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Predators in Peril is a multi
faceted public awareness campaign designed to publicize the plight of
hundreds of endangered shark and ray species that rarely if ever receive
media attention.
Predators in Peril
From the shallow waters of the
Sea of Cortez to the abyssal plains of the Deep Atlantic, thousands of poorly known and rarely encountered sharks are being killed
every day for their meat, liver oil, cartilage and fins. Some species
like the enigmatic daggernose shark, are teetering on the brink of
extinction, but there is little effort being made to protect the
remnant population from further fishing pressure.
While well funded global
conservation groups diligently battle to save our ocean's apex predators, few people are even
aware of the existence of many less celebrated species. Partly this is
because they are naturally reclusive animals that are not easily
studied; many live in hostile environments such as murky estuarine water
or at crushing depths. And partly, it is because the main stream media
is more interested in publicizing the 'wow factor' of protecting whale
sharks than discussing the critical and complex role that small sharks
play both as predators of tiny fishes and invertebrates and as important
prey species for larger sharks.
PIP
Project Goals
The Predators in Peril Project
aims to draw attention to the plight of poorly known but highly
vulnerable shark and ray species which are largely ignored by
conservation movements.
The project involves working in
the field with artisanal shark fishermen and scientific researchers to
obtain the first live images and video footage of rare and endangered
elasmobranchs in their natural habitats. Each field expedition will be
followed by an intensive media campaign consisting of public
exhibitions, magazine articles, internet promotion, and television and
radio interviews.
Origins of the PIP Project
The project
stems from a clearly identifiable need for better (or in some cases the
first) images of poorly documented vulnerable sharks and rays for
conservation initiatives. In 2006, Photojournalist and Project Leader
Andy Murch, took the first clear images of a free swimming
Porbeagle Shark, while in
the Bay of Fundy accompanying Dr Steve Turnbull and researchers from the
University of New Brunswick.
The images
were subsequently used by the Shark Alliance, the World Wildlife Fund
and a number of other NGOs to illustrate a pending CITIES proposal.
Further
research uncovered a severe lack of high quality photographs of the more
obscure species of endangered sharks and rays which spurred the idea of
an expedition focusing specifically on the acquisition of images of
rarely encountered species to aid (and possibly incite) conservation
efforts.
During the
summer of 2009, a self funded pilot expedition was undertaken which
involved a 24,000 km road trip around North America to test out creative
methods of photographing illusive sharks in the wild. Through the
cooperation of divers, scientific researchers and artisanal fishermen,
the expedition was a great success. Images of 33 species of
elasmobranches were obtained including two species that have never been
photographed before; the
Pacific sharpnose shark
and the
Gulf of Mexico smoothhound shark.
The sharpnose images were subsequently donated to the Mexican
conservation organization Iemanya Oceanica to use in future
education campaigns.
2010/11 Predators in Peril Central American
Expedition
Although the
project is global in nature, each PIP expedition will focus on a
specific geographic region that has a high level of species diversity
and where dangerous declines in shark numbers have been recorded.
The initial
target group is restricted to the coastal waters of Central America
where hundreds of panga based fishermen conduct unregulated long lining
and gill netting activities on a daily basis.
Endemic
species of interest include (but are not restricted to) the following:
Bigeye
sixgill - Hexanchus nakamurai
Brazilian
sharpnose shark Rhizoprionodon lalandei
Brown
Smoothhound - Mustelus henlei
Cuban
dogfish - Squalus cubensis
Daggernose
shark - Isogomphodon oxyrhynchus
Dusky
smoothhound - Mustelus canis
Florida
smoothhound - Mustelus norrisi
Mallethead
shark - Sphyrna corona
Scoophead
shark - Sphyrna media
Sharpnose
smoothhound - Mustelus dorsalis
Sicklefin
smoothhound - Mustelus lunulatus
Smalleye
Hammerhead - Sphyrna tudes
Smalleye
smoothhound - Mustelus higmani
Whitenose
shark Nasolamia velox
All of these
species occasionally show up in artisanal long-line or gillnet
fisheries. Not all are listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List of
Endangered Species but this does not necessarily imply that they are not
vulnerable to depletion because many are categorized as data deficient.
