Sharks Demystified!

Source.

Nice video!

No I'm not gonna comment as it is pretty much self-explanatory.

Pew in general and my pal Rick in particular are doing remarkable work in the Caribbean, and I wish them godspeed and heaps of success!

Just this.

I had to smile at the interviews with the fishermen.

Once again, here's your proof positive of who, exactly, conditions and attracts Sharks!

But I'm digressing as usual.

Enjoy - great job!

FSM Shark Sanctuary - two!

Source - bravo Timbo!

Well well.

Leo Falcam Jr. does not like to listen to expert opinions.

Interesting. Where I come from we say, la gallina che canta ha fatto l'uovo - but that's, possibly, besides the point.
 
The point is that maybe he should.
Maybe, had the Office of the President been a tad more receptive and professional, the sanctuary legislation would not have been such a fiasco. Maybe, the FSM President would have been spared the embarrassment of proudly announcing that Micronesia's livestock would henceforth be fed with the likes of shredded Whale Sharks, Turtles, Dolphins, Albatrosses, Mantas and the like, and that it would be the fishermen's patriotic duty to procure them.
I mean, seriously, what were they thinking!

Yikes!

Because the experts had warned them.

An anonymous benefactor has shared this remarkable document - click for detail.

See?
This is really as good as it gets.

All I did bemoan is there, and then some: the need for an explicit fishing ban, the problems with the mandatory bycatch provisions and also the observation that the final legislation differs considerably from what had been announced - even the fact that it is in direct contradiction to the national Shark sanctuaries, something that had escaped me!

So WTF has happened?

Of course the FSM are a sovereign entity that can legislate whatever they want provided that it is legal - which incidentally, this probably is not. Maybe they did change their mind and did not know how to tell - but if so, were the member States consulted before this policy reversal?

Yours truly however smells shenanigans, likely some nefarious special interest (WESPAC is apparently well ensconced in Pohnpei) that has managed to torpedo the whole exercise at the eleventh hour.
Or was it merely abject incompetence?

Leo? :)

Leaves this problematic press release.

No, sorry, stating that the measure prohibits the commercial fishing and trade of sharks and rays and their parts is simply not true, and it is grossly misleading the public. Having observed the pewculiarities of that org and noticed the degree of pico-management whereby nothing is being said let alone published without multiple vetting, and where transgressors are being summarily executed regardless of rank and past achievements, this is definitely not the proverbial "unfortunate misunderstanding" and as such, it is highly disappointing. I understand the diplomatic need to make the best of a bad lot - but an outright lie?

So Pew, it appears, are having their own PIPA moment.

Yes it's rather embarrassing - but to the gloating NGOs I say, beware of glass houses and stones!

Like in the case of the PIPA that is now apparently fully implemented and holding (! - yes, and my prediction was wrong!), this can be turned into a win - so how about instead of sniping and god forbid, penning public letters and other stupidities, you earn your salaries and work on solutions instead!

Plus, those NGO wars are simply pathetic.

Instead of engaging in those petty tribal wars (notable exception, since he is being explicitly mentioned: Ian Campbell of WWF!), how about remembering that there are many paths towards the goal of reducing Shark mortality. I can understand that the fact that Pew do not need to go begging and generally do whatever they please is making others look ineffective by comparison, and is generating a lot of envy - but let's face it, they are very good at what they do, and their continued successes are impressive!

Plus, those sanctuaries are certainly not the final solution, either.
IMO they are merely indefinite Shark fishing moratoria, stop-gap solutions that need to lead to other, more holistic approaches - which Pew is incidentally already tackling via its Global Ocean Legacy projects!

Yes having disproportionately fished away the predators, it is OK to selectively protect them - but of course, species protection does not work in the long term. Shark populations cannot be expected to thrive as long as we continue to obliterate their prey, destroy their coastal nurseries, and boil and pollute their habitats to smithereens; and the Mantas will have no chance if we don't stop acidifying away the Plankton.

Right?
Remember the principal issues?

Plus, fishermen got to live, and those ever-increasing legions of people got to eat, too - especially considering that at least in theory, seafood is a renewable resource!
 

I hear that smarter minds are already looking into that.

There is talk about a mix of 30% mega-MPAs (which IMO appear only possible in non-populated areas, or places that are highly dependent on tourism like Palau) and 70% managed fisheries - and if so, there is ample scope for everybody to cooperate and at the same time, to go absolutely nuts on one's preferred solution!
As long as the populace feels adequately represented by snowball-throwing clowns, the task at hand is hard enough without those pathetic internecine fights - and yes that would be ME talking, but contrary to YOU, I'm not being paid for doing the right thing! :)
So be nice to each other!

