish Count that was repeated in 2009 and then alas fizzled out for lack of funding.
In 2009, Fiji organized the only nation-wide initiative to celebrate the Year of the Shark, the Fiji Shark Conservation and Awareness Project with various government departments, the tourism industry and several NGOs contributing to make this Fiji's first country-wide Shark campaign. 2009 also saw the only nation-wide drive to contribute to the Shark Free Marinas Initiative where to this day, Fiji is one of the principal participants.
In 2010 we took a breather to launch our own initiative aimed at protecting vital habitat and Shark nurseries whilst cleaning up our carbon footprint, Mangroves for Fiji, only to announce mission accomplished late last year.
2011 then saw the rolling out of the Fiji Shark Sanctuary Campaign where a plethora of largely unheralded events further contributed to Shark awareness all the way to the local grass-roots level.
Long story short: there sure is track record!

Enter the local project team.
She won't like me saying it but IMO, Helen Sykes of Marine Ecology Consulting is Fiji's most pugnacious, and thus most efficient and strictly (as opposed to agenda- and money-) goal oriented marine conservation professional for which she has all of my respect - and this despite her being dead-set against the feeding of any wildlife inclusive of Sharks, something that will regularly pitch us in super-heated debates where we pull no punches but always end up smiling as we both understand this to be an excellent means of furthering our knowledge! Anyway, it is great news that she has once again accepted to take the lead in this, like she did for the Butterflyfish Count of which this is the logical crescendo - and let's face it, Sharks are way sexier than Butterfly Fishes! :)
Same-same for Stuart Gow of Resort Support who has been our friend and advisor for many, many years. Among many other things, he is the current Chairman of the Dive Commission of the Fiji Hotel & Tourism Association, i.e. the highest representative of Fiji's dive industry. He is also a Director of Matava and in that incarnation, he has been instrumental in making Fiji Shark Free. Stuart is acting as our web- and spin-master, and having him help us behind the scenes is a phenomenal asset indeed!
And then there is Nani, Arthur and our new marine scientist Chris of BADs conservation brand SRMR that will be assisting in a thousand ways when it comes to keeping up the daily dialogue and coordination among the participants - and yes, yours truly will just sit back, continue hiding behind his computer and rant about others as always! :)

Please also check out our partners.
These are the people who are contributing money, or money and lots of passionate work like Samantha Whitcraft of Shark Savers. Sam is the indefatigable! driver of Shark Savers' Sharks Count program and as such, she has been an invaluable team member who has contributed money, leadership and know how but above all, an inordinate amount of work.
Then there are the pillars of reliability and generosity when it comes to sponsoring Juerg's research (blog here!) in Fiji, the unequaled Shark Foundation and Save our Seas Foundation.
And finally, there is Ocean Soaps, a division of Punjas who already greatly assisted in the Butterflyfish Count.
And I also want to mention the great photographers and friends who have donated images!
Thank you all!

And how about you?
If you so wish and decide to come to Fiji in April, you can partake in the first nation-wide Shark count anywhere!

To do that, follow the instructions here.
And before the usual geniuses start whispering that this is just about BAD making a buck: we have been counting Sharks since 2003 and thus your contribution would be most significant elsewhere! As the dive ops and resorts will start confirming their participation, the list of participants will grow and I urge you to go and help them and not us, always by mentioning that you're coming for the Count!
You can then always book a couple of Shark dives at the end as a treat and reward - and if you prove that you've taken part in the Count, we'll throw in a little something extra for you, how about that! :)

Now to be precise.
The aim is not to find out how many Sharks there are in Fiji!
For that, one would have to try and mobilize everybody everywhere, something that is impossible and would be fraught with immense costs, immense logistical problems and a staggering margin of error!
The aim here is to do a first random sampling and to then regularly repeat the exercise in the same locations. This way, we would be able to establish a first baseline and the starting point of long term monitoring via so-called transects (i.e. your dives, snorkeling excursions and even game fishing trips) which is an excellent scientific tool that will enable us to eventually detect a trend.

And the practical application?
As an example, should the Shark Sanctuary eventuate, the trend would provide for a confirmation (or lack of) of its effectiveness and thus be a great educational tool for policymakers. And should the Sanctuary not eventuate, I fear that the trend will document the rapid decline of Shark stocks and the absolute necessity of immediate conservation measures.
But that is then and it will take several years to make those statements, especially considering the fact that the vagaries of the ENSO will add a good amount of variation and unpredictability, like they have done to our own Shark data.

So, please, give it some thought.
I know it's sort of short notice: but it's cool and fun and above all, it's good solid and innovative science!

See you in April!

BAD Stuff!

Sorry no rants this week! :)
We're incredibly busy with a shoot and all the other stuff, so there's simply no time for lengthy opinion pieces and especially, for collating all the required documentation.

Anyway, we're being asked about our achievements.
Having put together a short fact sheet, I thought that I might as well share it with you. This has obviously been a team effort, with Andrew and the staff going out and actually doing the work whilst I continue to hide behind the computer desperately trying to become famous by making others look bad, or whatever.
So there.

Beqa Adventure Divers is a dive operator based in Pacific Harbour that specializes in offering encounters with numerous species of Sharks.
Since their inception in 2004, they have been pursuing an agenda of pairing tourism with research, conservation and cooperation with local communities at the grass roots level.
Their various conservation and eco-tourism initiatives are too numerous to enumerate and can be viewed here.

