Shark Focus - Issue 63 by The Shark Trust

SHARKSWHYMATTERARESHARKSMORETHANJUSTAPRETTYFACE? ISSUE 63 WINTER 2019 CUTTING EDGE DIVING REALITYVIRTUALINTO HOW DOES A ZEBRA SHARK CHANGE ITS STRIPES MAKEBREAKOR FOR MAKO

© Shark Trust 2019 Shark Focus is copyrighted so those wishing to reproduce articles must first contact the Shark Trust. The views and opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the Shark Trust.

Company

COVER: Shark in a school of fish by Shutterstock.Saulty72/ sharktrust.org2.

WELCOME to the last Shark Focus of the decade! After a great response to our new look in the last issue, Shark Focus #63 has once again been put together with the generous help of our friends at Crossfire We wanted to take a look at one of the big questions in shark conservation this issue. Why do sharks matter? Over the years, we’ve seen a few different approaches to persuading the outside world to place as much value on them as we all do. But what does the science tell us? We explore some of the big ideas in our main article on p.8. As usual, there are updates on our progress. And, as the year comes to a close, we want to shine a spotlight on all of our fundraisers who’ve gone the extra mile (or collectively 810.5 miles - the equivalent distance of Land’s End, Cornwall to John o’ Groats, Scotland) this year.

WELCOMEWELCOME winter2019 ISSUE 63 ADDRESS:TRUSTSHARK 4 Creykes Court, The Millfields, Plymouth, PL1 3JB, UK PHONE: +44 (0)1752 672008 EMAIL: focus@sharktrust.org WEBSITE: www.sharktrust.org TRUSTEES: Peirce.KennardCharlesSarahCovey,Ensell-Bowen,JayneRogerDanFairweather,FowlerOBE,Hood,TomandRichard

Finally, we’d like to draw your attention to p.14-15. Where there’s an update on our No Limits? campaign for the mako. We’ve reached a crucial point in the campaign this month. As ever, please get involved if you can and help us to get the message across loud and clear. Hope you have a great end to 2019. Enjoy the holiday season and don’t forget, if you’re shopping for Christmas, stop off at our online Shark Shop before you spend anywhere else!

PATRONS: Steve Backshall, Nick Baker, John Boyle, Leonard Compagno, Marc Dando, Bob Earll, Nigel Eaton, Ian Fergusson, Mariella Frostrup, Loyd Grossman, John Gummer MP, Monty Halls, Martha Holmes, Kate Humble, Sir David Jason OBE, Gordon Ramsay OBE, Simon Rogerson, MichaelaStafford-Deitsch,JeremyStrachan and Valerie Taylor.

DESIGN: Hazel crossfireagency.comGraham I’VE received a few emails this month updating addresses.newPlease can I remind you, if you relocate, to make sure you tell me where you are. Not so I can visit for Christmas drinks, but so we know where to send yourAsFocus.Christmas is racing towards us, remember to check our Shark Shop. From cuddly toys (with a super new selection of sharks) to interesting books. We have a great range of stocking fillers too. You could adopt a shark or even give a membership to your loved ones. Get your orders in early to avoid missing out. The Shark Trust elves are waiting to bring you some festive joy. Last posting dates: UK (17 Dec), EU (13 Dec), US/Canada (10 Dec), and Rest of the World (6 Dec).We’ll keep sending out your orders if you leave it a bit late. But we can’t guarantee the postal service. I hope the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is good for you all and you have a wonderful festive season. I’m practicing “Shark the Herald Angel Shark Sings” which coincidently, is the species in our Christmas Appeal.Allof your support is greatly appreciated and helps our work and projects. You’re all fintastic. May I take this opportunity to wish you a healthy and happy 2020!

GLENYSHOUSEKEEPINGHEAFIELD Secretary Head of Finance & Administration

ASLYSUN/SHUTTERSTOCK© 3.sharktrust.org FEATURES –08 NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE Why Sharks Matter 10 THE SHARKS & THE SCALLOPS A Case Study 11 TROPHIC CASCADES 12 . YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT 13 WHY DOES THIS ALL MATTER? 14 MAKE OR BREAK FOR MAKOS REGULARS –04 YOUR VIEWS 0 6 GLOBAL SHARK NEWS 15 SHARK TALK Ali Hood 18 . FUNDRAISING 20 CREATURE FEATURE Zebra Shark 25 SHARK TALK Paul Cox 28 PUP’S CLUB CONTENTS 06 . 22 . 26 . 14 DAY thein LIFE caught up in PLASTIC GLOBAL shark news M AKE orbreak 08 . the HERE’S WHY SHARKS MATTER issue 16 . LEMON SHARK POSTER 21 HOW DOES A ZEBRA CHANGE ITS STRIPES Tom Hird 22 CAUGHT UP IN PLASTIC 23 EEA CONFERENCE 5 Things We Loved 24 . CUTTING EDGE Aquariums & VR 26 SHARK CAREERS A Day in the Life

DACI ARMSTRONG Shark Trust: Sadly, Whale Sharks are occasionally still targeted for their meat, fins, liver oil and skin in parts of their range. Thankfully many countries are recognising the importance of protecting this amazing shark and they have protected status across much of their range. Management measures are often difficult to monitor and enforce so catches are often unrecorded. Effective fisheries management is key, as it is for all sharks and rays. whale sharks

“I REALLY ENJOYED ALL THE DIFFERENT SHARK LOVE STORIES BUT ALSO ALL THE VIDEOS BECAUSE I HAD NEVER SEEN SHARKS LIKE THAT BEFORE. IT WAS REALLY WORKED“INTERESTINGEXCITING!”SPEAKERS;FORAGES RANGING FROM 5-45! FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE; GREAT VENUE.” “…GOOD MIX OF FILM, LIVE, SLIDES ETC. STEVE IS A VERY ENGAGING SPEAKER; FIRST TIME I’D SEEN HIM LIVE AND WOULD HAPPILY LISTEN TO HIM TALK ABOUT ANYTHING I THINK. MY 12-YEAR-OLD WASN’T SURE WHAT TO EXPECT AND WHETHER IT MIGHT BE BORING BUT ABSOLUTELY WASN’T AND HE ENJOYED IT ALL.”

Thank you everyonetowhoattended.The event was a huge sucess raising £9000 in support of our work. So, we thought why not do it again next year?! Watch out for details and early bird specials in the New Year.

STAR LETTER

YOUR VIEWS

Shark Trust (blushing!): Thanks so much for your lovely comments. We hope you enjoy this Shark Focus as much as the last!

I am home educating my 8&5y and they are very interested in sharks after we’ve been travelling round SE Asia. I have just signed my 8y up for the Pup’s Club, but I was just wondering if you have any other resources available for home educators?

