Shark Foundation
Photo © Klaus Jost
Photo © Klaus Jost
Photo © Klaus Jost
Foundation
EEA Conference
2023 Brighton, England
From October 18 - 20, 2023, the Conference of the European Elasmobranch Association (EEA) was held in Brighton, England. As always, the conference was very successful in terms of science and networking. Dr. Alexander Godknecht represented Switzerland’s Shark Foundation at the conference and at various committee meetings.
Publications
Shark Exhibit
The exhibit is in storage and we continue to look for new exhibit locations.
Total Investments to date: approx. 275,000 CHF
Population Genomics of
Large
Shark Species
The project, which is led by the laboratory under the direction of Prof. Mahmood Shivji, includes conducting molecular genetic analyses of various large deep-sea sharks such as great hammerheads, makos, white sharks, silky sharks, sixgill sharks and oceanic whitetip sharks. The analyses will be used to investigate global genetic links between populations of especially large deepwater sharks and other endangered shark species using molecular biology.
Genetic connections provide information on whether individual populations are isolated or if they mix with other populations, enabling them to compensate any losses through the integration of other species. Prof. Shivji's team published a scientific paper on the population dynamics of hammerhead sharks and makos in 2023/24. Both populations show a historic decline. Already heavily overfished, great hammerhead sharks suffer greatly from inbreeding since practically no genetic exchange occurs between the populations.
Project Management: Prof. Mahmood Shivji, Nova Southeastern University, FL, USA
Expenditures: 2023 11,700 CHF
Investments to date: approx. 80,800 CHF
Global Analysis of
Large
Shark Species Migrations
Many shark species are undergoing massive decline worldwide. The main cause is that fisheries are being increasingly pressured to fulfill the high demand for shark meat, especially their fins. As top hunters large sharks grow slowly and thus not only take longer to become sexually mature but also have fewer young, making them especially vulnerable to overfishing.
Oceanic sharks are frequently found in the same regions where international fishing fleets are active. Analyzing their migratory routes is thus particularly important. In 2023 an analysis of silky shark migrations off the East Coast of the United States was made in which the organization that evaluates the satellite data was partially financed by the Foundation.
Project Management: Prof. Mahmood Shivji, Nova Southeastern University, FL, USA
Expenditures: 2023 7,800 CHF
Investments to date: approx. 56,200 CHF
Shark Nurseries
The shark „nursery“ project in Rookery Bay, 10,000 Islands, Florida, has been managed by Pat O’Donnell since 2000 in cooperation with the Mote Marine Lab. The region is frequented by sharks as a primary nursery (newborns) and secondary nursery (juvenile sharks one year and older). The study region includes Fakahatchee, Fake Union and Pumpkin Bay.
The marshlands, whose waters flow into these bays, were drained over 20 years ago for a land reclamation project which, however, failed. It was only a few years ago that the State of Florida decided to restore the original marshlands. Although this project has been severely delayed and to date has not been completed, results are slowly beginning to show. The amount of fresh water that was previously diverted into the sea through canals in order to drain the swamp is now decreasing. The goal of this research is to determine how any salinity change in these nursery areas affects juvenile sharks.
The Foundation continues to invest in this project whenever required.
Project Management: Pat O'Donnel, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, FL, USA
Expenditures: 2023 -0- CHF
Investments to date: approx. 61,500 CHF
Fiji Shark Sanctuary
The Fiji Shark Conservation Park project is now self-sustaining. If necessary the Foundation will, however, provide financial assistance. In 2005, the Foundation financed the boat "Reef Warden" which was used to monitor the reef and was able to drive out illegal fishermen. At the end of 2013 Mike Neumann requested further investments in the Fiji Shark Count Project whose aim was to inventory all sharks in the region retroactive to the year 2012.
The Fiji Shark Count was co-financed by the Foundation in 2013/14. In 2015 Christine Ward-Paige from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, evaluated the data collected during the Fiji Shark Count.
Results show that the biodiversity and number of species, not only of sharks, have increased massively through the establishment of the conservation park. The shark sanctuary not only serves as a nature reserve, but also allows researchers easy access to specific species such as bull sharks for respective shark research projects.
The Foundation continues to invest in this project whenever necessary.
Project Management: Mike Neumann, Fiji
Expenditures: 2023 -0- CHF
Investments to date: approx. 41,800 CHF
Migration of Large Coastal Sharks
in Jupiter, FL, and the Bahamas
Bull Shark Migrations Jupiter/Bimini/Bahamas
This project studies the movements of large shark species such as hammerheads, tiger sharks, lemon sharks as well as bull sharks in the region. In 2023, the project focused primarily on bull and lemon sharks, since changes in authorization procedures made it impossible to research great hammerhead sharks. It remains to be seen if and when the project with hammerhead sharks can continue, otherwise the project will be closed.