Achievement highlights are

• 2004 establishment of Shark Reef Marine Reserve, Fiji’s, and quite possibly the world's first MPA dedicated to Shark conservation and Shark research, this in close co-operation with the then Ministry of Fisheries and the qoliqoli owners.
  A user fee goes to the qoliqoli owners, the village of Galoa, in exchange for not fishing there. Marine park levies since disbursed to the village total over FJD 150,000.00. A youth program provides for education and sustainable income by training unemployed youth to become dive professionals. So far, all successful candidates have been subsequently hired by BAD. Fish wardens trained in cooperation with the Department of Fisheries ensure enforcement of the fishing ban.
  Furthermore, BAD pay voluntary reef fees to Wainiyabia village on Viti Levu, Rukua village on Beqa Island and Yanuca village, this in order to have them partake in the benefits from the dive industry.
  We are also sponsoring numerous research projects that have already resulted in a whole list of scientific publications, many of which can be viewed here.
  


• 2006 establishment of the Fiji Shark Corridor, a 30 mile no-fishing zone for Sharks on the southern coast of Viti Levu which comprises the complete qoliqoli of Deuba, Wainiyabia and Galoa villages, for which a further levy is since being disbursed.


• 2006 AON Excellence in Tourism Award, Diving


• 2009 development and coordination of Fiji Shark Conservation and Awareness Project, Fiji’s contribution to the International Year of the Shark, the only such national event world wide and Fiji’s first national Shark conservation campaign.This project was supported by the vast majority of Fiji’s dive operators, NGOs but also interested Government Departments.
  BAD also produced Fiji’s first Shark conservation PSA

• 2009/2010 drive for the Shark Free Marinas Initiative together with Matava, where Fiji remains one of the foremost participating countries with 24 adherents.
  


• 2010/2011 Mangroves for Fiji.
  This is a world first aiming at offsetting one’s carbon footprint by sponsoring the planting of mangroves, a critical and endangered habitat and an excellent carbon sink.
  As of September, 2011, we are the planet’s first completely carbon neutral dive operator, this after sponsoring the planting of 330,000 mangrove trees. Open to anybody, this is also Fiji’s first and only local carbon offsetting program.
  The program also makes us a major contributor to the Fiji Department of Forestry’s 1,000,000 tree initiative. Currently we are planting more mangroves to offset the carbon footprint of our clients traveling to Fiji, again a world premiere. The project has been conducted in cooperation with numerous local Fijian communities and individuals all across the country that have been paid an aggregate sum of approx FJD 30,000.00 and thus earned a sustainable income on top of being educated in ecological awareness. The list of mangrove planters can be viewed here.
  


• 2011 Beqa Island Trips.
  Once again, this initiative focuses on creating sustainable income and ecological awareness at the grassroots level. BAD have sponsored the training of snorkeling guides from the two villages of Naceva and Naiseuseu on Beqa Island and are now conducting regular trips to the island where tourists can conduct guided snorkeling tours in a locally managed MPA, enjoy a meke and lovo and buy local handicrafts. This is providing for sustainable income for two villages where previously there has been none.


• 2012 initiated The Great Fiji Shark Count.
  This is the first national Shark count anywhere in the world and it unites the tourism industry, Government and various NGOs. The purpose is to create a recurring tourism attraction but more importantly, to start long-term monitoring of Fiji’s Shark, Ray and Turtle populations in order to collect long-term data and thus facilitate the optimal management of these precious resources. The first count will happen this April, followed by November and after that, twice yearly in the following years.


• 2012 Kutoa Community Impact Award for Best in Green Economic Development


• 2012 AON Excellence in Tourism Award, Sustainable Tourism
  

BAD only employs Fijian nationals and earns and re-invests all its cash flow in Fiji.
Our contribution to Fiji’s economy in 2010 has been approx FJD 1m in direct and an estimated FJD 3m in indirect revenues from the ancillary tourism businesses like airlines, accommodation, restaurants, tours, souvenirs, etc., and we expect to reach similar results in 2011.

We have been mentioned in countless print and video media by the most prestigious quarters and have helped put Fiji’s eco-tourism and Shark diving, an important niche product, on the global map.
Our shark diving blog enjoys global recognition.

There you have it!

2009 - Fabulous!

Well, the International Year of the Shark has ended.

It has been a huge success and you can read about all the initiatives it has spawned in this nice wrap-up on the CNN iReport site.
Kudos to Ila, one of the initiators together with our friend The Sharkman, for having posted it there. Congratulations and Thank You! to both of them for having come up with this brilliant grassroots initiative!

For us, the IYoS has sparked a flurry of activities, foremost of which coordinating Fiji's very own contribution, the Fiji Shark Conservation and Awareness Project.
We were able to unite the who's who of Fiji's conservationists and eco-friendly operators behind one terrific common cause for which Valerie Taylor graciously agreed to act as the patron and which thanks to the endorsement by the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, became the centerpiece of the hugely successful 2009 FIHTA Dive Fiji EXPO.

Under its auspices, many supporters held Shark Awareness Presentations, there were lectures, a poster, a line of apparel and a DVD and many more local and individual initiatives, like the establishment of a Shark conservation group by our friend Tafa.

There were also many pro-Shark articles in the local press, among which this piece by Maggie Boyle in Wansolwara and this terrific feature by Jone Kalouniviti in Fiji's premier lifestyle magazine MaiLife.

Our co-operation with Jone and Fiji's award-winning media star Stanley Simpson also led to the airing of two terrific pro-Shark documentaries on MaiTV, first this first-hand testimony focusing on the necessity of protecting Fiji's Sharks,


you can watch the following 3 clips right here and on the following page

and then, this report about our work on the Shark nurseries in Fiji's rivers, featuring an impassioned and touching plea by Rusi for their protection.


Part 2 here.