Anyway.

Yes I'm certainly digressing big time.

The issue at hand is obviously, how to correct this abject PR fiasco - and I'm very confident that like me, you're equally really looking forward to act two! :)
 
So, to paraphrase poor maligned Ian, here's to this not being seen as "job done", but as "job started"!

To be continued no doubt!

 

Micronesia Shark Sanctuary - Bycatch Retention?

Source.

I gotta be careful with this one.

So, first things first.

Huge congrats to Pew, the Micronesia Conservation Trust and a plethora of individuals and smaller orgs for having assisted the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia, and President Mori in finally passing the "Shark Bill" that establishes the Micronesian Shark Sanctuary. Together with the sanctuaries in the Marshall Islands, Guam, the Marianas and Palau, this represents the largest area of shark protection in the world.

But this press release irritates me, and I cite.

Importantly, the new law also allows all types of by-catch, in addition to sharks, to be utilized in the future. This provision alone has the potential to help boost the economy, while at the same time create a new industry for the local production of livestock feed, which should cut down on the import of livestock feed and create job opportunities.

Really?

The announcement years ago stated that the sanctuary would make it illegal to fish for sharks and outlaw the trade in shark fins, this release states that the law includes the prohibition of possessing, handling and selling of shark and shark fin in all of FSM’s Exclusive Economic Zone, and the Shark Defenders educate us that a shark sanctuary is a national-level fishing regulation established through decree, legislation, or regulation amendment, which bans the commercial fishing of sharks throughout a country’s full exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

And the reality, i.e. the "Shark Bill"?

I've gone digging and have found it here.

I've read it more times than I care to count and I still cannot find any explicit Shark fishing and/or trading ban. Instead, the way I read it and assuming this is the entire, final document (is it?), it does not explicitly ban the fishing of Sharks (and if so, can this be called a sanctuary?) but only mandates that if any Shark is caught alive, it must be returned to the sea alive whereas dead Sharks may not be discarded but must be instead landed whole, thus outlawing finning. And if so, at least according to what I can see, any "legal" by-caught Shark and its parts including the fins can then be possessed and traded freely.

Or am I missing something here - maybe a subsequent regulation or the like?

Here's the good news.

By mandating that all Sharks be landed whole, it is assured that managers are able to assess Shark mortality and possibly enact better management measures; and the wire leader ban offers some degree of protection against incidental bycatch.

But is that "bycatch" really gonna be accidental = unwanted?

If the FSM establishes that livestock feed industry, it will require a regular supply of by-caught Sharks and Fishes - meaning that the fishermen will be incentivized to ensure that all Sharks are being caught dead, and to lie by claiming that all landed Sharks were caught dead even when they may have been caught alive.

Yes the wire leader ban offers some degree of protection - but this only in determined situations and with determined species, see e.g. here. Plus, there's those deadly purse seines and gill nets, there are those Shark lines, soaking times can be extended to make sure the Sharks drown - in brief, there is plenty of scope for shenanigans.

And to make things worse, there will now be legal and illegal Sharks and fins that look identical and that will make enforcement practically impossible.

Long story short?

Like I said, I gotta be careful as I may have misinterpreted the document, or there may be other provisions I ignore - but if this is like I unfortunately suspect, then matters are far from ideal and the legislation presents titanic challenges.

For this Bill to result in an effective reduction of Shark mortality, there would have to be a) an explicit ban on targeting Sharks, b) a fin trading ban, to remove the biggest economic temptation, c) further reaching bycatch mitigation measures and d) full observer coverage on all vessels in order to reduce cheating.
Regarding the latter, the reality is that whereas observer coverage in the purse seine fishery is good, that in the longline fishery is dismal, see here, with no significant improvement in sight.

I trust this is not simply a cold blooded exercise in BS - but still, this smells like somebody has taken his eyes off the ball whilst at the very last minute, some fisheries interests have smuggled in language that will effectively torpedo the whole exercise. With all the above caveats - this is not even a SINO, this is just simply not a sanctuary to begin with!

Not impressed, sorry.

Or am I missing something here?

Chuuk - brilliant!

Chuuk has enacted a Shark Sanctuary.

Huge congratulations.

Now the Micronesian mega-sanctuary is factually, albeit not yet legally complete - that is, unless those bastards at WESPAC succeed in repealing those Shark protection measures in the American territories.

Have you acted?

If not: here's some motivation!

Recognize the Sharks? :)

Pew: bravo, well done!