Here’sSocietyGeographicatsharkscelebratedweinstyletheRoyalinLondon.whatsomeof you had to say about the event: Whale Shark

THESAVEDATE

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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

CONGRATULATIONS4.

These are magnificent animals and to meet one in the water is truly an awe-inspiring experience. I was shocked to learn that they are hunted for food in some places. Is that still happening? I wish humans would learn to leave them alone!

YOUR views

I wanted to write to congratulate you and your team on the excellent quality of your work and many achievements. With a lifelong interest in sharks and more recently in shark conversation, I joined the Shark Trust and was incredibly impressed with the new member pack and in particular the newsletter highlighting your many achievements alongside featuring a wide range of interesting and informative articles. I have learned so much from this particular resource and look forward to receiving the next edition. I appreciate just how much hard work and commitment goes into running the Trust and to campaigning on the wider global platform –well done to you and all the team.

Send your questions, comments and photos to focus@sharktrust.org and you may appear in our next issue.

ENDERBYSIMONCUYLAERTS;ELLEN©JULY

ALIXE THIAGARASAH Shark Trust: Great to hear your travels have inspired such a love for sharks. And we hope your 8yr old is enjoying Pup’s Club. For more educational resources check out our Pup’s Zone at www.sharktrust.org/pups-zone. FOR SHARKSLOVETHEOF In July

REBECCA PORTA

IN SEPTEMBER

ACROSS

While it’s distasteful to “parade” the shark – although by all accounts this might have been a bit of an exaggeration – this is a valuable chance to talk about bycatch and how we deal with it. Sharks will always be caught and we believe that, if caught, animals should be used as much as possible to avoid waste. The issue is that bycatch, and indeed targeted catch of sharks, should be subject to sciencebased catch limits. That’s the thrust of our No Limits? campaign, of which Blue Sharks are a key species. The issue should be not whether sharks are sold and eaten but whether they come from sustainableasource. OUR RIGHT THE WORLD.

PITKINLINDA© A BYCAUGHT Blue Shark was reported to have been “paraded” around the town as part of a seafood festival. When the incident was reported, it created quite a buzz on social media. While the response overall was generally one of disappointment and disgust, we were pleased to see an interesting range of views on our Facebook feed. It’s an important talking point for sustainability, so we thought we’d share some of the diverse viewpoints and encourage you to ponder… BLUE SHARK CAUSES A STIR AT FISH FESTIVAL

HOMETOWN, PLYMOUTH, MANAGED TO HIT THE HEADLINES

THE SHARK TRUST VIEW 5.@TheSharkTrust @SharkTrustUK

Researchers carrying out a fisheries survey on board Marine Institute Ireland’s RV Celtic Explorer were treated to a surprise encounter when they spotted the dorsal fin of a Smooth Hammerhead ( Sphyrna zygaena ), 100 miles south-west of Ireland on the edge of the continental shelf. Smooth Hammerheads, classified as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, are known to visit the Northeast Atlantic but are a rare sight. This latest record was a first for Irish waters.

JULY BAHAMAS// A Historic First in Shark Research

AUGUST

MADDALENA/SHUTTERSTOCK.DEALESSANDROCOMMONS;VIGLAS/WIKIMEDIATASO©

For the first time ever, scientists have successfully tagged a shark underwater.

GLOBAL

It was previously known that Port Jackson Sharks ( Heterodontus portusjacksoni ) returned every year to the waters off Jervis Bay and Sydney to breed. Now research has confirmed that females return to the place of their birth year after year to lay their eggs. This behaviour is known as natal homing and hasn’t previously been identified in egglaying sharks. DNA taken from Port Jackson Sharks at both breeding sites indicated that the same females were returning to the same site year on year. Some travelled over 700 miles to lay their corkscrew-shaped eggs. This strategy of returning to the same place where they were born and survived likely increases their offspring’s odds of survival.

Smooth Hammerhead news

NEWSGLOBAL

JULY IRELAND// A Rare Encounter in Irish Waters

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AUSTRALIA// There’s No Place Like Home

Port Jackson Shark with eggcase

A male Bluntnose Sixgill Shark ( Hexanchus griseus ) was tagged from a submersible at a depth of 1,700 feet off the coast of Eleuthera, Bahamas. This complicated feat took 3 expeditions, nearly a tonne of bait, and custom-built spear guns. Prior to this, it was necessary to bring these deep-sea sharks to the surface to tag them – a method that places increased physiological stress on them by taking them out of their natural deepwater habitat. Also, it skews data as normal behaviour doesn’t resume straight away. The tags will record depth, temperature, and ambient light levels for 3 months, helping to shine a light on these elusive, poorly known sharks.

SWITZERLAND// 18 Shark & Ray Species Adopted at CITES Mako sharks (2 species), wedgefishes (10 species) and giant guitarfishes (6 species) have all been listed on Appendix II of the CITES. Both makos are classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. While wedgefishes and giant guitarfishes are considered the worlds most threatened marine fishes. All hold high economic value and are vulnerable to overfishing. Adoption onto Appendix II requires countries to track exports and demonstrate that internationally traded products from these species are legally and sustainably sourced. The Shark Trust attended the latest CITES Conference of Parties, urging parties to make time for these highly threatened species. Whilst it’s great to see the spotlight on these species, it highlights the urgent need for effective management to ensure sustainability.

INDONESIA// Reef Manta Relationships

SEPTEMBER

Research carried out on 500+ groups of Reef Manta Rays ( Mobula alfredi ) over a 5-year period in Raja Ampat, provides evidence that these rays form structured social relationships. And are selective when it comes to choosing their ‘friends’. Scientists identified the importance of location in determining social groups. With shallow environments and cleaning stations representing important meeting points. Females were found to form longer lasting social bonds with other females, whilst males made fewer connections.long-termKnowledge of how mantas interact is key to deciphering how tourism can affect manta populations.

@TheSharkTrust @SharkTrustUK CAREY/SHUTTERSTOCK.RICHJOERGENSEN/SHUTTERSTOCK;KJERSTI© 7.

AUGUSTAUGUST

A new species of guitarfish has been identified from the Gulf of California. The discovery of the Spadenose Guitarfish ( Pseudobatos buthi ) was described from 82 specimens caught in the 1940’s and 1950’s, and compared with 3 other species within the same genus. It’s unknown whether the Spadenose Guitarfish is still present in the Gulf of California. But if they are, they’re likely being caught and misidentified with other close relatives. This new discovery will enable scientists to monitor their presence and implement any necessary conservation measures across their range.