Finally, we also produced Fiji's first-ever pro-Shark PSA featuring Fiji's very own Shark Man, our unique and unequaled Rusi.
Once again, our gratitude goes to the Shark Foundation and to PADI Project AWARE for their generous sponsorship, and to Imraz Iqbal of Niuwavemedia for his brilliant editing. I sincerely hope that they're as proud of the end result as we are!


English version here.

Niuwave also set up our brand new website.
It obviously will always be work in progress as we never cease to expand our research and conservation, to refine our procedures and to log an ever increasing number of Sharks - but we will do our utmost to always keep it updated and we invite everybody to familiarize themselves with its contents before booking a dive with us.

The other Fiji-wide initiative we were intimately involved in, was the Fiji contribution to the Shark Free Marinas Initiative where we took on the task of rolling it out throughout all of the Beqa region.
Spawned by the good people over at Shark Diver, it was taken up and coordinated locally by Stuart Gow of Matava. The Fiji contingent now numbers 21 participating marinas and game fishing operators and is very much on track to its ultimate goal, to have Fiji become “the first country to be proud to announce itself as a ‘Shark-Free Marinas’ Country”.
Kudos to Patric, Luke and Stuart for this epic achievement!

Talking of putting Fiji on the map, we were featured in countless international reviews and worked on some stunning film projects, one of which, BBC's South Pacific, aired to rave reviews.
We also very publicly refused to participate in a particularly nasty production for Discovery but were alas not successful in preventing its airing during this year's Shark Week. What amounts to a personal failure however seems to have triggered some positive consequences as we have been literally swamped with requests for A-listed pro-Shark programs, many of which are set to be aired to world-wide audiences in 2010.
The Blog continued to be popular, opinionated and controversial and we are now also on Facebook and a new member of Mark's brilliant iDive Sharks.

The research projects continued unabated.
The latest fish count yielded more than 420 species and when it comes to Juerg's Bull Shark Tagging Programme, the principal focus slowly shifted away from Shark Reef and towards our work in the rivers. And like always, Juerg just kept on cranking out papers, this time about Ecotourism and about one of the techniques we deploy when tagging the Sharks. And I know that there's several more which are currently being peer-reviewed, so keep watching this space!

And what about Beqa Adventure Divers?
As anticipated by Patric, after five years of BADness, 2009 was our best year ever.
Over 4,000 intrepid sharkaholics, reef divers and students braved the adverse circumstances and found their way to our humble abode in Pacific Harbour, allowing us to expand our staff to fifteen and to disburse over FJD 30,000 to our partners in the various villages in line with our Fiji Shark Project. And not only that: most of our dive gear has been replaced and both Hunter and Predator now run the low-emission Yamaha 150s. And yes, after many announcements, as of February, we shall be finally offering Nitrox!

Yes, that's a whole lot of links!
Dear friends, co-activists, readers, business partners and valued customers: Vinaka Vakalevu!
We all look forward to an equally fabulous and inspiring 2010!

The Great Fiji Shark Count - Launch!

Here's the official letter to the Fijian tourism operators - details later!

Introducing a Fiji–wide tourism promotion for the month of April 2012

Many of you took part in the Great Fiji Butterflyfish Count in 2008 and 2009, with great success. We are now promoting a new international promotion for the Fiji Islands which will draw attention to Fiji’s excellent marine environment.

The Great Fiji Shark Count!

Full details are available on the website www.fijisharkcount.com, but here is the concept in a nutshell:

Any and all resorts and water-sports operators can take part. This is aimed at guests who are fishing, snorkelling, using glass-bottom boats or SCUBA diving. You can use it as a promotion of water-based activities to existing guests, or as a sales promotion for the month of April.

During ANY of your normal fishing, snorkel, glass-bottom boat or dive trips, guests (and staff we hope) will be asked to record any shark, ray or turtle sightings and fill in a simple form. It’s a fun activity for guests of any age.

Results will be put together by volunteer scientists, and publicised on the website, in reports on Fiji’s reef health, on international websites such as www.globalsharksurvey.com and SharksCount, and marketed at international tourism shows.

We will provide identification and promotional materials with pictures of the sharks, rays and turtles to be recorded, for you to use as part of your build up. You can use these as a pre-activity briefing or even build it up as an activity in its own right.

We will also provide website materials and a registration package that you can use to promote your resort to your own travel retailers, and on your own website. You will also have access to international promotions and be listed on the website www.fijisharkcount.com.

We have put this together FREE OF CHARGE as a national promotion for the Fiji Islands, to enhance Fiji’s identify as a source of pristine coral reefs and natural beauty, and to contribute to the first ever baseline count of sharks in Fiji.

This event is designed to raise awareness of Fiji’s amazing marine environment, and to strengthen Fiji’s national identity in the minds of holidaymakers. If you like this promotion, we intend to have it annually, or more frequently if there is demand.

To register to take part and to get more information, contact us at Shark@FijiSharkCount.com

Follow us and link to the event on:
www.FijiSharkCount.com
www.Facebook.org/FijiSharkCount
www.Twitter.com/FijiSharkCount
www.Gplus.to/FijiSharkCount

World Oceans Day - Ocean Championship!

And I cite.

Today is World Oceans Day! 
ARE YOU AN OCEAN CHAMPION?

At Shark Diver, we receive a lot of inquiries from individuals looking for opportunities to help in the area of shark or ocean conservation. There are so many ways to apply the diverse amount of talents out there that people possess. So this year, we decided to show our support for those who are making a difference toward protecting the oceans we love and their inhabitants, by awarding them with the experience of a lifetime!

