Shark Conservation in Fiji - this Time with 50% more Shark!

Roughing it in paradise - source.

Indeed.
Life as a volunteer is hard!

Projects Abroad - Actions speak louder than Words!

Source.

This is yesterday's news bulletin.
Watch the two segments at 14:00 ff.

See what I mean?

You can continue wasting even more time and resources on more experts, more committees, more reports and more conferences - or you can go out into the field and actually DO something!

Bravo - I'm proud of 'ya!

Shark Conservation in Fiji!

Source.

Cute!

So this is what they do.
Enjoy!

Shark Volunteer in Fiji!

Source.

And here's another one!

My name is Viktor Hesselberg- Thomsen. 
I am 19 years old, live in Fredensborg and graduated buzzer 2013. In my gap year I came to Fiji for six weeks with the organization Projects Abroad to work on a project that aims to protect and conserve sharks primarily here in the South Pacific . We do this by collecting data to hajforskere , develop educational material about sharks , and to train local people in our neighborhood about sharks.I have always been fascinated by the sea and the animals that live in it. When I saw this project , I had to simply join me . I pushed the plans I had at the start of the new year, and wrote me up for the project.

After 35 hours of travel I arrived in this amazing country with a very friendly locals .  
In the project we are 20 volunteers, and the age difference is great. There are about ten , which is between 17 and 25 years. The rest are somewhere between 26 and 63 years. Although there is huge difference in age and background between us is really good atmosphere in the group and I have made friends all around the world.

Two to three times a week we'll go diving .  
Here we collect data by counting how many and which sharks we see. We also an underwater camera with a feed box . In addition, we develop training materials or game / play ( involving sharks) , these we use when we are once a week take off for a school or a local village to give sharks a positive ' image ' of the people especially the children. We also try to catch baby sharks to take DNA samples and to cause them a ' tag ' that makes it easy to follow them.
 
Once a month , we take a dive center out and watch them feed the sharks. 
Here we have 40-45 bull sharks swimming around , you see how easy and elegant grabs tuna heads , as they are fed . This is one of the best experiences of my life , and along with the rest of the project and unity with the other volunteers have it pushed to my view of sharks and the world at large. I really think that those who get the opportunity to see sharks in the wild , must seize it ! 

Viktor diving with sharks in Fiji.

There you have it.

So, what are you waiting for!

Ingrid!

Behold!

Is this lady fucking awesome or what!
Here she is doing her thing.

That was a few years ago.

Now Ingrid works as Operations Director and Conservation Manager at Projects Abroad where she also doubles as their in-house Shark specialist. It is she who has developed next year's awesome volunteer program - and it is also she who will personally oversee it in Fiji!

How much better than that can it get!

Interest so far is has been crisp.

There are now not one, but two dedicated Facebook pages featuring the usual mix of Shark advocacy, education and activism - not really my fare but hey, it is what the social media people appear to love! All I can promise is that the project proper will be excellent, rock solid science and conservation under the auspices of world-class Shark researchers.

So, what are you waiting for!

Shark Conservation and Research in Fiji - new Volunteer Program!

Our new partners in crime! :)

And now, to some really great news!

Behold!

Projects Abroad has just unveiled their latest, and I may add, greatest program and I invite you to check it out here.

I say, awesome!

This has been quite a process.

We've been pondering and negotiating about this for a very long time indeed as we wanted to make absolutely certain that our involvement would result in good science enabling us to further expand on our ongoing conservation projects.

In practice, that meant 

• obtaining the cooperation and oversight of reputable researchers, along with adequate funding
• formulating relevant research projects instead of the all-too-common volunteer fluff
• putting into place a stable local long-term project management structure where we would retain an important role in terms of project oversight and leadership
• ensuring adequate accountability in terms of progress, timeliness, budgetary discipline, communication etc, the lack of which has so often fatally crippled similar ventures, especially in the SoPac
• and last but by no means last, avoiding any undue interference by any of the usual outside interests!

All of which I'm happy to say has been achieved!

Projects Abroad have been nothing short of stellar.

This is largely due to the Project Manager who brings to the table the rarest of combinations, i.e. a profound knowledge and passion for marine conservation paired with rock-solid project management skills, business sense and pragmatism. And, she's a dive instructor and highly experienced Shark diver with years of experience working in our industry! How much better than that can it get!

She will be in Fiji supervising the logistical setup and initial implementation of the various projects, and we could really not have asked for a better partner!

And the projects?

More will be revealed in due course - but in general terms, here's what we will be focusing on, this in parallel with the GFSC and in view of eventually helping to formulate robust data-based Shark conservation plans

• Bull Sharks: nurseries, early life stages from riverine to reef-dwelling, reproductive and possibly natal philopatry, parentage analysis, population assessments, etc

• MPAs: long term effects on Elasmobranch abundance and species composition

In addition, notable activities will consist in

• Mangroves: continuation and expansion of MFF - where incidentally, excellent new developments are looming!

• Shark and marine conservation outreach

• eventually, cooperation with selected tertiary education institutions, NGOs and even government entities - when and where appropriate and mutually beneficial

Long story short?

If you're interested in making a hands-on contribution to cutting-edge and important Shark research and marine conservation projects under the guidance of some of the word's leading experts (!), this is the program for you - and this pretty much regardless of your previous experience as there will be a useful role for everybody, from total newbie to fully fledged university graduate!

Incidentally, this is not an alternative to the High School and College summer programs with our long-term partner Broadreach where activities are centered around attending Shark courses and diving within the SRMR, and vice versa!
Where theirs is education within the framework a summer camp, this is about partaking in ongoing research and conservation projects where activities are not centered around the SRMR - but don't worry, you will be given the opportunity to do a bit of epic Shark diving as well! :)

So, what are you waiting for!