Manta Ray

CALIFORNIA

Bowmouth Guitarfish

USA// New Species of Guitarfish Discovered

sharktrust.org8. IN THIS SECTION 09 . atToughtheTop 10 . The Sharks & the Scallops 11 . Trophic Cascades & the Search ContinuesALLENROB©SHARKTIGER PRETTYNOTJUSTA

TOUGH AT THE TOP One of the most appealing arguments is that sharks, as apex predators “control” the food chain. Remove them and you get a “trophic cascade” of effects that trickle down the food chain. It makes logical sense and explains in simple terms why the whole ocean ecosystem depends on the shark as a kind of controlling head teacher, keeping the whole school in check. But while it might be logical, it’s not necessarily that straightforward. And this simplified idea of complex natural systems could be doing more harm than good...

12 . You Are What You Eat 13 . Why Does this All Matter? FACE why SHARKS matter

W e all know sharks are wesome and beautiful. That’s reason enough to do what we do. But they’re also vital parts of nature’s jigsaw and without them the ocean, and the world, would be a very different place. We often hear that sharks are important because they’re apex predators. As such they control the food chain and keep things in check. But nature being what it is, nothing is ever that straightforward.

SO WHY DO SHARKS MATTER? It always comes. Whether you’re being nterviewed, giving a presentation or just talking in the pub. THAT question: “Why are sharks important anyway?”. When someone asks this, they’re either looking to trip you up or hoping for a simple response. It’s often tempting to give them chapter and verse but if we do that, chances are they’ll stop listening after the first sentence.Overthe last 20 years you’ll probably have heard various stock responses to justify the existence of sharks. In some ways it’s a bit nonsensical that an animal like a shark has to prove its worth, but that’s what we’re continually being asked to do. The problem is that when we seek simple answers, we usually come up against pesky complexity. So what do we say? How can we justify their very existence in a sentence? What does science tell us?

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The first problem with this conclusion was that it quickly led to drastic action. The response to the problem, brought about by overfishing: double down. If the removal of sharks has led to too many rays then remove the rays too! So, local seafood interests, keen to protect the scallops, set to work encouraging people to “Save the Bay, Eat a Ray”. An unregulated fishery sprung up, for an elasmobranch species known to be vulnerable to overfishing.WritinginShark Focus #43, Sonja Fordham of Shark Advocates International highlighted how the “widely publicised but hotly disputed scientific paper” had led to an initiative that “not only promotes Cownose Rays as an exciting new seafood choice, but also asserts that eating the species is one’s environmental responsibility.”

A true trophic cascade, they said, must involve at least 3 levels of the food chain and should satisfy a set of 5 strict criteria. And, when put to the test it transpired that for the proposed shark-rayshellfish cascade, very few of the conditions were actually met. Essentially, the original assumptions were flawed. Despite being regularly cited as a case study, and used as justification for a fishery that has been estimated to land over 180 tonnes of Cownose Rays per year, the evidence just didn’t stack up. The rays had become innocent victims in our desire for simple answers. And they had been needlessly culled. the the

The second problem with the conclusion became clear 8 years into this real-time ecosystem ofcheckedhonourablehisStateGrubbsexperiment.engineeringDeanofFloridaUniversity,andcolleaguesdidthethingandtheconclusionstheoriginalresearch.

So, what did they find in their “critical assessment and ramifications of a purported marine trophic cascade”?

SCALLOPS “ ” LOCAL INTERESTSSEAFOODINSTIGATED‘SAVETHEBAY,EATARAY’

S o, do we have concrete examples of shark-influenced trophic cascades? In 2007, a research paper was published in the respected Science journal which usefully linked the overfishing of “great” sharks to the collapse of a valuable scallop fishery. Useful for conservationists because here was a clear demonstration of the value of sharks for anyone that wanted to argue the case. This research became, and remains to this day, a “classic” case study of the impact of shark overfishing.Thestudy charted the overfishing of 11 apex predator shark species off the east coast of the US. And concluded that this had led to increases in 12 species of smaller sharks, skates and rays. They further proposed a cascade of effects linked to the “most conspicuous” among these booming mesopredators - the Cownose Ray. With a local population estimated to be over 40 million, the “hyper-abundant” rays had feasted on native oyster and scallop populations in Chesapeake Bay. Scallops which formed a major part of the local fishery. No sharks = no scallops = no jobs. Simple. The report concluded “that top-down effects must be widely expected whenever entire functional groups of predators are depressed”. Case closed.

SHARKS and

IF, THIS “classic” evidence for a shark-controlled trophic cascade is a little sketchy, surely there are more examples where we can see this in action. How about the coral reefs? Numerous ecosystem models have predicted that sharks play an important role in structuring fish communities on reefs. The theory goes that, by removing reef sharks, you get a surge in mesopredators that remove small algae grazing fish. These would otherwise keep algae in check so hence you end up with algae overgrowing the coral and damaging reef health. But not all models agree. Some find that sharks actually play a relatively minor role because of the complexity of the system. In an attempt to resolve this issue, a team of Australian researchers looked at the interaction of sharks on fished and protected reefs off the coast of north-western Australia. While acknowledging the complexity of the system and the multiple disturbances at play, Jonathan Ruppert and his colleagues declared that they had seen enough evidence to cautiously support the hypothesis. They concluded “one interpretation of the correlation between low numbers of sharks and herbivorous fishes … is evidence of a trophic Unfortunately,cascade.”not everyone agreed. A review by George Roff and colleagues in 2016 took issue with the findings. In their review of “the ecological role of sharks on coral reefs” they decided that “evidence to support hypothesised shark driven trophic cascades on coral reefs was weak and equivocal”.Youcan see a pattern emerging here. Neither models nor empirical evidence seem able to find a definitive answer. FOR A TROPHIC CASCADE Prey must have a predator.tocomparedgrowthrapidratetheir Prey must be a diet.predatorpartsignificantofthe mortality.forreasonthemustPredatorbeprimaryprey

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

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Scalloped Hammerheads - one of the 11

WHAT IS A CASCADE?TROPHIC IT SEEMS self-evident that removing apex predators leads to growth in numbers of their prey. In turn, these prolific mesopredators grow and consume at will (mesopredator release). This causes the next level down to become overexploited, reducing pressure on the next level. And so on. This foodinfluencetop-downonthechainiscalled a trophic cascade. One of the best-known cases in the ocean is that of sea otters, urchins and kelp off North America. Hunting of sea otters reduced pressure on the urchins. They bloomed and voraciously grazed on the kelp forests, which duly Withoutdisappeared.theotters to maintain the balance, the whole ecosystem suffered.

