Just a quick note to point you in the direction of Innovations magazine, which this month features an article on the ground breaking work of SOSF sponsored Mahmood Shivji and his team at the Guy Harvey Institute.
Mahmood is currently investigating analytic techniques based on genetic sampling to rapidly identify shark species. Identify sharks I hear you say? Shorely we’ve got that sussed by now? You know, the one with the big hammer shaped head is a……. etc. Well things get a little more tricky when you’re dealing with shark parts, which is often what those investigating illegal fishing have to go on. If you can’t identify the shark in the first place, your prime piece of evidence is gone before a criminal case even begins.
The second major problem is that even if you do manage to identify a shark’s species through its DNA, you still don’t know where in the world it came from; as legislation varies across the globe you’re back at square one again.
This is where Mahmood and his team come in. They’re currently developing a forensic DNA tool that can determine shark species far more rapidly than was ever previously possible. With further work they hope to hone done this intrument’s effectiveness, giving us an even more powerful tool in the battle against the illegal trade in sharks.
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Four successful deployments, each with 5 – 8 hours of footage and data, have been collected over the past two weeks. One of the main shortfalls of our 2004 and 2005 missions was that the clamps to which the cameras are attached would slip off the shark when it chased something. Thanks to some brilliant engineering by National Geographic’s Crittercam Teamthe clamp and cameras have been completely re-designed and are staying on for the full mission time – providing the first step to answering our burning questions on white shark prey choice and social nature. Photos courtesy Mike Meyer, Alison Kock and Morne’ Hardenberg.
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Today I’m drawing your attention to CNN’s Planet in Peril series, which has a section devoted to covering the trade in endangered sharks and the consequences of shark fin soup.
SOSF has been a long time supporter of WildAid’s work in China, where we are actively working together to stop the dramatic increase in illegal shark fishing brought on by a surge in demand for shark fin soup. One of our most outstanding achievements was in recruiting Chinese basketball star Yao Ming for a series of anti-finning billboards which were erected around China in time for the summer Olympics.
Read more on our WildAid anti-finning project page.
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Just a brief but lovely story today. It begins with SOSF’s very own Hagen Schmid Errislannon and concludes with the people of Errislannon in County Galway, Ireland. The local people always organise a yearly beach clean to remove as much plastic material as possible.
Marine creatures often mistake floating pieces of small plastic as food, after which it becomes lodged in their digestive tracts frequently leading to their death. As Hagen’s wife Nylka says:
“We are aware that supporting such activities will not solve the ocean wide problem of floating debris. However, we can be sure that the children of Errislannon will realize the importance of a clean and healthy marine environment and their enthusiasm may encourage others to help Save Our Seas.”
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Just a little shout out to the FP’s sisters The Shark Angels. They’ve been in the news again as angel Julie Anderson took at a bunch of world class surfers for some first hand shark therapy! Let’s just say they went in with a little apprehension, but returned as advocates for shark conservation. For the full story check out this piece in the South African Times.
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