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We here at Beneath the Waves wanted to extend a special thanks to our sponsors, the scientists who took the time to talk with us, and you, our wonderful followers, for making Shark Week 2014 a huge success! We hope that everyone enjoyed our #sharktrivia on Facebook, our ” Science Spotlights” and that you were all able to learn something new about these inspiring creatures.

 

Sharks need our understanding now more than ever.

 
If you have a shark story consider submitting it to this year’s festival. Submissions for 2014-2015 open this September.
 
If you would like to support ocean conservation and increase awareness for the global plight of sharks, consider donating to our organization. Beneath the Waves Film Festivals screen hundreds of films a year, education thousands around the globe.
 
We hope that you can join us. See you Beneath the Waves.

in Ocean Conservation / Shark Week  by 19 Aug 2014 0 comments

Shark Week Science Spotlight: Dr. Simon Pierce

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Here at Beneath the Waves we wanted to bring you the insider scoop on the superstars of Shark Week. Thus, we elicited the help of five of our most favorite sharky scientists. Today we caught up with Dr. Simon Pierce, Principal Scientist at the Marine Megafauna Foundation and Science Coordinator for Wildbook for Whale Sharks, to tell us a bit about the shark science he is involved in, how he got where he is today, and what he thinks we can do to move shark conservation forward.

 

Simon Pierce

 
Briefly can you describe the focus of your research and the species you work on?
 

I’m a conservation biologist and population ecologist. My research focuses on gathering the information necessary for making effective conservation decisions. We look at shark population size and abundance trends, movement patterns, and identify threats. Then, by talking to the people most likely to interact with the sharks, we can come up with practical solutions.
 

Most of my work is on whale sharks, the largest of all sharks - and fish. They’re gentle giants, feeding solely on plankton and small fish. Sadly, human pressures such as fishing have dramatically reduced their numbers, so I’m trying to help them bounce back.
 
In your opinion, how can people help save sharks?
 
Directly, there are many ways that anyone can help save sharks. If you get a chance, participate in sustainable wild shark tourism, or volunteer with a credible program. Make a donation to a good not-for-profit or university. If you follow shark scientists on social media, they’ll often post opportunities to make public comments to government on fisheries legislation, potential law changes and the like. While these may seem like dry topics, making a contribution - often there’s a template to simply copy and paste - will genuinely have a positive impact. You live in a democracy, use it.
 
Indirectly, what’s good for the marine environment is good for sharks. Choose sustainably caught fish. Avoid shrimp, unless you’re 100% sure it’s from a sustainable source. Clean up a beach. Avoid using plastic bags or micro-plastics. Tuna purse-seine fleets catch whale sharks - buy pole-caught tuna instead.
 
How did you get involved in shark research and what advice would you give those interested in studying them?
 
I was fascinated with animals, including sharks, from an early age. I learnt to dive while I was in my final undergraduate year, and I was hooked. I emailed my future PhD supervisor, Professor Mike Bennett at The University of Queensland, until he gave in and took me on as a student.
 
If you’d like to study sharks, you have work to do. Solid university results is a necessary start - intelligence and motivation are assumed. If you want to be a field biologist, you’ll need experience. I’d start by looking for people conducting marine research in your local area - even if it isn’t on sharks - and making yourself known to them. If you can volunteer, perfect. The shark research community is small, and a good reference will go a long way. If at all possible, choose a university where there is an active shark research program, and make friends with the people involved!
 
To find out more about Dr. Pierce and his research initiatives, check out his website!
 

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HAPPY SHARK WEEK!

in Ocean Conservation / Shark Week / Uncategorized  by 14 Aug 2014 0 comments

Shark Week Science Spotlight: Alison Towner

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Here at Beneath the Waves we wanted to bring you the insider scoop on the superstars of Shark Week. Thus, we elicited the help of five of our most favorite sharky scientists. Today we caught up with Marine Biologist Alison Towner of University of Cape Town, SA, to tell us a bit about the shark science she is involved in, how she got where she is today, and what she thinks we can do to move shark conservation forward.
 
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Briefly can you describe the focus of your research and the species you work on?
 
My research focuses on the movement and ecology of white sharks in Gansbaai, South Africa. The work investigates the potential driving factors behind white shark presence in the region such as food and environmental parameters through telemetry and long-term boat based data collection.
 
In your opinion, how can people help save sharks?
 