THE SEARCH CONTINUES... SCALLOPS THE 5 RULES

Cownose Ray “great”

CONNAHALEC© 12. sharktrust.org YOU

YOUWHATAREEAT

B ut there’s more to a shark than what it eats. The influence of some sharks on the community are far more subtle. Back in 2008, Dr Michael Heithaus noted the importance of sharks not just through predation but also by being a threatening presence. This indirect behavioural effect could, in some places, be more significant than meso-predator release and trophic cascades. One example is the role of Tiger Sharks in protecting seagrass. Green Turtles, voracious grazers of seagrass, think twice when they encounter a Tiger Shark patrolling a seagrass bed. The effect of their avoidance behaviour can be significant on the health of seagrass.

By looking more closely at ecosystem effects of sharks and other top predators, scientists have found a range of more indirect but nevertheless valuable roles for sharks. A study earlier this year, led by Neil Hammerschlag sets out a range of ecosystem functions including regulating food webs, cycling nutrients, engineering habitats, transmitting disease, mediating ecological invasions, affecting climate, supporting fisheries, generating tourism and inspiring bioengineering and design. It’s complex. But that’s what nature is. When we try to simplify nature, we do it a disservice and can cause more harm than good. Science is our most powerful tool in unlocking the secrets of nature but we have to understand how science works. How many times have you heard someone complain that scientists “keep changing their minds”?

This also applies to mangroves and on coral reefs. Sharks play a role in protecting all 3 of these habitats. These, in turn, provide wider ecosystem services like protecting coastlines, acting as a carbon sink, providing nurseries for valuable fisheries and, vitally, supporting marine biodiversity.

Science is a journey not a destination. There’s a lot more to learn. And there are things we may never know. Teasing out the realities of what’s happening in complex natural systems isn’t always possible. Every time we try to create a simple rule, we’re setting ourselves up to be proved wrong.

(and what you don’t eat)

The problem with trophic cascades seems to be the reliance on the terrestrial model of a food chain. Marine food chains don’t really exist. They are highly complex webs of interaction where predators feed on multiple species at different levels and prey are vulnerable to a wide range of predators. So the model starts to break down. It’s less like a ladder from one level to the next and more like a climbing wall with an almost infinite variety of routes. This doesn’t mean that top-down control by sharks through trophic cascades doesn’t happen. It just seems to be very difficult to pin down. There are other studies out there that provide evidence of the effect in natural systems. But it’s by no means universal and shouldn’t be assumed because it makes logical sense. When we start to dig into the detail our simple model turns out to be at best unreliable and at worst, fatally flawed. Even the notion of a true apex predator in the ocean is dubious. When we come across any sentence that starts with “sharks are apex predators…” we should start hearing alarm bells. Not all sharks are apex predators, even Lemon Shark the big ones can become prey. None of this is to say that some sharks don’t operate as apex predators some of the time. And much of the time they will have an impact on the food webs in which they operate. It’s just not a universal truth.

DAVIDSON.CHRISMORRIS;JILLIAN© 13.

Merriam-Webster defines Apex Predator as “a predator at the top of a food chain that is not preyed upon by any other animal”. So are sharks apex predators? Well… Many small sharks and rays are mesopredators, preyed upon by larger sharks. Blue Sharks in South Africa are preyed upon by Cape Fur Seals. Wobbegongs have been caught eating other bamboo sharks. And octopus can trap and eat small sharks like Spiny beenwatersofpredator.WhiteapextheIncredibly,Dogfish.evenmostapexofallpredators,theShark,hasaPopulationsOrcainSouthAfricanhavelongdocumented targeting cow sharks, Blues and Makos. But, as reported in Shark Focus #59, Orca’s have been exploiting tonic immobility – turning White Sharks onto their back - to feed on their nutrient rich livers. WHEN IS AN APEX PREDATOR NOT AN APEX PREDATOR

Why Does This All Matter Anyway? AND QUESTIONTOBACKSOTHE

of simplification, it’s important not to over-simplify. As with the Cownose Rays, we need to challenge every simple conclusion. It’s vital that we break stereotypes about sharks. One way to do this is to broaden rather than narrow the conversation. When we lump sharks into one category, one behaviour, one set of characteristics, we betray the diversity that makes them so fascinating. Sharks are not all the same. We need to be so careful about making statements that start with “sharks are…”. Unless the statement is “sharks are fish” there’s usually an exception that makes this untrue. This can have knock-on effects that we can only imagine. We need to find the right solutions for all sharks, but that doesn’t mean the solution is the same for all sharks. We have to talk about diversity. And we need to tell a story about nature as it is rather than putting it in convenient boxes.

inheritanceobligedanimals.inheritluckyjigsaw.vitalitthatperhaps,things.”existenceforisneed.totheworldworld.theythemmoralbecausethem,becauseWeonthatwronglookingHewellTheyNeedSpecies:Caseentitledpublishedmonth,anessay“TheRealforSavingWeDon’tThem,ButNeedUs”.It’swortharead.arguesthatwe’reatthistheway.Hesaysweshouldfocusthemoralcase.don’tsavethemweneedwesavethemwehaveadutytoprotectandthebeautybringtothe“Whatagrimitwillbebytimewe’redownwhathumansHumanneedaverypoormetricevaluatingtheoflivingSotheanswer,forthoseask,istokeepsimple.Sharksarepartsofnature’sWe’vebeenenoughtotheseamazingAndwe’retopassthaton.

CASCADES FALLING DOWN

“Why are important?”.sharksWe can tie ourselves up in knots (as I just have) or we can keep it simple. Carl Safina, just last

INsharktrust.orgAWORLD

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ADD YOUR VOICE TO OUR CAMPAIGNTWITTER short of to CITES strengthenscientistsICCATcall for prohibition (NOW) ICCAT must take action

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In response to clear scientific advice for a “complete prohibition on retention” in 2017, ICCAT Parties fell short by adopting a partial measure that, under certain conditions still permits the retention of dead bycatch.

You can help secure management for makos by adding your voice to our Twitter campaign. Let’s ensure the EU know that we expect them to take a lead on this vital issue. Repeatedly, scientific assessments have demonstrated that overfishing is impacting on mako populations in both North and South Atlantic. But the response from ICCAT has been wholly inadequate.