Today, on World Oceans Day, we officially begin the Ocean Championship, a competition for conservationists of all ages who are working to preserve anything and everything ocean related.
Your focus could be saving sharks, saving dolphins, protecting coral reefs, cleaning the beaches, or bettering the ocean in general. What is your passion? Social media awareness is nice, but it doesn’t always get the job done. We are looking for enthusiastic, motivated, and driven individuals who are working hard to make a direct impact. Are you working with legislators to enact protection laws? Are you working with businesses to reduce or eliminate plastic usage? Are you planting mangroves? Have you started a major ocean/beach cleanup effort? The sky is the limit. We want to know how you are making a difference. Do you know what you’d like to do, but just haven’t put your idea to work yet? What are you waiting for? Get going! We want to hear from you.

Here’s one example of conservation efforts at work: Beqa Adventure Divers created a national marine park called the Shark Reef Marine Reserve through their bull shark diving operation in Fiji. Regular surveys and fish counts are conducted in an effort to help in the long-term survival of endangered species. Their findings led to the expansion of a vitally protected area now called the Fiji Shark Corridor which runs approximately 30 nautical miles along the southern coastline of Fiji’s beautiful main island of Viti Levu.

Yes, some efforts take a lot of time. 
And yes, some efforts take a lot of money. But many major efforts begin with just one thing. Love. If you love the ocean and its incredible inhabitants, let’s see what you can do or are doing, so that generations to follow will be able to love it too.

This competition will yield two big winners!

Winner number 1, picked by Shark Diver, will receive a 5-day inclusive Great White Shark Diving Adventure at Guadalupe Island, Mexico where you will cage-dive with great white sharks! No SCUBA certification is necessary. Spend 5 days with Shark Diver’s owner learning about the magnificent great white shark, which finds the volcanic island of Guadalupe a mating ground and plentiful food location.

Winner number 2, selected by our sponsor Beqa Adventure Divers, will win a shark adoption through their My Fiji Shark shark adoption initiative, plus a full week of diving at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve in Fiji to ‘meet’ their shark. (SCUBA certification required)

Both are unique and unforgettable experiences!

Get inspired! Do something! Stop talking about it and take action… be an Ocean Champion!

Shark Diver hopes to make this an annual event. Good luck!

CONTEST RULES:

Ocean Championship is open to any individual to enter.
All submissions must be sent to oceanchampionship@gmail.com.
Entries are subject to being published on SharkDiver.com and FijiSharkDive.com and/or all participating sponsor’s social media pages or websites. Finalists will be asked for verification of all documents submitted and may be asked for references for contact. Airfare to and from San Diego/Fiji is not included.

Enter by May 1st, 2020.
Winner will be announced on World Oceans Day, June 8th, 2020.

So there.

When Martin contacted us with his stellar initiative, we were more than happy to contribute. As detailed above, the winner of our prize will be selected by us and receive

• A free adoption of one of our Shark Stars through our My Fiji Shark initiative, and


• One week of diving with us.
  This usually comprises 5 days of two-tank diving in the Shark Reef Marine Reserve and two days of two-tank coral and/or wreck dives. Diving is FOC but exclusive of the daily Marine Park Levy of FJD 25.00 and the cost of any rental gear or other extras like Nitrox fills, etc.

Having said that, there is a high probability that as time progresses, we will announce further perks and prizes - so keep watching this space!
As to what we like and want to reward

• Obviously, Shark conservation!
  But please, something tangible on the ground and not merely the dreaded raising awareness by posing for selfies and posting dreadful home videos, or misguided petitions for finning bans and the like! And no, contrary to what some quarters would have you believe, petting, riding and otherwise molesting Sharks is not Shark conservation - especially not in bikini!
  What we are looking for are initiatives that actually reduce Shark mortality to below sustainable levels - e.g. read this!


• And because the Sharks cannot survive if we fish away their prey and obliterate their habitat, we'd also like to see more holistic projects like implementing effective sustainable fisheries management or the establishment of well-enforced MPAs, etc - but please, spare us the fashionable but misguided fads!


• And please, show us the track record even if what you do is still work in progress and there is only partial success - but mere breathy announcements do not count!

There you have it.

Wishing you the very best of success - and hopefully, see you next year in Fiji's first National Marine Park!

To be continued!

 

Great Fiji Shark Count - a Message from Helen!

And talking about the GFSC.

Helen Sykes our irreducible GFSC manager has just issued the following statistics - click on the pictures for detail!

Results of Three Years of the Great Fiji Shark Count

 April 2015 

Over the past three years, dive operators across the Fiji Islands and their diving and snorkeling guests have been recording their Shark, Ray and Turtle sightings over the months of April and November. Thanks to those dedicated divers, we now have some interesting facts to share about Shark populations in Fiji.

The data is analyzed by the number of Shark/Ray/Turtle sightings recorded on every dive by every diver who takes part. This is called number of sightings per observation. Because there are usually many divers on each dive, we have thousands of observations every month.

We have separated dives where feeding was carried out from those where no feeding was done.

From a very enthusiastic start in April 2012, the number of participating dive operators has dropped to our reliable core team, representing operators on Viti Levu, Beqa, Taveuni, Vanua Levu, the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands, and the Lomai Viti / Vatu-i-Ra area. We'd like to thank those operators who have stuck by this project and worked hard to get the data to us in a useful format!

Even though the number of dive operators has decreased, the number of dives and of observations (every diver who takes part makes one observation per dive) has remained in the thousands, with the highest total of 4,278 observations in November 2013.

Highlights:

There have been some unexpected and exciting sightings recorded over the past three years.