Project Management: Matthew J. Smukall, Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bahamas
Expenditures: 2020 - 2021/22: 18,700 CHF
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em>Investments to date: approx. 86,200 CHF
Whale Sharks
In 2023 the Marine Megafauna (MMF) Team, headed by Dr. Simon Pierce and Dr. Chris Rohner, continued their research work on whale sharks.
Mozambique:
Madagascar:
Tanzania / Mafia Island:
Galapagos:
In 2023 the team published a scientific article on underwater ultrasound surveys of whale sharks in the Galapagos.
Project Management: Dr. Simon Pierce, Dr. Chris Rohner, Marine Megafauna Foundation, Mozambique
Expenditures 2023: approx. 9,400 CHF.
Investments to date: approx. 139,200 CHF
Cape Verde Shark Conservation Project
West Africa’s Cape Verde is an archipelago consisting of ten volcanic islands. It is home to more than 60 species of sharks and rays, including whale sharks, tiger sharks and manta rays. These species have been exploited uncontrollably in West Africa for many years. However, the Cape Verde Islands – especially Brava and Maio – are exceptional in that they are the only regions where sharks and rays are not intensively fished. This makes them a hotspot for these species and one of their last refuges in the northeastern Atlantic.
After the various coronavirus lockdowns in 2020/21, the project was slowly resumed at the end of 2021. Since then various activities in the areas of public relations, the protection of shark prey fish and the fight against illegal industrial and sport fishing are beginning to bear fruit.
Whether or not any further investments will be made in 2024 will be decided at the next meeting of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
Project Management: Fauna & Flora International
Expenditures 2022: -0- CHF
Investments to date: approx. 20,000 CHF
Indigenous Fisheries in
Angola
A critical decline in sharks is being observed in West Africa. The main cause is the ever-increasing demand for shark fins in the Asian region. Great hammerheads, lemon sharks and bull sharks are experiencing an especially threatening reduction, but many other shark species are also affected.
Angola is located in the northern part of the so-called Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME). The BCLME is an extremely proliferous marine region because the confluence of the Benguela and Angola currents creates eddies that transport nutrient-rich deep water to the surface.
The demand for shark fins has led to a massive increase in local coastal fishing in Angola, especially in the past 10 years (source FAO, United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization). No accurate data on targeted shark fishing is currently available and will be collected in this project.
The project is progressing well. A second interim report including data from various ports in Angola is available. The project has been extended as it represents an important source of information on shark species and their local catch numbers in West Africa, information which has so far been very poorly documented.
In 2021 Ana Lucia Furtado Soares was accepted into the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and will continue her dissertation work on Angola at the Ludwig Maximilian University (Munich, Germany).
Project Management: Ana Lucia Furtado Soares, Ludwig Maximilian Universität, Deutschland
Expenditures 2017-2019 (Preliminary 3-year period): approx. CHF 9,500
Expenditures 2023: 5,000 CHF
Investments to date: approx. 25,800 CHF
Artisanal Fisheries in Ghana
Ghana is one of the most important shark and ray fishing nations in West Africa. Their fisheries are also one of the biggest employers in the coastal regions, securing the livelihood and income for many of the poorest communities on the Ghanaian coast.
The project aims at collecting basic critical information on indigenous fisheries in Ghana, focusing on ecological, cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of such fisheries in western Ghana. Special, and for a region typical dangers for sharks are being specifically analyzed. Based on this data (which so far has been nonexistent), a plan to develop a national strategy will be established in order to help sustainably protect and manage Ghana’s shark and ray populations.
Project results were published in 2022 in three scientific journals.
The project was supposed to end in 2022 but was extended for one year until 2023, based on a request from, and good arguments submitted by the Project Manager.
Project Management: Seidu Issah, AquaLife Conservancy, Ghana
Expenditures 2023: 8,000 CHF
Investments to date: approx. 24,450 CHF
Social Behavior of Bull Sharks
in Fiji
Bull shark populations in Fiji have been studied extensively and like all bull sharks their status on the Red List of the IUCN is “almost threatened.” However, the bull sharks living in the waters around Fiji are considered more endangered because they do not mix with the nearest bull shark populations due to the latter’s distance from Fiji. This means their losses cannot be compensated.
Although we know a great deal about bull sharks, very little is known about their social behavior. We do know that sharks often develop social structures, form groups and cliques, learn from others, and that they differ in individual behavior.