MADDALENA/SHUTTERSTOCKDEALESSANDRO© T#MAKEORBREAK4MAKOS

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scientific advice 2018 – Landing data overfishingshow threshold exceeded 2019 –“Endangered”speciesreclassifyIUCNbothas 2019 –speciesBothadded

Appendix II 2019 –

2012 – ICCAT Risk MakoAssessment:“Highly Vulnerable” 2017 – Shark League formed to tackle high-seas shark fisheries 2017 – ICCAT DepletedMakoAssessment:Population“Seriouslyand Overfished” 2017 –“bindingICCATmeasure” falls

2019

his month sees a critical moment for the future of our beloved makos at the next ICCAT Commission Meeting in Majorca. The evidence for action in Atlantic fisheries is conclusive. With our Shark League partners we’re making the strongest possible case for ICCAT Parties to do the right thing and follow the science. ICCAT is intergovernmentalAtlanticforInternationaltheCommissiontheConservationofTunas.It’sanorganisation responsible for the management and conservation of tuna and tuna-like species (including sharks) in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. FORBREAKORMAKO

This year, ICCAT scientists have carried Help us to end OVERFISHING of MAKOS by joining our Twitter campaign out a further review and concluded: ● the complicated 2017 ICCAT measure is seriously insufficient to end overfishing ● that a complete “prohibition on retention” along with action to reduce bycatch mortality will give the best chance of recovery over the next 50 years. It’s time for the ICCAT Parties to take the science seriously and adopt a non-retention policy as they have already done with other shark species. And we expect the EU to take the appropriate lead at this month’s meeting. We’re working flat out behind the scenes with our Shark League partners to make this happen.Keep an eye on our progress by following us on Twitter. And add your support by retweeting our posts in the build up to ICCAT.

ALI HOOD SHARK talk DIRECTOR

CONSERVATION “ ” ALL NATIONSFISHINGSHOULDPUTECONOMICINTERESTSASIDE ● OVERFISHED IN THE ATLANTIC, DRIVEN BY DEMAND FOR MEAT & FINS ● CLASSIFIED AS ENDANGERED ON THE IUCN RED LIST ● LISTED ON CITES APPENDIX II IN 2019 ● HEAVILY TARGETED BY EU VESSELS Shortfin Mako is:

The reclassification on the IUCN Red List from Vulnerable to Endangered earlier this year weighed heavy on the decision to include the two mako species on Appendix II of CITES. This creates an requirementimmediatefor all ICCAT Parties to ensure mako exports and landings from the high-seas are sourced from legal, sustainable fisheries. That should put more pressure on the ICCAT fisheries managers to follow scientific advice and apply islimitappropriateoflimits.appropriatethecatchInthecasethemakos,thecatchfortheAtlanticzero.

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IT’S BOTH predictable, and somewhat inevitable, that we’re talking about mako sharks again this autumn just 2 weeks ahead of the ICCAT General Meeting. But it’s also symptomatic of the constant oversight that mako have experienced over recent decades. After all, the concerning state of the Atlantic stock should come as no surprise to any Atlantic fisheries manager or fishermen. The status as ‘overfished’, first flagged in 2004, was followed by a 2008 Ecological Risk Assessment which ranked Shortfin Mako as highest for vulnerability to ICCAT’s Atlantic fisheries. And this according to ICCAT’s own scientists! CMS Parties also stepped in that year and listed mako on Appendix II. Even the starkly unambiguous population assessment of 2017 failed to trigger catch limits – leaving mako still a no limits species. But 2019 could be the watershed.Augustsaw the successful proposal of both Shortfin and Longfin Makos for listing on Appendix II of CITES. Yet while CITES requires evidence of sustainability of makos in trade, it alone cannot save makos – effective fisheries management remains central. Which leaves us inevitably circling back to ICCAT and in particular the EU. The EU dominate landings of mako globally. As a cosponsor of the CITES listing proposal, the EU must now take responsibility and align their environment commitment with appropriate fisheries management.

The scientific advice is stark: non-retention with no exceptions and actions to minimise all forms of mortality of Atlantic mako sharks. All fishing nations should put economic interests aside, and follow this advice as the current landings trajectory does not end well. But as we know things are rarely as simple as they might be, and the valuable nature of mako as a commodity should not be underestimated. It’s make or break for makos. OF HOW CITESDOESHELP?

LEMON SCIENTIFIC NAME: Negaprion tigrinum MAXIMUM SIZE: 340cm DIET: Fish (such as catfish, mullet & porcupinefish), rays, crabs & crayfish. May also east seabirds & smaller sharks. DISTRIBUTION: Western Atlantic (New Jersey to Southern (WestNortheastBrazil),AtlanticAfrica)&East Pacific (Mexico to Ecuador). HABITAT: Subtropical shallow waters to 90m deep. Found near coral mangroves,reefs,bays & river mouths. May even travel short distances into rivers.KOTOUC/SHUTTERSTOCKTOMAS©

SHARK

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Join us on the scenic Coast to Coast Challenge 18.

3. Self-Fund – you pay the full cost of the event place and fundraise whatever you want, with no set target or deadline. And there’s no cost at all to We’reus. looking for a team of 30 to take part. Interested? Email me at heather@sharktrust.org

2. Mixed Funding – you pay half of the event place cost, fundraise a bit less and we pay the balance of the event place cost. As we’re an official Charity Partner –you get 10% off the fee.

2019 has seen a fantastic flurry of activity and we still have fundraisers gearing up for events over the chilly winter months. In total our shark heroes have raised over £19,500. WEST COAST TO CHALLENGE Big news! We’ve signed up as an official CHALLENGE PARTNER for the South West Coast to Coast Ultra Challenge 2020. And we’re excited! The Ultra Challenges are seamlessly run by Action Challenge and are fantastic UK events for all walks of life. You can walk, jog or run, and choose from a range of distances - 25km, 50km or 100km. If you want to take on a big challenge but aren’t sure where to start, we’d highly recommend one of these. So, the new challenge for 2020 is across England’s South West Peninsular. It’s 100k from Minehead in Somerset on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, down to seaside town Dawlish on the southern coast of Devon. With the ups and downs of Exmoor and the meandering Exe Valley in between. You’ll get full support all the way with marquee rest stops and food and drink provided. There’s a huge welcome and celebration at the finish line after an amazing journey. With half (50km) and quarter (25km) distance options –there’s a challenge for all! We’ll be there to cheer you on from the start and finish point. And some of our team will be taking on the challenge too.

CHALLENGEACTION© sharktrust.org/fundraise

GEAR UP FOR 2020

We already have people signed up for next year; we have marathons, a trek to Everest Base Camp and an Ice Mile swim to name a few. If you’d like to join our shark heroes and want some fundraising inspiration, we’ve searched out some great events for next year. If you’re an experienced runner and want to take on an epic challenge, then Endurance Life have some jaw-dropping trail runs. Being coastal runs there’s an opportunity to make the connection to sharks as you run! Distances available include 10k, half marathon, marathon and ultra. We’re promoting the South Devon, Exmoor and Pembrokeshire ones. But you could enter any of the 12 trails. Just remember to choose to fundraise for us when entering! www.endurancelife.com

COAST

FUNDRAISING 2020 - WHAT WE HAVE IN STORE FOR YOU! FUNDRAISERS winter2019 SOUTH

SIGN UP FUNDRAISE& 1. Charity Sponsorship – you pay a small registration fee, do lots of fundraising and we cover the cost of your event place! As we’re an official Charity Partner – you get 25% off the standard fee.