• Guitarfish, previously very rarely recorded in Fiji, have been regularly seen on sites along the Coral Coast. 
• A Leatherback Turtle was seen during a dive (a very rare occurrence) in the Yasawas in November 2014 
• Schooling Hammerheads have been regularly recorded on a dive site on the South Coast of Vanua Levu 
• Mobula Rays have been recorded in the Pacific Harbour/ Beqa region and also in Namena, south of Vanua Levu 
• Tahitian Rays (Himantura fai) were recorded in the Yasawas 
• Hammerheads and Guitarfish have only been recorded on non-feeding dives 
• Rays and Turtles are more common on non-feed dives than on baited feeding dives 
• The most common sharks seen on baited feeding dives are Bull, White Tip Reef, Grey, and Black Tip Reef Sharks 
• Some sharks species, including Bull, Grey Reef and possibly White-tip Reef Sharks, exhibit seasonal patterns of higher and lower numbers, which are probably related to breeding behaviour. 
• So far no significant decrease in coastal shark populations has been seen, good news for those of us fearing that shark-fin fishing was continuing to damage shark stocks, but we can only confirm this one way or the other by continuing these surveys over the long term 

Non-Feeding Dives:

Over the years, across Fiji, divers have seen an average of 1.22 to 2.03 Sharks on every dive, plus one Ray and one Turtle every 5 to 10 dives. Shark sightings varied year by year, but the general trend appears stable or slightly increasing. Ray and Turtle sightings appear to be very stable.

Baited Dives:

You, our Contributors!

Continuity of data is vital if we are to make our case for Shark Conservation, and we'd like to recognise and thank our contributors, especially those who have been with us from the start, and continued every six months. Others have joined us recently, and are welcomed to the ranks. 

Here is our honour list: 

Six Counts 

• Beqa Adventure Divers 
• Nai'a Cruises 
• Dive Tropex Tokoriki 

Five Counts 

• Waidroka Bay Surf and Dive Resort 
• Lalati Resort 
• Taveuni Ocean Sports (Nakia Resort) 
• Dive Tropex Tokoriki • Wananavu Dive 

Four Counts 

• Taveuni Dive 
• Dolphin Bay Divers 
• Koro Sun Dive
• Reef Safaris - Barefoot Island 

Three Counts 

• Matava Eco Resort - Mad Fish Dive Centre 
• Wakaya Club and Spa 
• Viti Watersports 
• GVI - Global Vision International Two Counts 
• L'Aventure Cousteau Dive Centre 

One Count 

• Pacific Harbour Fishing Group 
• Paradise Taveuni 
• Volivoli Beach 
• Reef Safari - Shangri La Fijian Resort 
• Castaway • Adrenalin Watersports 
• Captain Cook Cruises 
• Storck Cruises 
• Reef Safari - Crystal Blue 

Great job Helen, Vinaka vakalevu!

Some ulterior comments from my side tomorrow!

Nani - Birthday Interview!

Bless our Nani - the more as today is her birthday!

I've just found out that she has been interviewed by the FT.

Well what can I say.

YES there are strong indications that Sharks are continuing to be killed indiscriminately throughout Fiji, and that the Shark fin trade continues to flourish. 

But NO I don't think that the recent November Great Fiji Shark Count will be any proof of the above! The above is illustrated by the statistics (likely under-reported) about Fiji's Shark fishing, finning, and Shark fin trade, by observations throughout the Pacific and by local observations right here in Fiji.

But not by the GFSC - at least not quite yet!

Remember, the GFSC is the start of long-term monitoring and only several years worth of data will allow us to detect trends. Short-term, there will be an overriding influence of seasonal factors (e.g. within the SRMR there are always many Bulls in April and very few Bulls in November) and of pure and simple chance, meaning that we cannot really make any authoritative statements at this point in time.

And to be crystal clear.

The GFSC is not part of the current Fiji Shark protection campaign. 

It is an autonomous initiative by the tourism industry, researchers, Government Departments and selected NGOs that specifically does not involve the leadership of the failed Shark Sanctuary campaign.

I'm sure you understand! :)

From what I hear, Government is currently working on a NPoA Sharks. 

We will submit opinions (= that any Shark fishing needs to be sustainable etc) if asked to do so; and we shall share the data in due course, meaning later and only once they are statistically significant.

But not now - not publicly - not in this rather misleading way.

Loud & clear enough for you?

Great Fiji Shark Count - last Day!

Nice article in the Fiji Times!

I had to laugh out loud when I read the descriptions of this month's Great Fiji Shark Count by Helen and our Nani: encouraging and interesting signify that alas, much of this month has been affected by the floods and then, the really horrible weather and that as a consequence, many operators in the Coral Coast, the Mamanucas and the Yasawas have only been able to properly unleash in the past week or so. But having said that, feedback from the other islands has been stellar and of course Pacific Harbour will contribute a plethora of sightings.

Among them, this totally unexpected find.
We saw it from the boat off Frigate's Passage right under the surface, and due to its spectacular coloration, the ID is pretty much unequivocal, the more as I've seen heaps of them in Cocos.
Check it out, here from the Azores - what a beautiful animal!


But I'm digressing as always.
The next week is devoted to obtaining all the sighting reports from the participants and then Helen and a gaggle of volunteers will embark on the tedious task of analyzing and formatting everything before passing it on to Christine. Expect a first informal analysis at the Dive Fiesta and a proper review in a few months.

Once again, thank you so much to the partners and sponsors.
The latter are are, in no particular order, the Shark Foundation, Ocean Soaps, Shark Savers, Save our Seas Foundation and yes, also the Shark Reef Marine Reserve which is the conservation brand of BAD.
And a huge thank you to Helen, Christine and Stuart - and to Nani, too!

So here's to the GFSC 1.2 in November.
Le roi est mort - vive le roi!

Great Fiji Shark Count in the Fiji Times!

We got Sharks! Bull City by Ozzie Sam!

Thank you Fiji Times.

And thanks and kudos to Nani!

