Looking for divers' insights on sharks: Species Seen? Conservation needs?

[ChristineWP]

Hi all,

I'm looking for experienced ocean-going divers' around the world to comment on shark conservation strategies in their area. This includes ocean areas where sharks are rarely, or never observed!

These observations will be accumulated to described "What is being seen? What strategies are in place? What's working? What needs improvement?". The goal is to help guide management and conservation strategies.

This project is being done through a 10 minute online questionnaire available at www.eOceans.org (link via the yellow button).

You can find a list of my past publications on eOceans.org, and the one entitled "Global Population Trends and Human Use Patterns of Manta and Mobula Rays" is most similar to this current project and is found at this link: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/se...rJournals=PLoSONE&q=ward-paige+manta&x=11&y=6

I look forward to finding out what you are seeing! Thanks.

 

[drbill]

Back when I first started diving the waters of southern California in the 60s, they were teeming with sharks (mostly blues with a few makos and others). Today it is rare indeed when I see a shark other than a horn shark, swell shark or leopard shark (and the occasional tope). At least the great whites are making a comeback following the slaughter in the 70s after Jaws came back. However, I usually don't see them (but they see me).

 

[ChristineWP]

Hi drbill - thanks for your input!

I've heard this before for CA, especially for the blue sharks and makos! I only have one survey submitted from the Pacific side of the US, but need 10 experienced people (those with >200 dives) from each region. So I hope you'll be able to contribute. Were you able to find & access the link (www.eOceans.org)? The website has been slow today. If not, I can send you the (somewhat tedious) Word version if you can't get it to work online.

Yes, seeing sharks before they see you is always an issue with this type or work...

 

[scubapro25]

Hi, Christine:

I am Citizen Science Project Director for an ocean non-profit, ocean sanctuaries, which specialises in Marine citizen science projects.

For the past 6 years we have been running a targeted species population study of the seven gill shark (Notorynchus cepedianus) in the San Diego area, as well as a nonspecific shark species study being done in conjunction with National Geographic, off the coast of California.

We practice open science / open data and would be happy to share our data with you, if it might help your study.

For more information on our shark studies, please see my post above this one, titled 'Shark citizen scientists wanted,' at:Looking for Shark Citizen Scientists

Or, feel free to contact me offline with any questions you may have.

Cheers,

Michael Bear
mbear4@gmail.com