Big Shark Meeting in Fiji!

Very cool.

Details here.

Kudos to Pew and CORAL for having organized this, and to Fiji for hosting it!

Pew - more Sanctuaries in the Offing?

Possible Pitcairn MPA - four times the size of the UK!

Something's brewing!

Yes once again that would be Pew.

I just had a conversation with a fellow activists about those Shark conservation orgs, and why IMO Pew continue to stand head and shoulders above the rest: because they are fact and consensus based and pursue policies, MPAs and Sanctuaries that translate immediately into less Sharks being killed which in my book is the only metric for success.

Now it appears that we're in for some more victories.

Experience tells me that with the infamous exception of Fiji, once they go public, negotiations are already well underway and the deal is essentially all but done. So behold Bermuda and Panama - and Pitcairn that will further close the Pacific to Shark fishing, and further point to us as being the odd man out.

Enjoy the video!

Best Job in Shark Conservation - encore!

Here it is - again!

Now to be perfectly clear.

From everything I've seen, it is not one of those all-too-frequent posh position for CEO salaried twats in air conditioned offices. Deliverables, timelines and accountability are merciless, and that person's private life will clearly have to play a subordinate role, especially considering the frantic travel schedule I see those folks engaging in.

But of course, if you care for Sharks, this is epic.

I trust that I need not enumerate the now countless successes of this team both nationally, regionally and globally - and if you got the mettle for leadership and selling it to the powers that be, you will be the one formulating the next strategies and initiatives.

Which reminds me that I still very much miss Matt!

So - do you have what it takes?

Wishing you the best of luck!

CITES - Victory Lap!

Pew - job well done! Source.

Just one of the many victory laps, by people I like.

This is the one by my good friends at Shark Savers, whereas I could not yet find one by Pew (and by extension, Shark Defenders) who have run an immaculate, professional and highly impressive campaign.

The others? Honorable mention to PADI Project AWARE, the IUCN, the WWF, the Shark Trust and probably Shark Advocates International tho in the latter case, reports of personal bickering about the Manta Ray proposal have left me decidedly underwhelmed.

And the SRI? I hear that they were as useless as a third teat - and no I'm not surprised!

But I'm digressing as always.

The fact is that this has been simply stellar and huge kudos once again to everybody involved!

But... it's not done quite yet.

Like the BBC, I fully expect Japan and China to pull out all the stops in order to sink this at the plenary session this Thursday, and the pro listing advocates will have their hands full in countering the likely pressure, disinformation and outright lies. But maybe with the exception of the OWT, the majorities have been so impressive that chances for a reversal appear slim - tho it aint over til the fat lady sings!

Fingers crossed - and kudos again!

Jess about the Cook Islands Sanctuary!

PICI Programme Manager Jess Cramp secured shark protection support from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit to the islands last August - source.

Great post!

That's how you do it.

I'm still quite amazed at them having managed to pull this one off as for a while, it really looked like the Cook Islands would bow to the near-overwhelming pressure by important foreign fishing interests. This has required dogged perseverance, community support, smart legislation and a little help by some friends - and 100% passion!

Kudos again!

Biggest Shark Sanctuary in the World!

Source: Shark Defenders

Congratulations Pew!

I was sure they would not pull this one off.

Google Luen Thai Cook Islands and you will discover the saga of a huge Chinese fishing conglomerate taking Cooks Islands civil servants on junkets, engaging in exploratory Shark fishing and what have you - a long list of real or alleged shenanigans, and a formidable adversary of any Shark conservation measures.

But better heads have obviously prevailed.

The Cooks have announced their Sanctuary, and together with French Polynesia, American Samoa and Tokelau this is now a huge protected corridor in the SoPac.

Kudos!

And Fiji?

Nada de nada - like, alas, the rest of Melanesia!

And before you ask: no at this stage there is no hope for improvement.

Kosrae - excellent!

Diving in Kosrae is renown for its pristine coral & huge schools of Barracuda - click for detail. Source.

Bravo!

Kosrae is the first of the four FSM States to establish a Shark Sanctuary.

As the Article by Pew and the video explain, this is the first step in establishing a huge regional Sanctuary all across Micronesia.

And I must say, I really do like the video!

Great interviews - and plenty of footage from the Best Shark Dive in the World! :)

Kudos, again, to the team of Pew for having pulled it off!

Enjoy!

And because they certainly deserve the tourism income.
Here is the newest video by the Kosrae Chamber of Commerce.

The Shark Show!

Tony de Brum with Ratu Manoa in Suva - source: Fiji Sun.

I'm still inspired by today's Shark show.