This is excellent pro-Shark media - with one small correction: the Great Fiji Shark Count does not try to establish a population census, it monitors population trends over hopefully several years, with this year's two counts establishing a first baseline.

And the trend is already negative.

Please read the Fiji Times article here.

Great Fiji Shark Count - Takeoff!

Or so I thought!

Reality has been slightly different.
Today we had plenty of rain - but no power, no water except from what was pelting down, and no diving because all of our customers were either trying to get in, or trying to get out!

But yes, officially it has begun.
At latest count, we have approx. 50 participants and I really wonder whether anybody has been brave, or crazy enough to go out and count? Anyway, the Great Fiji Shark Count is a month-long event and I'm sure that the data will be coming in fast and furious as soon as the weather clears up - by my reckoning, latest by Thursday!

Keep watching this space!

Adopt a (Fiji) Bull Shark - now live!

Finally!

This has been a lot of work.

So first and foremost, thanks (I think) to the indefatigable Samantha for setting impossible time lines and whipping everybody into frenzied action, and big kudos to Jennah Caster and Natalie Torkelson for having pulled it off - ahead of time!

And yes, big thanks to the various other donors!

You can find all the details here.

In essence, this is a two-month funding drive for the Sharks Count citizen science project by Shark Savers, and for the Great Fiji Shark Count where BAD and Shark Savers (and especially Sam) play a prominent role. These are important conservation and research initiatives, and the funds will contribute to maintaining them for many years to come, with zero money spent on fluff and needless bureaucracy.

Please go and check out the Indiegogo page.

Every donation helps - really!

On a personal note.

It is really nice to see some of our Bull Sharks featured in this way. It may be nothing but anthropomorphizing fluff - but over the years, we have developed a special affection and we believe, a special understanding for the quirks of some of our unique characters of rogues, and the plan is to release the descriptions of the Sharks that are up for adoption over the course of the next few weeks. Incidentally, these are not just any Bull Sharks, they are Fiji Bull Sharks - bigger, more badass and way cooler than those puny Sardines in the Caribbean!
We actually like this so much that we may be tempted to then extend and expand this initiative after the completion of this drive, hopefully again with Shark Savers, and continue to use any funds for promoting good Shark research and conservation including the GFSC - but this will frankly depend on everybody's personal work loads and at this stage, it is more of a vague plan rather than a certainty.

So please give now, generously.

And enjoy the perks whilst knowing that you're doing something meaningful!

And one last remark.

Whilst Shark Savers may want to celebrate Shark Week, we expressly do not. 

We will never promote that shit as long as the network continues to contract Gurney and ABC4 for their Shark porn, deceive its audience and celebrate the strangling of Lynxes and the shooting of Bears. It is  everything we despise, and we shall not have any part in it, directly or indirectly!

Just wanted to make that crystal clear.

But I'm digressing as always.

Great initiative, and fingers crossed that it will be highly successful!

That of course will depend entirely on you!

2012: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Part One!

Not this year's Picture of the Year, see below - but I found it cute! Source.

Here we go again!

2012 has come and gone and what remains are the results - good and bad!

For us at BAD, it has frankly been a rather mixed bag.

The principal good news have been: several awards, the principal one being the totally unexpected AON Award for Tourism Sustainability that acknowledged our years of hard work and perseverance; the devising and successful rolling out of the first two installments of the Great Fiji Shark Count; our new Nitrox setup that has been a great personal relief; and finally, reaching 1,500 blog posts - tho one has to seriously question whether this is really "good news" or merely proof of masochism!

And above all, we're still standing: the bills are paid, the staff have a secure job - and most importantly, the SRMR is thriving and delivering data for research, and sustainable income to its stakeholders whilst remaining a safe haven for its Sharks!

But unfortunately there have been really bad news, too.

The passing of my friend Ron has left me absolutely devastated; and the failure of the Fiji Shark Sanctuary Campaign, see part two of this recap, has been a major, albeit not totally unexpected disappointment.

But like I said last time, this is really not about us.

Is is about others - and here is the first batch of the infamous nominations! :)

But first a caveat.

This is a blog reflecting personal opinions - not Journalism!

Thus nobody here is claiming that this is the Truth - whatever that may mean in this sharky context! I do make an honest effort to learn about and convey the latest scientific insights when posting about biology and research, to the point that much gets vetted by selected researchers - but otherwise, I actually pride myself for saying it like I see it: strictly subjectively, in a highly opinionated way and completely devoid of political correctness both in content and in style - and let's be frank: that's why you read this blog! :)

Also, keep in mind that I'm posting from a remote island smack in the middle of the Pacific, and I thus raise no claim of even remotely seeing, let alone knowing everything! So if anybody should feel that I may have overlooked him or others, bear with me: I may not have noticed or may have forgotten.

Or I may simply not care - for that cause or for that person!

So without further ado!

The Good

Warning!

Even this section will contain some mild criticism - live with it!

1. Track back: reconfirmed

Please consult last year's introduction.

I stand by what I said there

This year's conservation posts have once again focused on the very same issues and generally reaffirmed and refined some of the same general principles.

With one addendum I am really passionate about.

When it comes to fisheries management, I strongly believe that we need to abandon  the old and largely failed approach and instead, that we must finally invoke the precautionary principle in all of its ramifications - seriously, the bloody procrastination must stop!

This includes acting preemptively wherever there is overfishing, this by drastically reducing quotas and in the case of Sharks, by enacting bans and establishing sanctuaries; and by demanding that the burden of proof  be reversed, whereby it would be up to the the fishing industry (and the trade) to come up with substantiated proof that their activities are fully sustainable and legal - much like a good old fashioned environmental impact assessment that has become so ubiquitous whenever anybody wants to tamper with nature on land!