Education and outreach are powerful tools for shark conservation, particularly with children who are ultimately the next generation to handle our sharks future. Supporting ethical shark eco tourism, particularly in poorer countries, can directly facilitate keeping shark species worth more alive than dead and enforce government protection. Knowledge is power, many shark stocks suffer major declines, simply because there is limited research or data available on their key life history traits. Shark research (like most marine research) is very expensive and funding limited. By supporting active NGO’s with research projects the public can help make a huge difference to the research to aid management decisions for sharks.
 

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How did you get involved in shark research and what advice would you give those interested in studying them?
 
I began working for the Dyer Island Conservation Trust as their marine biologist and guide 8 years ago. For the first 5 years I worked daily on their shark diving vessel where I spent literally thousands of hours at sea collecting data and observing the sharks! I began acoustic tagging and tracking the predator from a dedicated research vessel in 2010 and from this work I am conducting my PhD. I am very lucky to have had such support from the Dyer Island Conservation trust and Marine Dynamics shark Tours although I did work hard for it! My advice would be study hard and never let anyone tell you that you cannot study sharks. If it’s truly the career for you there will be a way. Internships offer invaluable field experience and many shark orientated NGOs offer programs these days, I would highly recommend trying these!

 

HAPPY SHARK WEEK!

in Ocean Conservation / Shark Week  by 13 Aug 2014 0 comments

Shark Week Science Spotlight: Dr. Toby S. Daly-Engel

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Here at Beneath the Waves we wanted to bring you the insider scoop on the superstars of Shark Week. Thus, we elicited the help of five of our most favorite sharky scientists. Today we caught up with Dr. Toby S. Daly-Engel, Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of West Florida, to tell us a bit about the shark science she is involved in, how she got where she is today, and what she thinks we can do to move shark conservation forward.
 

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Briefly can you describe the focus of your research and the species you work on?
 
I’m an evolutionary biologist interested in reproductive strategies, particularly from the standpoint of female fitness. I use a combination of field ecology and genetic techniques to examine these strategies in sharks. Because a lot of animal behavior having to do with reproduction is difficult to observe directly, particularly in marine animals, I apply genetic tools to these systems to uncover behaviors that we never would have known about otherwise. I also work on general topics in shark biology and conservation.
 
In your opinion, how can people help save sharks?
 
In the long term, the best way to protect any endangered marine animal is to support policies that protect the ocean environment. In the short term, stopping shark fishing is a good way to support sharks. Sharks seem fierce, but they’re actually very delicate, and recent research has shown that if you catch a shark, even if you release it alive, it will probably die from stress. If you hook a shark, cut the line as soon as possible and let it swim away. Fighting a shark on a line for any length of time is enough to kill it.
 
How did you get involved in shark research and what advice would you give those interested in studying them?
 
I’ve been fascinated with sharks since I was a little kid. I was a biology major in college, but I didn’t start studying sharks until graduate school. The best way to get into shark research is to do work your butt off in school, get through all the boring stuff you have to learn first, and then eventually you’ll get to go out on the water and do cool things with sharks. Most people who start out wanting to be marine biologists drop out because science is hard, but if you stick with it, there are a lot of amazing research opportunities out there.

 

To find out more about Dr. Daly-Engel’s lab group and their research check out their website!
 

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Happy Shark Week!

in Ocean Conservation / Shark Week  by 12 Aug 2014 0 comments

Shark Week Science Spotlight: Dr. Gregory Skomal

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Here at Beneath the Waves we wanted to bring you the insider scoop on the superstars of Shark Week. Thus, we elicited the help of five of our most favorite sharky scientists. Today we caught up with Dr. Gregory Skomal, a Senior Marine Fisheries Scientist at MA Marine Fisheries to tell us a bit about the shark science he is involved in, how he got where he is today, and what he thinks we can do to move shark conservation forward.
 
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Briefly can you describe the focus of your research and the species you work on?
 
My research centers on the use of advanced technology to study the ecology, life history, and physiology of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays). I have worked on multiple species over the last 32 years, but my most recent work focuses on white sharks in the western North Atlantic.
 
In your opinion, how can people help save sharks?
 
Shark conservation comes with an educated public. I recommend that people dispel the myths about sharks and stress the important role that sharks play in the marine ecosystem.
 
How did you get involved in shark research and what advice would you give those interested in studying them?
 
I’ve had an interest in sharks since I was very young, making every effort to become a marine biologist since high school. For those with similar interests, I suggest seeking good undergraduate and graduate level degrees in biology. When doing so, work hard, network with other biologist through groups like the American Elasmobranch Society, and don’t hesitate to volunteer for researchers conducting interesting work.
 

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HAPPY SHARK WEEK!

in Ocean Conservation / Shark Week  by 11 Aug 2014 0 comments