Wame did a brilliant job.
Personable and charming as always but above all, incredibly well prepared, he knew exactly where he was going and interviewed his guests with intelligent, informed and relevant questions. Jill of course was her usual stellar self in eloquently developing a coherent, pragmatic, science- and fact-based case for the need to protect Sharks.

But who really did blow me away was Senator Tony deBrum.
The words that come to mind are Leadership and Vision - and this not only because he has been one of the key architects of the Marshall Islands Shark Sanctuary, but also because he appears to be a key player within the impressive PNA, and because of many of his other initiatives and some of his more private statements.
Very, very impressive indeed!

But of course I'm once again digressing.
DeBrum is uniquely positioned in being able to describe the effects of a strict and highly enforced Sharks Sanctuary which in essence amount to higher revenues from fishing licenses, higher revenues from the sale of Tuna and an enforcement regimen that is already more than paying for itself. In brief, smart conservation can be good business, too!
He also convincingly explained why a full, rather than a partial ban is the most efficient and effective solution, and certainly the cheapest to enforce.

The discussion then focused on the situation in Fiji.
I spare you the details about the minutiae because really, they are ultimately irrelevant. It really matters not who exactly catches exactly how many Sharks where, and for which reasons, and whether they are true bycatch or targeted, whether they are finned or not, and whether they end up as Shark fin soup or steaks or stir fry or in the lovo.
What matters is the fact that Fiji is exporting a huge amount of Shark fins and that various observers are reporting a sharp decline in Shark numbers in the wild.

The take-away message is ultimately this.
If there is one thing that defines the Pacific Islanders as a people, it is the Ocean.
For centuries it has been their home, shaped their culture, provided for their food, determined their daily life and in modern times, it has been the principal driver for the establishment of a vibrant tourism industry in many Pacific island countries. It is not by coincidence that the region is called Oceania, and its people are truly People of the Sea.

And now that Ocean is under attack.
The principal hazards are Anthropogenic Climate Change and Ocean Acidification; Overfishing; Habitat Degradation; Pollution.
Many are not caused locally but are the direct consequence of the reckless behavior of the most developed nations, and of Asia - and there, all we can aspire for is some form of smart adaptation that is especially crucial for the smallest and less elevated island states.
But reducing our own contribution to Habitat Degradation and Pollution is certainly possible!

And we can certainly address Overfishing!
Much of it is perpetrated by the same more developed nations that having exhausted their own resources, are now attacking Oceania with their distant water fleets. And let there be no doubt that despite of their rhetoric and development aid, they simply do not care but will grab what they can and then move on to greener pastures, and leave us to confront the long-term consequences.
To witness, keep an eye on the Cooks where a large Chinese fishing conglomerate is already embarking on test fishing after having treated several key fisheries officials to lavish junkets to China!
And, we must even start to manage the small scale fisheries as populations continue to grow - whilst the fishing grounds do not!
Yes it is difficult and fraught with political considerations - but this is our ocean and the obligation to nurture and protect it is ours alone!

And the Sharks?
They are the one crucial element that keeps a balance in the Ocean.
Contrary to the bony Fishes, they are essentially a non-renewable resource that needs to be protected now, as long as stocks in Oceania are still in relatively good shape when compared to the catastrophic situation elsewhere.
We simply cannot afford to procrastinate because once they are gone, our Ocean will not be healthy anymore.

And without a healthy Ocean, the islands will lose everything.
Their beauty, their food supply, their tourism and ultimately their unique culture and way of life. Look around - in some places, this is already happening.
Think about it.

Anyway, great show with great people!
Wame - can you please have it posted to YouTube - if you do, this will be seen by millions and FBC will be famous all over the world - and you, too! :)

Pew - new Bible!

According to trade data from the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong, 83 countries exported more than 10.3 million kilograms (22.7 million pounds) of shark fin products to Hong Kong in 2011 - click for detail!

Kudos, once again, to Pew.

Someone there has been working really, really hard.
The result: the most comprehensive compendium of Shark management and conservation measures to-date. Navigating Global Shark Conservation Measures: Current Measures and Gaps is a remarkable feat of meticulous research and when coupled with the other excellent resources by Pew, it offers all the information and arguments every Shark conservationist should dispose of.

Executive Summary here, full report here - synopses here and here.
Or article here - the Bull is Nani, pic by Vitaly.

Required reading for everybody!

Best Job in Shark Conservation, period!

With Matt sadly leaving, his position is being advertised.