And at the same time, I equally advocate helping to establish a premium market for sustainably caught Sharks - meat and fins alike!

Too far out there and too controversial?

Again: please do peruse the links and if you believe that rationally (= as opposed to emotionally), this is a fallacy, tell me why - but should you agree with my standpoint, please do spread the word!

Yes it won't happen tomorrow - but it will happen if we keep talking about it!

And now to the line-up!

I must once again say, I largely stand by last year's nominations - but of course that was then and in some cases, things have obviously changed.

So there - are you ready?

• The Pew Environment Group's Global Shark Campaign remains the most impressive Shark Conservation Org.
  
  This is largely due to their awesome achievements in helping establish a further string of Shark sanctuaries, namely American Samoa, the Cooks (! - see below) and Kosrae, and in having been very much at the forefront in the enactment of  new Shark protection measures in Venezuela, in the European Union and at the WCPFC. And yes they may have been involved in more and yes I may have forgotten some - Angelo?
  And they once again scoop the Best Shark Conservation Resources nomination as their reports remain simply the best, e.g. this one!
  
  But it sure has not been all smooth sailing!
  The fishing industry has caught on to their MO and is fighting back vigorously by casting doubt on the effectiveness of those measures, and stupid commentators are gobbling up and propagating that disinformation. This has been one of the major contributors to the Fiji fiasco, see comments in part two.
  And on a strictly personal and probably terribly subjective note, I do bemoan the departure of Matt and accordingly, I sense a lack of leadership and at the same time, signs of unproductive picomanagement; and I just cannot get myself to like what I perceive to be the increasing populism (= dumbing down) of their outreach via the social media.
  
  And yes I shall certainly leave it at that!
  It is certainly debatable and ultimately, who am I to say - the results speak for themselves, and this despite of those real or perceived pewculiarities!

• The Shark Savers have continued to be simply brilliant.
  
  You can check out their yearly recap here.

Love the patrol boat: so much good for so little money! And I want to once again thank them for their invaluable support of the GFSC where I must commend the indefatigable Samantha  for having made a tremendous contribution! Thank you!
And then there is of course the terrific Manta Ray of Hope project, see below!

• Same-same for One World One Ocean!
  
  Check out their website and also their Facebook page - stellar stuff!

• Stefanie Brendl!
  
  We've finally met and I now like her even more!
  As always, she is working hard behind the scenes. I'm not in a position to divulge details - but do expect something real cool in the not-too-distant future!
  But this year, the title of Most impressive individual Shark Conservation Advocate goes to somebody else - and I'm quite certain that she would agree with my choice!

• The Manta Ray of Hope project remains the best Elasmobranch Conservation Initiative - by far!
  
  Scroll down this list of blog posts and you will see that the outreach has been simply awesome - this owing to the tireless efforts of my personal hero and sounding board Da Mary, of Shawn  who keeps cranking out fabulous media but also thanks to people like Lydie Couturier or Simon and Andrea of the Foundation for the Protection of Marine Megafauna - and many others like Sarah Fowler who I hear has co-authored the CITES proposal!
  Like I said then, this is as good as it gets, especially since the project reunites all the very best in that field!

• The outreach by Neil Hammerschlag and the RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program remains my favorite, however with the Heithaus Lab a close second - I think!

• What about last year's Most promising Shark Conservation Newcomers?
  
  David has really done himself proud, especially with A  Ray of Light but also his terrific PSAs The Sanctuary and Love Sharks Love Fiji. He is still desperately trying to finally get a major break but he has certainly not been sitting idly but instead, continued to stack the chips in his favor with a new production company, upcoming new websites and shortly, new attempts at marketing and crowd funding. And thankfully, there have been a few jobs allowing him to pay for the bills on the way.
  But he deserves better - so please, if you should be mulling a shoot and are looking for a brilliant all-in-one movie maker: do think of him!
  
  And the others?
  I see that Christine is still with Neil and trust that she is behind some of his stellar media outreach; but I frankly don't quite know what she is currently doing - but whatever it is, I wish her well.
  Same for Madi Pip - however she is off my list. As an example of alas many, check this out - that's not something I would ever want to be seen endorsing in so many ways! I'm sure you understand - and if not, wait for part two!
  Yes I'm frankly disappointed!

• Best Shark Facebook Page: Shark Savers
  
  Once again, a difficult choice - but that (and the Shark Year Magazine, see below) is the ressource I inevitably find myself consulting when I want to inform myself about the latest conservation- and research-related Elasmobranch news.
  
  Shark Defenders on the other hand has shifted towards more and more populism, see my comments above under Pew. Alas - but then again, that's just my personal perception.

And I reiterate what I said then about the BBC (obviously!), Shark Year Magazine, Elasmodiver and of course Doc who doesn't need any further accolades to be the undisputed Grand Mufti of Shark Behavior and one of my very favorite people on top of that!


2. New Winners and New Categories

• Most impressive individual Shark Conservation Advocate: Mary O'Malley.
  
  She's gonna hate me for this because like the vast majority of real conservationists including her predecessor Stefanie, she has no interest whatsoever in standing in the limelight but prefers to shine through her achievements instead of her announcements and self promotion. But let there be no doubt that whenever something is really good, she has likely had a hand in it!
  Among several others, one of her most recent projects is Manta Ray of Hope, see above - and if the Mantas will have any chance at this year's CITES convention, it will undoubtedly be the result of her tireless work and networking where once again, I discern no ego but instead, nothing but the genuine wish to reunite and motivate others to pursue a common goal in the most efficient and effective way.
  
  And I want to say this: it's about bloody time for some public accolades!
  No not this poor little laudatio on an obscure Shark blog, nor this truthful and loving hommage by Stefanie - I'm talking about something major, some Shark and Manta Hero award or the like! DaMary gets nothing - but the Boo Boo keeps getting nominated?!?
  C'mon you award folks - do something!

