Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Expeditions - Volunteer Research Assistants
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Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Expeditions - Volunteer Research Assistants
Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Expeditions
Location: Malapascua Island, Cebu, The Philippines Dates: April - August 2008 Website:The Thresher Shark Project
Divers interested in marine/shark science may apply to assist Simon Oliver in conducting fieldwork for a doctoral research project on Pelagic thresher sharks. Since ONLY 2 assistants will be accepted on the project at any given time, this is a unique opportunity for selected individuals to gain hands on training and experience in shark survey methodology, behaviour, biology, ecology and conservation from a specialist. Accepted candidates will also receive training in scientific diving, marine wildlife photography and marine videography, and benefit from the use of professional underwater camera and video systems.
Volunteer research assistants will be based on Malapascua Island and shuttled to Monad Shoal aboard a small dedicated research vessel. Ops will run from 05:00 to 20:00 five days a week and include SCUBA survey, underwater video observation and in situ tagging operations (pending funding). Evenings will involve data review and analysis, training and gear maintenance.
Why is it so expensive to be a "volunteer" these days? It is an honest question. I really do think there needs to be a new title coined for this sort of position.
Hmm, I doubt you'll get more than 2 dives a day on the shark site as they are nocturnal and only come to clean for a few hours in the morning. Add to that the fact that the divesite is quite deep with a square-ish profile, the requirements for no deco etc and only providing air means you will most likely have very short dives. Interesting that you offer a 3rd shark dive at 12 noon.
We have found that the best time to dive with the sharks is between sunrise and 9am. This was found from extensive trial and error as well as from the scientific shark study that was run through Thresher Shark Divers. During this time period you have a good chance of seeing a shark, but as with most diving there is also an element of luck.
As Monad Shoal has a fairly deep, square profile, we recommend that you use Nitrox and double your bottom time at Shark Point. If you double your bottom time, you double your chance of seeing sharks!
250GBP will get you a lot of dives in the Philippines, at about $25 - $35 a dive.
This might be great for younger divers spending their parents money for a 'summer research trip' but i think at 250GBP a week plus flights, F+B, hotel and beer you can only drink on weekends is expensive for doing someone elses grunt work.
The Philippines is a great place, if someone decides to go make sure you budget for at least another week with 250GBP + accommodation, food and transfers to travel around and dive some other areas, you'll live like a king and do lots of great dives.
Anyone who is thinking about going should ask the guys and girls in the Philippine Paradise Divers section before they go.
In response to SB member comments and in fairness to the integrity of the project I feel in need to clarify a few points.
Funding for marine biological research of this nature is extremely difficult to come by. It would please us no end to be able to offer research assistants free diving, free equipment, free room and free board but we ourselves are not salaried. We are in an ongoing process of applying for grants to reduce costs for the project. Should any of our proposals be accepted, which is a very real possibility, reducing costs for our volunteers will be our top priority.
It is regrettable that some may see the project as a profiteering endeavour. The expeditions are exclusively not-for-profit with all accounts audited by external NGOs. Members of the Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Group are either funded by government agencies such as the Natural Environment Research Council UK (NERC), or are volunteering their own time to the project.
For the purpose of disseminating shark research, conservation and education as well as to expand our data acquisition capabilities we believe we are offering a very unique opportunity at cost to members of the dive and/or scientific community. This means what it has cost us to furnish you with a private research boat with crew, air, fuel, training and the use of broadcast quality underwater video cameras, training and use of professional underwater still camera systems, film, tape, and all the amenities relevant to partaking in a scientific marine study with a specialist. Volunteering for other conservation groups costs double without the one to one expertise and diving opportunity we are offering (average £500 per week, large groups). Research assistants on the thresher shark expeditions are not paying any fees. They are simply covering their own costs.
In response to the suggestion that the “best time to dive with thresher sharks is between sunrise and 9 am”, I should point out that the Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Group are the very scientists who conducted the study referred to on the aforementioned website. Our results from 2005 clearly identified a significant probability of shark presence on Monad Shoal from sunrise to 1 pm (our data is open to review).
To answer the correct notation of the square nature of the dive profile at this site, the cost to dive NITROX would further burden our volunteers. Instead, we circumvent safety issues by having strict dive and surface interval times, by allotting 2 consecutive weekend days as dry days and by discouraging the consumption of alcohol during weekday ops. If drinking beer would be an important part of your expedition, you would be putting yourself and the safety of other expedition members at risk, which is just not on.
Some members of the group have studied Pelagic thresher sharks on a full time basis for the past 4 years - Simon Oliver has written a 200 page nationally award-winning thesis on the subject. Our knowledge and experience in the area of shark cleaning is unrivaled and we are submitting our results to high impact scientific journals.
Any scientific research, but especially that conducted in the marine environment and employing SCUBA involves a certain amount of “grunt” work. It’s not all glamour, thus we have been honest on our website about what to expect. If you are interested in learning and gaining training and experience from an accredited specialist which would undoubtedly benefit aspiring careers in marine/shark science, and, like ourselves, want to put a little bit back to balance what gets taken out of the environment, then these expeditions are for you.
Alison Beckett
Project Manager
(Underpaid and overworked!)
If I were ten years younger, I'd be all over this. Thresher sharks are so dang NEAT.
Although as others have noted, all those incidental costs potentially sum up to one heck of a price. Yikes!
From my experience running field programs, the vagaries regarding room and board constitutes the major deal breaker. That's something that should be locked in, some way or another. At the bare minimum, cost estimates from a (short) list of recommended nearby facilities. Perhaps this information is available, but simply not shown on the website?
Thank you for answering the questions Dr. Beckett.
I was wondering if you're collaborating with any of the local academia on this project? I'm sure some of the universities here would love for your group to present a seminar on your research or a even a workshop and maybe carry on the research at other marine sites in the Philippines.
Also, I would love to read the article on your 2005 results, do you have a copy of the article you can send to me or would it be possible to post it on your website?
Last, would local divers have an opportunity to help the project at a reduced cost?
Originally Posted by Shark Expeditions
In response to the suggestion that the “best time to dive with thresher sharks is between sunrise and 9 am”, I should point out that the Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Group are the very scientists who conducted the study referred to on the aforementioned website. Our results from 2005 clearly identified a significant probability of shark presence on Monad Shoal from sunrise to 1 pm (our data is open to review).
Fostering relationships with Philippine academic institutions is very important to us and we would relish the opportunity to disseminate our work through seminars and workshops at local universities. Simon Oliver will be in the Philippines March – August conducting fieldwork. During that time he will be very willing to accept any invitation to give a talk and/or hold a workshop. Please contact us directly should you wish to initiate such a process.
In the long term yes we certainly aspire to expand our research (with local academic collaborations) to other marine sites in the Philippines.
With regards to releasing the article which synthesizes our results from 2005, we have submitted the paper for publication in a high impact scientific journal. Presently we are waiting for a decision from the editors to determine if it will be reviewed. If and when it is accepted, we will be posting it for all to download on our website (crossing fingers this will be soon). However, because of submission restrictions, we do have to wait until the paper has been accepted for publication before we can release it to the general public.
Alternatively, we are willing to provide data for review upon private request. Please email us directly should this be of interest to you.
As I mentioned in my previous posting, we are in an ongoing process of applying for grants to subsidize our volunteers. We are expecting a decision on one of these applications on Monday. Hopefully the decision will be favourable and thereby enable us to reduce costs for all our volunteer research assistants including local divers.
I’ll hope to hear from you in person regarding possible academic collaborations and affiliations.
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Originally Posted by Shark Expeditions