” EVENTS FOR ALLOFWALKSLIFE

SIMON Took on the Walk of the Worlds, walking 80 miles over 4 days and raising DANIEL£1,359 Took on inwalkingchallengeWayCotswoldthe100km2daysraising £661

Range of stand up paddleboards from Shark SUP. Featuring designs based on shark patterns. We’re also thrilled to be working with BIG WILD THOUGHT ! Their beautiful range of wildlife-inspired clothing and accessories now includes the Shortfin Mako and Smooth Hammerhead. You can find out more at www.bigwildthought.co.uk

IZFS/SHUTTERSTOCK.AUSTIN;MATT© sharktrust.org/fundraise 19. UPCOMING EVENTS ULTRA CHALLENGE SERIES: Isle of Wight Challenge – 02 May Jurassic Coast Challenge – 16 May London 2 Brighton – 23 May Cotswold Way Challenge –27 June COASTAL TRAIL SERIES: South Devon – 1 February Exmoor – 4 PembrokeshireApril– 25 April Britain’s Ocean City (Plymouth) Half Marathon – 17 May –CoastalFolkestone10k31May Find out more by www.sharktrust.org/fundraisevisiting

STANDING UP FOR SHARKS WE’RE FORTUNATE to have many businesses supporting our work and we’re always happy to welcome new corporate partners. Our newest exciting partnership goes to the heart of what we do: creating sustainable and enjoyable connections with the ocean. SHARK is a leading brand of inflatable stand up paddleboards (SUPs), striving for a minimal impact on our environment. Graphically influenced to reflect the diversity of shark species, the 2020 SHARK SUPs Collection presents a range of iSUP products that visually inspire. What’s more, they’re achieving a unique and subtle point of education about shark diversity. The range is due to hit stores early in 2020, so take a look at the website and see if there’s a shark for you… www.sharksups.com/the-shark-trust

HEROESTOTHANKSOUR We’d like to thank all our fundraisers for 2019. You’ve done some serious sweating, running, walking, baking, cycling and drawing for sharks. Here are just a few of our fabulous 2019 fundraisers!

BRADANDJAMESGRACE,CHARLIE, Took on the raisingcollectivelyNightriderBristol£937.67

PUPS

STATUS: Endangered “ ”

MAXIMUM SIZE: 235cm DIET: Molluscs, crabs, shrimp and small fish. RANGE: Indo-Pacific.Tropical HABITAT: Coral, rocks & sandy flats. Found in shallow waters to depths of 62m.

an in colour with lots of dark brown spots, adult Zebra Sharks are often mistakenly called Leopard Sharks. But they’re born dark brown/black with white stripes. So, it’s the pups that give Zebra Sharks their name. Yet it’s an entirely different animal they intend to mimic. Their pattern, along with the snake-like way they move, make juveniles look like banded sea snakes. By mimicking these venomous snakes when they’re young, they have a much greater chance of surviving this vulnerable stage of their life.

20.

Pups begin life in shallow coastal areas including mudflat, mangrove and seagrass beds. As they get older, they move further offshore and can be found on, or around, coral and rocky reefs. By day they’re sluggish and often seen propped up on their pectoral fins, resting on the soft sandy seabed. Like many bottom-dwelling sharks, they can pump water over their gills, enabling them to ‘breathe’ whilst not swimming.Atnight they hunt. Extremely agile, they wriggle into the smallest of nooks, where their prey hides. They also have barbels (similar to whiskers) that help them find food. With powerful crushing teeth, Zebra Sharks are perfectly equipped for crunching through the hard shells of molluscs, crabs and shrimp. They reproduce by laying eggs, which are anchored to the seafloor. Remarkably, female Zebra Sharks are also capable of reproducing without having a male fertilise her eggs. A process known as parthenogenesis. Less is known about Zebra Sharks in the wild. But, in captivity, females mature at 6-8 years, and males at 7 years. They can live for over 28 years.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Stegostoma tigrinum (was fasciatumStegostoma - see p.21)

sharktrust.org/blogs/creature-feature

BURNETT/SHUTTERSTOCKLEWIS©

ZEBRA SHARK CREATURE FEATURE

IT’S THE THAT GIVE ZEBRA SHARKS THEIR NAME

THE blowfish

21.For more

Well, it allows science to rigorously assess the scientific name of the Zebra Shark and change it accordingly. It’s vital that scientists use the correct and proper scientific names when studying any species. Only then can there be unified study across the world, which in turn creates accurate data for further science or global action on that given animal. In the case of the Zebra Shark, it appears a mistake made long ago led to the use of Stegostoma fasciatum rather than the original name of Stegostoma tigrinum . The study into this sandy colour morph has helped shine light on this error and S. tigrinum has been reinstated.Additionally, it may help us to understand just how a species may split and become two new species. The sandy colour morph has so far only been found off the coast of Kenya. And while it shares 100% of its genetics with a nearby population in Mozambique, it differs by about 0.5% to the populations off the coast of western Australia. This may not sound like a lot, but when you consider that humans and chimps differ by 1.5%, you can see how this sandy Zebra might be on the very long road to one day not being a Zebra Shark at all! What will we call it then? on this study search for Zebra Shark & Beckmann Dahl

HOW DOES A ZEBRA CHANGE ITS STRIPES?

Popping into our inbox in September, a formal re-classification of the confusingly-named Zebra Shark. What else could we do but hand it over to Tom?

IF IT WASN’T looksaenoughconfusingthatsharkwhichlike a leopard is called a zebra, we now know that there are actually two kinds of zebras. kind. And they both look like leopards! They had the wrong name. But now they don’t… Confused?? You should be!

TOM ‘THE BLOWFISH’ HIRD’S SCIENTIFIC BREAKDOWN

Zebra Shark

Even though Zebra Sharks are well known both in and community, their lives and undiscovered. A recent study has looked into a distinct colour morph in a bid to unify our understanding of what a Zebra Shark is. A colour morph is a variant within a species. Not a separate species or a sub-species. Think of it as a different paint-job, but exactly the same car. In this case, the newly described colour morph follows the same body form as the original, but is much sandier in colour. So much so, that if it didn’t look so very clearly like a Zebra Shark in body shape, you may be forgiven for thinking it was a different species. To ensure there could be no mistake, genetic material was sampled from both morphs and both were confirmed to be Zebra Sharks. So what then is the big deal? Colour morphs across species are nothing new. Why does this study even matter?