This classification simply implies that a downward trend in catch
statistics could not be established because of insufficient historical
data. It does not mean that a particular shark species is stable. Most
of these species have not yet been photographed in the wild. And, images
of those that have, generally need to be improved upon before they can
be used in public awareness and conservation campaigns.
PIP Central American Expedition Itinerary
The 2010/11
PIP Expedition will be divided into a series of satellite expeditions
that focus on specific areas of Central America on each trip. Areas of
particular interest include:
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The Osa
Peninsula and Gulf of Nicoya in Costa Rica.
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The
mangrove lagoons of Utila, Honduras.
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The
Pacific Slope around Oaxaca, Mexico.
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The
Northern Gulf of California around the Midriff Islands.
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Bahia De
La Union, Nicaragua.
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The
Island of Trinidad.
PIP Public Awareness Campaigns
PUBLICITY IN
THE FIELD
While the
team is in the field they will upload video blogs, written updates and
images of shark and ray species that they have encountered as well as
peripheral images of the fishermen and local shark researchers and the
regions traveled through.
They will
also use a real time tracking system where visitors can follow the
expedition’s geographical progress minute by minute.
PredatorsinPeril.com has been bookmarked for this purpose but has not
yet been developed.
News updates
about the expedition will also appear on Elasmodiver.com and many other
shark related conservation websites.
Schools will
be encouraged to follow the expedition’s progress and if feasible, Q&A
internet sessions will be scheduled where school children can ask the
team about their work.
REGIONAL
CONSERVATION INITIATIVES
The images
resulting from the project will be offered in electronic format to
regional conservation organizations that can be identified as working
within the appropriate geographic region. This will facilitate the
production of more inspiring educational material for inclusion in
regional conservation campaigns.
The PIP team
will also solicit regional media coverage while in the field to
stimulate local public awareness.
NETWORK
PUBLICITY
Media
networks will be invited to interview the team before their departure
and follow up interviews from the field will be scheduled when
communication allows.
MAGAZINE
PUBLICITY
Illustrated
articles will appear in a selection of natural history, travel and
current affairs magazines. A wide variety of magazines have already
agreed to collaborate.
EXHIBITION
PUBLICITY
After the
field work is completed, an exhibition of images will be constructed.
The Predators in Peril exhibition will focus on the perilous position of
the shark and ray species encountered and will also comment on the
adventurous aspects of the work undertaken. If it can be arranged, the
exhibition will visit a number of key North American cities and will
include presentations by the Project Leader. Prominent aquariums,
universities and galleries will be targeted venues.
Funding
and Field Expenses
PIP funding proposals are
currently under consideration with a number of philanthropic
organizations that support similar public awareness initiatives.
However, full funding is by no means guaranteed.
The 2010 expedition will not be
a lavish affair. Much of the time the team will be camping at remote
shark fishing camps where services such as fresh water are nonexistent.
Consequently, daily life will be fairly primitive and overheads will be
kept to a minimum but unavoidable expenses will still occur and PIP is
asking for any help with equipment that organizations or individuals
would like to offer:
Predators in Peril Equipment Wish List
Utility van
- needs to have a solid engine and good ground clearance.
The PIP ground
vehicle which was used during the 2009 North American Sharks Expedition needs
to be retired. The team's VW Eurovan now has 350,000 km on the
clock and while it is still going strong, it is unlikely to be able to
handle the remote dirt roads of Central America.
Underwater
Video System
The project will
be more successful if the team can shoot video as well as still
photography. The video will be added to blogs and offered for inclusion
in news reels. A compact HD system would be ideal but anything that
becomes available would be useful.