If you care about Shark conservation, this is as good as it gets.
As amply proven since 2010, Pew got the clout, the money and the know how to affect policies at a global level and whoever will take on this position will be truly in the driving seat of what has been the most effective Shark management and conservation initiative ever.

But, you sure gotta bring heaps to the table.
The advertisement is here and it contains a whole array of unequivocal prerequisites that will quickly filter out the chaff from the wheat - one thing is certain, passion and activism alone will certainly not fly!

But if you got what it takes, go for it!
Best of luck!

The Fiji Shark Diving Paper - excellent Media!

Our Bulls - worth millions to the local economy!

Great outreach by Pew!

Having checked, the Fiji paper is all over the global media.
Here in Fiji, it has made the Fiji Times twice: in this short piece where I was particularly happy to find a statement of support by Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association president Dixon Seeto; and in this article where Helen once again points out the current decline of Sharks in Fiji and the absolute need to protect them right away.
One thing is certain: FJD 75 million in fully sustainable yearly revenues from tourism are certainly not something the Nation wants to ever put at risk!
Correct?

And whilst I was rummaging, I also found this.
It is about my recent Shark talk and I must say, it is nice to see one of Fiji's most prominent conservation NGOs post an objective report.

Vinaka!

PS one more Fiji Times article here!

Shark Diving in Fiji - here are the Numbers!

Shark diving - not only fun but extremely valuable, too!

Well it was about time!
After keeping it a closely guarded secret, Pew have decided to finally publish the study they commissioned last year and I must say that I am impressed and also mighty proud!

Executive Summary

We quantified the economic revenues generated by shark diving and the distribution of these revenues to the principal local stakeholders involved with the industry, including businesses, government and local community.

Shark-diving contributed US $42.2 million to the economy of Fiji, a sum composed of revenues generated by the industry combined with the taxes paid by shark-divers to the government.

This estimate was based on self-administered questionnaires designed to collect information on the costs and benefit of the shark-diving industry. We conducted the study in August/September 2011 and distributed questionnaires on the islands of Viti Levu (including the islands of Nananu-i-Ra and Beqa), Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Kadavu, the Yasawa and Mamanuca groups. Questionnaires were answered by 289 divers, 18 dive operators, six resort managers (surveyed at Pacific Harbour and Coral Coast only), 14 dive guides and nine local subsistence fishers from villages that regularly received payment from shark-diving operators for the use of the reef of which they are the traditional owners.

We took a conservative approach to all calculations in order to reduce the risk of over-estimating the value of shark-diving to the Fijian economy We calculated the economic revenue of shark-diving to Fiji based on three key pieces of information:

• (1) Total number of divers visiting the country and the proportion of tourists engaged in dive activities from the Fiji International Visitor Survey 2009

• (2) All expenditures of the divers visiting Fiji primarily to engage in shark-diving activities(“dedicated shark-divers”) as revealed by our surveys;

• (3) The expenditures of divers who visited Fiji for reasons other than diving with sharks, but chose to engage in shark-diving while in the country (“casual shark-divers”) as revealed by our surveys.Expenditures of these divers were allocated as the proportion of their trip spent shark diving, rather than for their entire visit.

In 2010 we estimated that approximately 49,000 divers were engaged in shark-diving activities in Fiji accounting for 78% of the 63,000 divers visiting the country. Dedicated and casual shark-divers accounted for 24% and 54% of all divers we interviewed respectively.

The shark-diving industry contributed US $17.5 million in taxes to the government, a sum composed of corporate taxes from shark-diving (US $11.6 million) and the direct taxes from shark-divers (US $5.9 million).

A minimum of US $4 million was generated annually by shark-diving for local communities. This revenue consisted of salaries paid by the industry to employees (US $3.9 million annually) and community levies paid by dive operators to traditional owners in villages for access to reefs (US $124,200 annually). Employees of the dive industry were predominantly Fijian (13 of 14 dive guides who responded to surveys).

Community levies from shark-diving have played a significant role in promoting the conservation of reefs through systems of traditional ownership.

Viti Levu hosted the largest number of dedicated and casual shark-divers (17,000) with Pacific Harbour accounting for around 50% of the shark-divers, or approximately 8,600 tourists. The Mamanuca/Yasawa group also hosted a large number of shark-divers (11,000) while Vanua Levu/Taveuni hosted approximately 3,600. Kadavu had only 17% of divers identified as casual shark divers and no dedicated shark-divers interviewed during our survey.

Shark-diving generated approximately US $10.2 million on Viti Levu (63% of business revenues from diving) and US $3.2 million (40% of the business revenues) in the Mamanuca/Yasawa groups.