NOT EVEN THE OLDEST MARINE PREDATORS ON EARTH ARE SAFE FROM THE SILENT KILLER THAT IS PLASTIC rings and even clothing that had entangled sharks across the world. Our suggestsevidencethatthis issue represents a far lesser threat than direct or indirect take in fisheries. But there’s a lack of clear and consistent data on entanglement risks for shark and rays. More work is needed to shed light on the most at -risk elasmobranch species and highlight particular ocean areas where this risk may be highest. So we’ve now joined forces with the Shark Trust to set up the Shark and Ray Entanglement Network (shaREN). Bull Shark caught in net

lastic pollution. Two words that seem to have dominated environmental headlines. Particularly since Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II opened the worlds’ eyes to the devastating impact plastic can have on marine species. We regularly see reports of plastic pollution affecting marine turtles, seals and dolphins. But we rarely hear about its impact on sharks and rays. It turns out not even one of the oldest marine predators on earth is safe from the silent killer that is plastic. Back in July, myself and a team of researchers at the University of Exeter published our research paper on the entanglement of sharks and rays in marine debris, revealing that this issue is occurring at far higher levels than we originally thought. By combining data from existing

ghostincidentsofdebris.rays1,000evidenceTwittersocialcollectedliteraturescientificanddatafrommediasite–wefoundofoversharksandentangledinThemajorityentanglementinvolvedfishinggear.Ghost

CAUGHT UP in PLASTIC KRISTIAN PARTON, Exeter University “ ”

fishing gear can be defined as any fishing equipment that’s been abandoned, lost or discarded at sea. Sadly, it has the capacity to continue to catch a variety of marine organisms including sharks and rays. The research also highlighted land-based debris such as plastic packaging straps, debris

“During the conference, Spiny Butterfly Rays received a lot of attention - as they should, being a Critically Endangered species in the Mediterranean. I enjoyed a talk which surveyed the imprints left behind after a ray has rested there – measuring width, length and location depth. In very fresh prints, it was even possible to tell if a male had been there as they left clasper imprints! This species often inhabits shallow water at beaches which have high levels of tourism so it’s especially important to better understand their behaviour.”

23. PROJECTTURTLERIDLEYOLIVECARTAMIL;DANIEL© Shortfin Mako Shark entangled in ghost net TOP 5 SPECIESENTANGLEDMOST ● CatsharkSmallspotted ● Spiny Dogfish ● Whale Shark ● White Shark ● Silky Shark YOU HELPCAN Spotted an entangled shark or ray? You can report it through our online Recording Hub. We’ve partnered with Exeter University to set up a platform so we can collect more information on Findgrowingsolutionsresearchusedandincidents.entanglementThedataimageswillbetofurtherthisandidentifytotheproblem.outmoreat shaRENwww.sharktrust.org/ 5 THINGS WE LOVED ABOUT... EUROPEAN ELASMOBRANCH ASSOCIATION (EEA) 23RD CONFERENCE WHERE? Rende, Italy | WHEN? 16-18 October A s well as the Shark Trust team, over 200 delegates attended from 30 countries to connect and communicate their latest research, projects and policy all relating to chondrichthyans. We’ve each selected a highlight from this year’s meeting…

EMMA FISHERIESBAGNALL:OFFICER

“A high point of this year’s conference was the strength of support demonstrated for the No Limits? campaign and specifically for makos. Within just a few hours, over 150 EEA delegates signed a letter calling on the EU Commission to take responsibility and support ICCAT’s scientific advice: non-retention with no exceptions. Crucial action, bringing the voice of an important sector to bear in the week that the EU sought to finalise their position, on this exceptionally vulnerable species.”

GLENYS: HEAD OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION (EEA TREASURER)

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“Little is known about the long-term effects of stress caused by fishing capture on chondrichthyans, so I was interested to find out about the long-term impacts on growth, reproduction and immunocompetence as a result of the stress caused by fishing capture on Southern Fiddler Rays. Further research is needed, but this research really highlighted the potential repercussions on population health and growth for species subjected to trawling.”

CAT SENIORGORDON:CONSERVATION OFFICER

3 . REBECCA CONSERVATIONGILLHAM:OFFICER

ALI HOOD: DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION (EEA SECRETARY)

I particularly enjoyed the talk by Barbara Block of Stanford University on the discovery of a White Shark aggregation zone off the south US Pacific coast - nicknamed the ‘White Shark Café’. The site appears to be a re-occurring hotspot for a range of predatory sharks, which is already being exploited by pelagic fisheries. By combining their findings with fisheries data, there’s scope to use the information to inform policy makers and work towards sustainable fisheries management.”

Left to right: Ali, Glenys, Cat, Emma & Rebecca.

“If you say Greenland Sharks have a life span of over 400 years, you just can’t relate to the scale of this. It’s only when you hear comparisons to things such as its a shark born in the time of Shakespeare, one that was swimming around minding its own business when Vivaldi wrote the Four Seasons, or when James II came to the throne. The keynote talk by Iblly Shiels put a far bigger perspective on the age of these amazing creatures. It totally captivated me.”

Striking the balance between education and entertainment is an ongoing challenge for aquariums. How do you inform guests about the need for conservation of the oceans while still sparking a sense of wonder and excitement about its inhabitants? This is where virtual reality, with its immersive power to transport guests to unreachable locations and showcase up-close interactions with our most endangered and majestic marine animals, becomes a powerful tool. Immotion Group have been partnering with international conservation experts and award-winning documentarians to bring VR experiences to aquarium visitors. Our latest project, “Shark Dive,” takes us to Tiger Beach, located north of The Bahamas, to study the behaviour of Tiger Sharks. Led by Matthew Smukall (CEO of the Bimini Sharklab) and the Save our Seas Foundation, the team captured footage of Tigers and views,stereotypicalandperceptionstousesimmersiveHammerheads.GreatTheexperienceVRtechnologyredefinepeople’sofsharkstochallengecreatingabetter understanding of the strategic role of Tiger Sharks as an apex predator in a fragile ecosystem.

“Shark Dive” reveals that Tiger Sharks’ first instincts aren’t to harm humans but to clean the waters of dead and dying prey and maintain a correct balance within the hierarchy of the ocean’s ecosystems. Without Tigers, there would be unpredicatable effects across the marine food webs.