Managing this project is Natasha Dominique Marosi. In her dissertation she will examine in detail the social behavior of bull sharks in Fiji with the aim of answering the following questions:
Critical areas for sharks in Greece
Sharks are threatened worldwide, but for years now severe overfishing has caused an especially dramatic reduction of their numbers in the Mediterranean Sea. The waters around Greece are known for their rich diversity of shark and ray species (67 species), thus rendering them important for maintaining biodiversity. The western region of the Mediterranean Sea is relatively well researched when it comes to sharks and rays as opposed to the eastern part. That makes the waters around Greece particularly interesting.
The project will include checking the Ambracian Gulf for possible shark nursery grounds. This is a partially enclosed shallow water area in the Ionian Sea and is home to many large marine species such as dolphins, sea turtles and at least six species of rays. However, nothing is known about any shark species found there.
The project team also plans to study shark populations, especially the endangered but not protected sandbar sharks (Charcharhinus plumbeus) in the Mediterranean Sea. With the help of bycatch analyses, tagging and so-called citizen science (e.g. the analysis of private shark photos posted online on social media), the team will try to establish a long-term monitoring system of shark populations there.
Project Management: Ioannis Giovos, iSea, Griechenland
Expenditures 2023: 8,000 CHF
Investments to date 21,100 CHF
Short-Term Projects
New Project 2023: Shark Sanctuary and Nurseries in St. Maarten, Dutch Caribbean
The establishment of St. Maarten as a shark nursery is an integral part of the work carried out by the Nature Foundation St. Maarten to reintroduce both legislation concerning the local marine sanctuary as well as the shark fishing ban. The shark fishing ban (Decree Temporary Fishing Ban Cartilaginous Fish) with a ten-year term was introduced in 2011 by a Ministerial Decree and expired in 2021. Currently, sharks and other cartilaginous fish are not well protected in the region. This legal loophole makes the large population of Caribbean reef sharks, tiger sharks and nurse sharks vulnerable to fishing activities.
The research project is one aspect of the Marine Legislation Project. Its aim is to close legal gaps in the protection of sharks on the island.
Project Management: Estela Grau, Foundation for the Management & Conservation of Nature, St. Maarten
Expenditures 2023: 8,900 CHF
New Project 2023: New Methods for Managing Blue Sharks in the North Atlantic
Blue sharks (Prionace glauca) are the most frequently caught shark species in the world. According to recent estimates, around 10 million specimens are caught each year. The species is classified as “near threatened” globally (IUCN Red List Near Threatened), but in the North Atlantic it is considered “endangered” as populations have declined by 54% over the last three generations. These figures are consistent with an assessment for the Mediterranean region, which concluded that the species is “critically endangered” there due to population declines of more than 90 %. Blue sharks are subject to management by regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) as they are associated with deep-sea tuna and swordfish fisheries.
A recent study identified genetic differences between the northern (Mediterranean and North Atlantic) and southern hemispheres (Southeast Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Southwest Pacific). It is crucial to understand the genetic connectivity between oceanic regions in order to assess and effectively manage blue shark populations. The project will thus conduct a genomic analysis of blue sharks in six new regions to complement existing literature as follows: (1) NW Indian Ocean (Oman), (2) NE Atlantic (England), (3) NW Atlantic (USA and Canada), (4) SW Atlantic (Argentina and Uruguay), (5) SE Pacific (Ecuador) and (6) NW Pacific (Taiwan).
Project Management: Dr. Gonzalo Araujo, Marine Research And Conservation Foundation, England
Expenditures 2023: 7,500 CHF
New Project 2023: Diurnal Behavior of Sharks in South Africa
The marine reserve of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Sodwana Bay, South Africa, is a large protected area and home to several species of sharks and rays. It is ideal for studying the natural diurnal behavior of these species and how they are impacted by ecotourism. There is both a highly frequented area as well as a remote area close to the Mozambique border that is almost untouched. The analysis of animals found in both regions should reveal differences in diurnal behavior.
Diurnal activities as well as species composition are monitored using remote underwater videos (BRUVs). Similar to BRUVs, but only qualitative, environmental DNA (eDNA) is used to detect the presence (or less likely the absence) of species in a given area. Specialized eDNA analyses are being developed to find species that - for whatever reason - cannot be detected with BRUVs, and vice versa. As part of his dissertation, Steve is investigating these activities and the species composition of sharks and rays in the area.
Unfortunately, the 2023 survey season was characterized by bad weather so that not all planned BRUVs could be used. Nevertheless, 154 BRUVs were successfully deployed by the end of 2023 and these recorded 12 shark and 11 ray species at an overall detection rate of 67%.
