Over the past few posts, hopefully you have gotten a sense of how a combination of increasing demand and general prejudice has led to massive overexploitation of shark populations around the world- some of the information I have passed along is pretty bleak. But I don’t want you to think that it’s all doom and gloom for sharks- new protection and management measures in diverse locations have started to turn things around for some populations, so we know that taking action now can still be effective. But it’s going to take concerted effort on the part of many to reverse shark declines, and that’s where you come in.
Things you can do to help sharks:
- Choose shark-friendly products– remember that thousands of sharks are caught each year as fishery by-catch, so look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label on fish you purchase- certified fisheries are using recommended best practices, and that can make a big difference for sharks. And think about the products you use which might come from sharks- a little investigation before purchase could be important. Chondroitin sulfate used in supplements, for example, usually comes from domestic livestock, but sharks have also been used as a source, so check the labels for ingredients
- Adopt a Shark– there are a number of programs that allow you to sponsor a specific species and contribute to conservation efforts- check out
o South African White Shark Research Institute
o National Wildlife Federation (you can also adopt rays!)
- Help scientists keep track of whale sharks– if you happen to have vacation pictures from a whale shark encounter (oh, to be so lucky!), you can submit them to the ECOCEAN Whale Shark Photo-identification Library– since the spotting on whale sharks is unique among individuals, scientists can ID your shark from the picture and they will even let you know when it is seen again
- Volunteer for shark organizations and shark research:
o Coral Reef Alliance in California appreciates volunteer help at specific events and over the long term
o Australian Marine Conservation Society needs volunteers in their Brisbane office, at special events, and who can do things like data entry and organization from home
o The Shark Trust uses volunteers in-house, at educational events, and to create content for their website- they also coordinate a yearly ‘Great Eggcase Hunt’ along the beaches of the UK to help provide scientists with data on reproductive rates (I love this idea!)
o Get into the water for research- both the Shark Conservation Society and the Thresher Shark Project have scientific expeditions that members can join, and EarthWatch has a project in Belize
- Take action as a citizen– be sure to inform your legislators about your support for shark conservation, and you can be alerted about general marine conservation issues and opportunities to join campaigns by the Ocean Conservancy
- Spread the word about shark conservation– you might live in the middle of a continent, far from beaches and reefs and open ocean, but the health of our marine systems impacts us all, so let people around you know about the pressures facing sharks
Sharks have traditionally been feared and persecuted, with the result that populations around the world have plummeted. We can help sharks recover and maintain their ecological roles in marine systems, but this needs to be a global, sustained effort- I hope that you are inspired to put in a good word for sharks and contribute to their conservation.