• Most impressive Shark Conservation Achievements, ex aequo: Cook Islands Shark Sanctuary and French Polynesia Shark Sanctuary.
  
  Just awesome!
  I did not at all expect the declaration by French Polynesia - and knowing how rigidly the French manage these matter in their DOM-TOMs, this will incidentally result in the exact opposite of a SINO, this also owing to the vigilance of the dive operators and the researchers of the ORP!
  
  And in view of all the alleged shenanigans, I was of the firm opinion that the Cooks were a lost cause - so huge kudos to its visionary president Henry Puna, to Pew but also to Steve and Jess of PICI  - details here!

• Best Blog Posts on Shark-related Issue: the coordinated Deconstruction of the infamous Oxygen Myth.
  
  I must say, I'm mighty proud of this effort!
  And it has been loads of fun, too - to wit here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here! Simply brilliantly epic!
  And... have we been successful in eradicating that stupidity?
  Check part two! :)
  
  And i did love love love Cristina's posts on the Shark Savers community pages!

•  Most promising Shark Conservation Newcomer: Michelle Wcisel
  
  I have no clue whether she's to be considered "new" - but I've only caught on to her this year.
  And I must say, I like what I see - and so will hopefully you once you explore the links, including those of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust where she works!

• Ocean Hero of the Year: Tony Burke, current Australian Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
  
  This is the guy who has had the courage and the vision to establish what could well be the largest network of contiguous MPAs in the world - and this against the stiffest political resistance. Backbone and Leadership in politics - stuff the Americans can only dream of! 
  Bravo! 
  
  But Harold Martin of New Caledonia is certainly a close second! 

• Best Conservation Org: Pew Environment Group
  
  Check this out - bloody impressive!
  Not really convinced about the part about Rio+20 where I once again had the impression that nothing tangible was achieved - except, of course, for the decision to reconvene = further millions spent on junkets and a further stupendous incremental carbon footprint!
  But again, that would be me and I've frankly stopped caring.
  On the other hand, the list is just awesome!
  
  Would there be anybody else coming even remotely close?
  Maybe the ubiquitous WWF, or CI with their tremendous Seascapes? Or the fantastic IUCN that achieves so much - and this silently and completely collaboratively?
  Maybe - but for 2012, I stick with my choice!

• Best Elasmobranch Papers, ex aequo:  Neil on Tigers, Heithaus on Shark Bay,  Mantas and Coconuts and of course (!), the Fiji Shark Diving Paper and the Fiji Bull Shark Poster!
  
  Each of those is brilliant in its own way - read them!

• Best Shark Book: Domeier on Great Whites
  
  When it comes to GWS, this is really the bible, with each chapter being a peer-reviewed paper by the most eminent GWS researchers. Don't talk GWS biology if you haven't read it - and you can get it cheaper here!

• Most inspirational Visitors, in no particular order: Le Didier, Stefanie, Tanya, Samantha, ozzie Sam, Lill, Stephen and Takako, Cristina, Demian and Debra, Jaap and Taryn (you know who you are!), Lucia and Andre - thank you!

    My deepest apologies to those I may have forgotten - it has been a very long year and my faculties of recollection have become somewhat fuzzy!

• And a special h/t to you RickMac for being so sharp, erudite and witty, and for what you do for our oceans - truly you are one of our unsung heroes!

• Special Thanks to you Doug and Emily for always having been there for Ron and Val;  to you Gary and Brenda, for always being there for us, and to you Juerg , for the always stimulating excellent cooperation – would you believe it, 10 years now! To you Drew, Nani, Papa and Rusi, for so many fabulous years of loyal friendship and adventure!

3. Not nominated

• Blogs - both about Sharks and about marine topics in general
  
  This is a tough one as I continue to peruse many of them, especially those in the Blog Roll on the side bar. But, I am sensing some widespread fatigue that echoes my own - see the very different monthly counts in the Blog Archive that reflect my work load (turns out that retired really means re-tired) but also, my faltering mojo!
  Yes SFS cranks out the occasional brilliant post like here; yes DNS publishes the occasional epic rant against the latest pseudoscience; yes the Monster continues its valiant fight against climate change denialism - but I sure miss the randalierende Wolf and Patric's incisive sharkasm!
  And then, there's the competition by the one-liners on the zillion FB pages and by those tweets - and the frustration at the seemingly unstoppable creeping progress of the Dolphinization of the Shark Movement.
  The question is, are we merely preaching to the converted in some global circular echo chamber whilst being overrun by that deluge of truthiness and idiocy - and if so, should we be investing our time more productively on other projects?

• Other Media - journalism, pics, television and  movie.
  
  Nothing truly extra-extraordinary has caught my eye - probably my fault for not having paid attention!

• Best Shark dance
  
  Does the Nureyev of Shark dancing continue to dazzle the masses? No idea!
  But above all: eagerly awaiting news of the dance-off with Angelo!
  
  

Phewwww.... that's it I think!
And now, over to the infamous Part Deux!
I'm currently multitasking and honestly drowning in urgent stuff - so bear with me if it'll take a while, as it's gonna be long.

But it's gonna be interesting!
And that's a promise! :)

PS: Dang I've forgotten one - again!
So there: granted, that was late in 2011 - but still!

• Best Shark Sculpture: Victor's Fiji Bull Shark - magnifique!

PS2: Time Danaos et dona ferentes!
In case you thought that being nominated here is good - think again! Public praise by DaShark might just be the beginning of your demise! :)

PS3: Wolf here!

PS4:  Check out Part Two, Part Three and Part Four!