THE ROLE OF VR IN AQUARIUMS

AQUARIUMS AT

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I s Virtual Reality (VR) the way forward for aquariums? Over the years, we’ve had many debates and discussions about the role of aquariums – both within the pages of Shark Focus and on our social media feed. One of the ideas that often comes forward is the use of virtual reality to connect people with wild sharks. When we recently encountered a demo of a VR experience in the US, we asked the producers to tell us more about their work:

VR cameras were placed on sharks to create a visceral point-of-view for the audience, providing, for example, a glimpse of what it feels like to swim as a Great Hammerhead, seeing the world as they would in 360 degrees. In this way, VR is allowing aquariums to share with their guests educationmedium.inhavesimplyexperiencesextraordinarythatcouldnotbeenofferedanyotherCombiningand entertainment into one unique package that both inspires and engages, VR gives guests a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse inside the aweinspiring reality of the oceans that is not soon forgotten.

BY IMMOTION GROUP SEE FOR YOURSELF: vimeo.com/366733726 THE VR IS USED TO REDEFINE PEOPLE’S PERCEPTIONS OF SHARKS AND STEREOTYPICALCHALLENGEVIEWS

HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY HOWFUNDEDWE’RE

MURCHANDY© 25.

PAUL COX SHARK talk MANAGING DIRECTOR ITHOW UPADDS Shortfin Mako

The report for 2018-19 has just been filed and shows we’ve made some big steps forward in our conservation work – which hopefully you’ll have picked up through Shark Focus. It also shows that financially we’ve been making good progress. This matters. It means we can now plan ahead with more confidence and reward the loyalty and hard work of our team. It also means we can invest more in a better service. For example, this year we’ve launched a new website and recording hub to provide a better online service for supporters and our citizen scientists.We’llnever be a “big” charity. We’re proud of what we can achieve with a small team and a modest budget. But we do have ambition to achieve ever more and we’re grateful for the support we get from the many businesses, fundraisers and generous souls that believe in us. And, of course, for the continued support from you, our members. If you want to find out more, you can download the full report from: bit.ly/2pj7mFb

PAUL COX, MD : For me this VR experience, while really engaging and entertaining, is no substitute for the real thing in the wild. Something special happens when we come face to face with real animals and I’m not sure this can ever be replicated digitally. But there’s no doubt that, for some, this’ll be as close as they ever get to a shark, and that’s no bad thing. These experiences could be

THERE ARE many good things about my job. Working with such committed and expert people, both within our team and through our various partnerships, keeps you on your toes. And being part of something that’s actually making a difference gives you an extra incentive to get up in the morning. And we are making a difference. Sometimes with charities or causes it can be hard to connect how the money and support we give is actually making an impact. We know this is something that we’ve struggled to make clear in the past. Most of the work we do is very involved and change is incremental. It requires you to take a “long view”. We’re dealing with nature and complex global issues. So, it’s never easy to say “this year we’ve saved X number of sharks”. In some ways we’re asking you to take it on trust that we’re giving you good value for your money. And repaying the faith you put in us to get things done. But you can always find out more through the Charity Commission which regulates UK charities. Each year we produce a detailed report setting out how we fulfil our public benefit obligations. And how we obtain and spend our money.

Letsharks.empathymanyconnectionsvaluablethathelppeopledevelopandrespectforWhatdoyouthink?usknowat focus@ sharktrust.org

Chart Title Grant Funding Donations and Fundraising Subscriptions Adoptions Retail Sales & Other Chart Title Charitable FundraisingManagementActivity&Admin ■ Grant Funding ■ Donations & Fundraising ■ Membership ■ Adoptions ■ Retail Sales & Other ■ Charitable Activity ■ Management & Admin ■ Fundraising “ ” WE’VE MADE SOME BIG STEPS FORWARD IN OUR WORK...CONSERVATIONTHISMATTERS

LOWS – WHAT’S THE WORST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB? There aren’t many lows. Maybe the many hours we spend in airports - but if that’s the worst thing about your working day, you’re doing OK. It’s, like all things in the diving world, frustrating when the weather defeats us though.

HIGHS - WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB? That we regularly get to go scuba diving, usually with sharks or other big animals, all around the world. We’re very lucky!

NAMES: Nick & Caroline RobertsonBrown JOB TITLE ORGANISATION:& Frogfish Photography is our company. Whilst we don’t have specific titles, we’re both biologists. Caroline is lead scientist with an MSc in animal behaviour. And Nick is lead photographer having been awarded his Fellow with the Royal Photographic Society.

26. sharktrust.org/careers “ ”

AS SOON AS WE LEARNED TO DIVE WE ADDICTEDWERE

WHAT DOES A ‘TYPICAL’ WORKING DAY LOOK LIKE? Every day is different! We may well be on location diving in the UK or a tropical destination overseas. On another occasion, we might be sitting at our computers editing images and writing about our experiences. We can often be found offering advice to budding underwater photographers, teaching them the tricks of the trade, or even selling them the gear they need to get started. We could be up on a stage at a school, club, museum or event speaking about sharks, diving, and underwater photography.

HOW DID YOU LAND YOUR CURRENT POSITION? We started by winning a few major photo competitions and becoming recognised in the diving industry. Nick wrote an article about his time on the Sardine Run with a specialist diving adventure company and got published. It grew from there.

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN? Steve Warren was a huge help when we were just starting out. He enabled us to meet other underwater photographers and get advice from some of the top names in the industry. He also advised us to buy the best equipment first time, rather than being disappointed and having to buy replacements (but then he did also sell said equipment!)

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT? Work hard! Keep an open mind as to where you might end up. Our career path, done as a picture, might look like a game of snakes and ladders – but it’s all been worth it!

A Whale Shark sucks in water at the surface Caroline meets a Great Hammerhead Shark

TOP 3 TIPS SHARKSPHOTOGRAPHINGFOR

Research the best places and the best dive operators to find the species of shark you want to photograph. You have to be lucky to get really incredible shark encounters, but you increase your chances by putting in the time beforehand.

WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOU’D KNOWN WHEN STARTING OUT? We wish we’d discovered the underwater world sooner. It’s great to see younger people getting into scuba diving, underwater photography and marine conservation.

FindmagnificenttheandtoyourselfperfectOncemissgoodsomanymoment!toRememberenjoytheSopeoplefocushardongettingashottheyalmosttheexperience.you’vegotyourshot,giveabitoftimeloweryourcamerajustenjoybeinginwaterwiththeseanimals.outmoreat fishphotography.comfrog

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE THIS CAREER? As soon as we learned to dive we were addicted. We worked our way up to become instructors so that we could spend as much time in the water as we could. We were passionate about sharing the underwater world with as many people as possible and so developed our skills as writers, shark fanatics and underwater photographers. We’ve now written 4 books about underwater photography, marine life and diving, as well as being published in numerous magazines and newspapers.

2 Get close! This applies to takenimagesclearestphotography.underwaterallTheandbestarethoseup-closeto the sharks. With as little water in between you and your subject as possible. It enables you to put light on your subject and it’s an awesome feeling when you’re face to face with some of the ocean’s top predators.