Yes I'm obviously biased.
But having witnessed the enormous effort and acribic number crunching of Gabe Vianna and Mark Meekan when they came to Fiji to collate the data I say, this is as good as it gets - and the real figures are probably even higher!
As a reminder, here is our own back-of-the envelope calculation for the contribution by BAD, once again probably too conservative.

Plus, this only looks at Shark diving.
Like I said e.g. here, I personally believe that the value of Sharks extends far wider, by preserving the health of Fiji's marine habitats and thus having a crucial importance for not only tourism in general but also local fisheries and the well being of our coastal communities.

You can find the entire paper here.
Required reading!

Fiji - two PSAs!

Shark Tourism - an important niche product in Fiji!

Enjoy!

Matt, Thank You!

Matt doing what he does best, rallying global leaders behind the cause of Sharks

It is with great sadness that I hear that Matt Rand is leaving Pew.
Matt is one of those rare conservation people that combine leadership, vision, unassailable knowledge and meticulous attention to detail with the exact right amount of gut and passion and consequently, he has been one of the most effective advocates of Shark conservation with a track record that is second to none. This bio is likely to disappear, but Stefanie has posted a real nice little hommage which I invite you to read here.
And yes, on top of it, he's a real nice guy, too!

Here he is speaking from the Bahamas, one of his most spectacular successes.



Pew will be greatly diminished by his departure.
Their Global Shark Conservation Campaign does unite some excellent people and we can look forward to more great successes, some of which, I hear, may be revealed in the very near future. But at the same time, I equally have no doubt that Matt's vision and leadership that have been crucial in driving the past achievements will be sorely missed, not only at Pew but within Shark conservation in general. Whoever will be his successor will have some mighty big shoes to fill.

To Matt I say, Thank You and Godspeed in your future endeavors!
We all miss you already!

#7 on the List - nice!

Yes these would be 3m Bull Sharks - click for detail!

Thank you Angelo Taotao Tasi!
Taotao Tasi is Chamorro and means People of the Sea - and he is, both.

He is also the Senior Editor of Shark Defenders.
They have just posted Conservation's Top 10 Shark Dives and the Fiji Shark Dive in the SRMR is one of them.

Surprised?
Check this out - plus, Fiji is currently on the list of potential future Shark Sanctuaries, courtesy of the Fiji Government, Pew and CORAL. And the tag line that regularly has people up in arms? Scroll down all the way to the bottom here!

So, what are you waiting for!

2011: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Part One!

Shark pic of the Year!

So there.
2011 is slowly petering out, the shop is closed so that the staff can enjoy a well deserved rest and I’ve got some spare time on my hand – so brace yourselves for a lengthy recap of 2011!
You have been warned!

This time, it’s not gonna be about BAD.
Thanks to our clients that have once again visited us in record numbers, we did very well indeed – and so did Shark Reef where biodiversity continues to increase and where once again, we recorded a record number of Bulls - and it ain’t over yet: from what we can already see now, we will very likely witness a further increase in 2012!
As of September 1st, we are also completely carbon neutral after having sponsored the planting of 330,000 mangroves, very likely a world first – and again, this is just an intermediate step as we’re currently planting more in order to offset the carbon footprint of our clients!
Finally, we’ve again met some wonderful new people, many of which researchers, and are involved in several ground-breaking projects that will hopefully come to fruition next year.
Keep watching this space!

But as I said, this post is not about us.
2011 has been an exceptional year for global Shark conservation and outreach. It has also seen the continuation of the usual shenanigans.

And without further ado – 2011 as seen by DaShark!

The Good

This is the easy part.

But lemme first tell you where I’m coming from here.
The way I see it, the only metrics for effective Shark conservation is that less Sharks are being killed, full stop. The rest is just fluff and we shall talk about it later.

Having now been involved in Shark conservation for close to a decade and having seen the varying success of various approaches, I remain firmly of the opinion that regardless of the anger at seeing the all-pervasive global slaughter of Sharks, the only winning strategy when advocating Shark conservation is to remain strictly fact-based, pragmatic and willing to compromise.
Successful conservation is always the result of negotiations where we are asking others to enact pro-Shark legislation - and whereas sometimes popular support (and thus petitions) may help, the arguments must never the less be rock solid. Never forget that legislation can as easily be repealed – and it will if the arguments supporting it are proven to have been fraudulent!