DNA Sampling kits and associated processing fees
To confirm the identity of some of the more cryptic shark
species that the team hope to encounter, DNA will be collected by using
a noninvasive fin clip method. Not all sharks currently have DNA
profiles in Genbank so the team will collect this information and
contribute it to Genbank to help taxonomists and geneticists build a
better understanding of the relation between different species. Each kit
including processing fees will cost around $80. The team hope to take at
least 20 DNA samples.
GPS transponder and service package for website
integration
A live minute by minute plotting system will be added to
the Predators in Peril website to track the expedition's progress.
$$$ for
Additional
Field Expenses
Beyond acquisition of critical equipment, a variety of
other field expenses need to be addressed. A PIP Fund is being created
for this purpose. Additional expenses include:
Vehicle field repairs and maintenance
Vehicle security retrofit
Occasional Panga Rental
Fuel Contributions to fishermen
Occasional Security
Equipment insurance
Ferries and/or flights to offshore islands (Utila and
Trinidad).
Fuel
Visas
How You Can Help
PIP is all
about public awareness. As well as financial support, we need partners
in the media world and help from individuals to spread the word about the
Predators in Peril Project.
If you have a website, blog, Facebook profile or are part of any other social
networking platforms please link to this page and to elasmodiver.com
You can also
purchase an 'Elasmo T' from Elasmodiver. All of the proceeds will go
directly towards funding the Predators in Peril Expedition.
Please
contact
Amphibious Warrior Scuba Wear
for more details
The Predators in Peril Team
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Andy Murch PIP Project Leader
Andy
is a Freelance Photojournalist
and outspoken conservationist
specializing in shark and ray imagery. His elasmobranch
photographs have appeared in many scientific journals and
natural history and diving magazines around the world. His
images are frequently used by conservation groups such as the
Shark Alliance and the World Wildlife Fund to promote the
protection of endangered species.
Andy
is the team's primary underwater photographer and spokesperson.
Contact Andy Murch:
250-588-8267
elasmodiver@gmail.com |
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Claire Pianta PIP Field Assistant
Claire
is an experienced Dive Master, Manned Submersible Pilot, Boat
Captain and Sailor.
She
has a great deal of experienced in working with sharks in the
field and she played a key role in the success of the 2009
exploratory expedition.
Claire's responsibilities include videography, topside
photography, logistics and organization.
Contact Claire Pianta:
elasmoweb@gmail.com |
Primary Scientific Advisor and Supporter
Eric R. Hoffmayer, Ph.D.
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
The University of Southern Mississippi
Field
Collaborators
Dr. José Leonardo
Castillo-Geniz
Investigador Titular
"C", Programa Tiburón, Centro Regional de Investigación Pesquera de
Ensenada, B.C., Instituto Nacional de la Pesca (INAPESCA), carr.
Dr. Mauricio Hoyos Padilla
Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas
La Paz, Baja California Sur, México.
Dr Juan Carlos Perez Jimenez
El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR)
Campeche, Campeche, México
Jorge Luiz Silva
Nunes, DSc
Professor Adjunto I - UFMA
Universidade Federal do Maranhão
Chapadinha - Maranhão - Brazil
Dr Jose Rodrigo Rojas Morales
Instituto de los Recurso Costeros y Marinos, Costa Rica.
Other
Notable Supporters
Dr. Stephen
Turnbull
Executive Director - Canadian Shark Conservation Society
APICS - Chair of Animal Care / Treasurer
Director of Animal Care - UNBSJ
Biology Department - University of New Brunswick
Dr Mark Marks
Senior Scientist
Save Our Seas
Foundation
Celebrated Film Maker Tom Campbell
Tom Campbell’s HD Productions
Many Thanks for the Gracious Assistance Provided
By:
Avi Kapler
Undersea Hunter Group
Costa Rica
Steve Fox
Deep Blue Resort
Utila, Honduras
Eli Martinez
Shark Diver Magazine
Tom Sergent
Amphibious Warrior Scuba Wear
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