By the same token and very much like the science it is based upon, Shark conservation remains always in flux and is evolving rapidly based on the latest science but also on the success (and the failings) of the latest conservation initiatives.
As an example, legislation has evolved massively in 2011 as the forces of evil have shown considerable cunning in exploiting loopholes and otherwise circumventing the law, and as it has become painfully evident that the best legislation will always remain completely toothless unless it gets adequately enforced. The latter requires considerable resources for capacity building, monitoring and prosecution that must be an integral component of any such initiative in developing countries.

And one last thought.
As the global recession is far from over, 2011 has seen a further shrinking of the resources available to research and conservation. With that in mind and because the Shark fin industry is supply limited, we need to prioritize our resources and invest them where the Sharks are being killed - and yes, like an old broken record, I'm repeating myself - and will continue to do so, over and over again!

Anyway, here is the list.

• Most impressive Shark Conservation Org: The Pew Environment Group's Global Shark Campaign.
  
  I must confess that for once, I’m quite at a loss of positive attributes here. I was going to painstakingly try and enumerate the many achievements but thankfully, they have done so themselves. Far from the huge bureaucratic overhead of the established NGOs, this is but a tiny group: but its members are smart, dedicated and extremely hard working individuals who know how get the job done and who like in the real world, operate under a strict regime of deliverables, deadlines and accountability. And no, they don't achieve their success by throwing money at the problems as some of their pathetic detractors claim, but by being solution-oriented, strictly science-based, pragmatic and diplomatic - and thus widely accepted as valuable expert interlocutors by the powers that be.
  The strategy has been to concentrate on the supply side by successfully advocating changes in fisheries policies at national, regional and global levels.
  This is how you do it – which of course begs the question, what have all the other, bigger, more established and more vocal orgs been doing all these years!
  


• Most improved Shark Conservation Org: Shark Savers
  
  Shark Savers continues to evolve and I like where it is going, the more as I’m good friends with several of the people involved, some of which for a very long time indeed. 2011 has seen a long overdue consolidation at the top where the org is now being steered by intelligent, pragmatic and solution-oriented individuals, resulting in solid Shark conservation successes. Case in point: this year's Florida Shark protection measures where they have played a preeminent role, the stellar project Manta Ray of Hope, see below, and much along the lines of think global act local, this recent victory in the Midwest (bravo Penny!).
  


• Most promising new marine Conservation Org: One World One Ocean
  
  This is a brand new undertaking and there is thus no track record except for a stellar PSA.
  But I like the people, the pragmatic message and the mission and look forward to many successes in the years to come. The principal difference to other media-based initiatives: no personal self promotion but above all, a long term track record of getting the message across – meaning distribution distribution distribution!


• Most impressive individual Shark Advocate: Stefanie Brendl
  
  The victim of an appalling and by no means resolved witch hunt in Hawaii (check on the oldest posts), Stefanie has not given up but instead, completely re-invented herself and become one of the most respected global Shark advocates in the process. Following their ground breaking Shark fin ban in Hawaii, she and Senator Clayton Hee have successfully expanded the concept to several US territories and states. Their approach has been quiet, rational, pragmatic and science-based diplomacy instead of activist clamoring. Passionate, goal-oriented and doggedly determined, Stefanie gets the job done whilst operating in the background and leaving the limelight to others – deservedly and alas, very much not so, see Part Two.
  So here’s to Stefanie, heroine of Sharks!


• Most impressive Shark Conservation Achievement: Bahamas Shark Sanctuary
  
  Who would have thought!
  Having previously talked to literally scores of insiders about the need to protect the Sharks there, everybody was telling me that getting meaningful conservation enacted in the Bahamas was strictly mission impossible – and then Pew and the BNT (and yes: many others did help) managed to pull it off without any notable hiccups in a matter of mere months! This is a massive achievement and a testament to the quality and effectiveness of the approach by Pew and it cannot be applauded enough!


• Best new Elasmobranch Conservation Initiative: Manta Ray of Hope
  
  Although not directly an initiative by Shark Savers (or is it?), it is very much associated with them. Once again, kudos for a brilliant, important and timely project!


• Best Shark Conservation Resources: Reports by Pew
  
  Once the clear niche of Oceana of which I used to be a fan but where I am increasingly becoming critical, the reports authored by Pew are a meticulously researched treasure trove of hard facts, always up-to date science and pragmatic solutions – the latter very much setting them apart from the widespread whining and lamenting! A must-read for anybody wanting to stay abreast of modern, solution-oriented Shark conservation!


• Best Outreach in Shark Research: Neil Hammerschlag and the RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program
  
  This is how you do it.
  This is simply brilliant outreach via blog, Facebook, video and undoubtedly many more outlets, showing that Shark research can be fascinating, fun, hip and young. I remain concerned by those SPOT tags and only time will tell whether the data will somehow justify the invasive methods – but all-in-all, I really do like the people and the energy and am impressed by the passion and also by the willingness to tackle some of the more controversial aspects of Shark research.
  Well done!


• Best Shark Conservation print Media: Juliet Eilperin
  
  Juliet’s contribution to catapulting Shark conservation into the mainstream media has been invaluable. Extremely well informed and (frustratingly) balanced, she continues to crank out stellar pro-Shark pieces that directly counteract the appalling hype by the tabloids.
  


• Best Shark Conservation television programs: CNN
  
  Bravo and thank you CNN for having embraced the cause of Shark conservation with frequent, balanced and always interesting programming!


• Best Nature Programming: BBC
  
  Who else – the measure of all documentary work, the one and only, the best of the best, forever emulated and forever unrivaled and unmatched!
  Need I elaborate? I sure hope not!


• Best Shark Conservation Movie: Sanctuary: The Last Stand for Sharks
  
  So far, it appears that it has only been shown to select audiences in the Bahamas. Funded by Pew and (I believe) produced by Shawn, it combines great visuals with strict scientific data. I’ve seen it at DEMA and it is my hope that there will be a less Bahamas-centric director’s cut for viewing by a larger audience.
  Great job Shawn, I'm actually quite impressed!


• Best Shark Picture: this one, featured at the top!
  


• Best Shark Dance: David Shiffman
  
  Nobody and i mean Nobody! comes even close to David’s beautifully choreographed species-specific routines combining his dazzling footwork with exquisite artistic expression, period! Here’s to the Fred Astaire of Shark conservation - and frugal fashionista to boot!
  


• Most promising Shark Conservation Newcomers, ex aequo: Madi Pip Stewart, Christine Shepard, David Diley
  
  The common denominator: passion and a lot of talent.
  But as always, this is only the beginning. Having witnessed how other promising talents have quickly succumbed to the temptations of fame and money, or just simply lost interest, only time will tell whether these are mere blips or whether we are witnessing the start of careers that could be remarkable indeed.
  So far so great!
  


• Best Shark News Website: Shark Year Magazine
  
  It may well be an old hat but having only discovered it recently, it's new to me. Shark Year Magazine impresses by being exhaustive in covering all aspects of Shark news from fishing to strikes to the latest science.


• Best Shark Info Website: Elasmodiver
  
  Andy Murch’s Shark website is truly a treasure trove of information, often interspersed with personal and intelligent observations by the author who proves to be a true Shark expert – and this for once in a positive sense!


• Best Shark Blog: Underwater Thrills
  
  How could it be any different!
  His is the other watchdog blog and like this scribe, Patric does not shun to dabble in controversy of which there is plenty – especially if you got no patience for bullshit! The difference being, where I regularly get outraged and start firing broadsides, he retains his composure and dissects sarcastically, something which is both way more effective and also, way nastier! Whereas we sometimes disagree vehemently, we are united by the fact that we get called names by very much the same people, something I carry as a badge of honor – as I suspect does he!
  


• Best Marine Science Blog: Southern Fried Science
  
  In all honesty, this is likely the last year where I would assign the honors to them. I sense that the boyz are growing up and being kept increasingly busy pursuing their professional careers. Blogging is excruciatingly time consuming and requires staying on the ball, something very few can afford once they enter the daily treadmill. But for 2011, SFS has continued to be my very favorite marine blog, this largely to the epic posts mentioned below.


• Best Blog Posts on Shark-related Issue: WhySharksMatter on the Junior Controversy.
  
  I must say, David’s two posts here and here, and especially, the ensuing epic threads and moderation by both David and Andrew have been nothing short of stellar. This is a brilliant exercise in investigative journalism shining a cold spotlight on the Californian GW research scene - more in Part Two.


• Best Shark Facebook Pages, ex aequo: Shark Defenders and Shark Savers
  
  There is now a legion of Shark conservation Facebook pages and making a choice has been difficult. My personal criterion: whether or not they allow the Shark whacks to post their ramblings – and both these pages do thankfully not but instead, they are regularly updated and feature interesting news and causes worth pursuing.


• Most deserved Accolades: Doc becoming a featured Nat Geo Explorer
  
  Whereas it is quite impossible to overstate Doc’s contribution to Shark research and Shark conservation, I believe that his true legacy will be that he has found the time to educate and mentor a whole new generation of brilliant and equally passionate Shark researchers who are truly among the crème de la crème in their field.
  

So, have I already managed to piss somebody off like usual?
Wait til you see Part Two! :)