Project Management: Steve Gerber, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa
Expenditures 2023: 6,000 CHF
Indigenous Fisheries in Tamil Nadu, India
When assessing the threat to shark and ray populations around the world, the focus is usually on the huge demand from the Southeast Asian fin markets. On the other hand, shark specialists both at the IUCN and the FAO have recently discovered that local and global markets for other shark products such as meat, skin or squalene are increasingly emerging and could endanger shark populations.
India is one of the largest global shark fishing nations. The southeastern state of Tamil Nadu in particular has the second-highest catch numbers of sharks and rays in India next to Puducherry. The project will examine shark catches and especially supply chains of shark products in ports in the city of Chennai. Interviews with fishermen, traders and buyers of end products will be used as well as direct examinations of catches on boats and markets.
The aim of the project is to collect for the first time exemplary data on landed sharks and rays and the associated supply chains in India. The resulting data and the sustainability of fishing and trade should then be discussed with local politicians and the fishing industry.
The project has been delayed because Shruthi received a short-term project from the IUCN.
Project Management: Shruthi Kottillil, Tamil Nadu, India
Expenditures 2023: -0- CHF
Blackmouth Catsharks in Underwater Canyon in the Mediterranean Sea
Shark populations in the Mediterranean Sea have declined dramatically over the last 20 years due to overfishing and bycatch, and many species are endangered. The identification and appropriate protection of so-called "essential" habitats is one way to protect and conserve marine biodiversity. In these areas, marine creatures can breed, feed and spend protected adolescence time up until adulthood. While these habitats are known for some large shark species such as hammerheads, bull sharks, lemon sharks or white and mako sharks, little is known about such habitats for deepwater sharks.
Blackmouth catsharks (Galeus melastomus) are egg-laying deep-sea sharks that are widespread in the Mediterranean and occur at depths of around 300 to 800 m on the slopes of the continental shelf. Often found in bycatches, deep-sea sharks are generally highly endangered by trawls and bottom trawls. On the other hand, blackmouth catsharks can counteract the fishing pressure because they reach sexual maturity at a very early age compared to other sharks, and this in turn results in a higher reproduction rate.
In the Gulf of Lion, west of Toulon, a highly increased number of blackmouth catsharks were found in the bycatch compared to other regions, suggesting that the area is an “essential” habitat for this species. The aim of the project is thus to examine this region in more detail physically, to analyze the mortality rate of the sharks on board and to learn more about their population structure. As the Mediterranean is considered to be one of the most polluted seas, the stomach contents of the sharks caught will be examined for microplastics and potentially harmful plastic additives.
As a rule, the Foundation does not support research on shark species that are not considered endangered. This project was nevertheless approved since it may provide interesting information about the amount of microplastics and potentially toxic plastic additives found at greater depths in the Mediterranean.
The project team must adhere to the regulations and limits for fishing in the region, so data can only be collected from June to November. The next data collection and tagging is scheduled for June - November 2024.
Project Management: Dr. Ignasi Nuez, Submon/University of Barcelona, Spain
Expenditures 2023: -0- CHF
Environmental DNA (eDNA) Study on Shark and Ray Populations in South Africa
South Africa is located between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is a hotspot when it comes to climate change. The study will investigate the influence of climate change on the occurrence of key species of approximately 200 shark and ray species found in this region.
Traditional surveys of shark and ray populations have shown to be complex and expensive. They include representative catches and recaptures, interviews with fishermen and fish traders, underwater videos (BRUVS, i.e. Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations) and other methods. As previous studies have shown, living organisms also leave species-specific traces in the form of DNA. Studying populations using DNA samples (eDNA) extracted from the environment (in this case seawater) is a relatively inexpensive and now technically established alternative for qualitative studies on the occurrence of specific species in a region. Still, it reveals nothing or very little about population sizes.
This project - part of a dissertation at Stellenbosch University - will investigate the occurrence of several important shark and ray species along the South African coast using eDNA analysis. The following locations will be scrutinized: False Bay, Gansbaai, De Hoop, Mossel Bay, Plettenberg Bay, Algoa Bay, Chintsa, Umkomaas, Richards Bay, Sodwana Bay, Port Nolloth, Strandfontein, Saldanha Bay.
The goal is to test, for the first time, such broad-scale eDNA surveys of shark and ray populations in South Africa in order to establish a basis for future similar surveys that may reveal trends in species composition caused by climate change.
The project was initiated at the end of 2022, thus no funding was given in the year 2023.
Project Management: Kristina Loosen, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Expenditures 2023: -0- CHF
Investments to date: approx. 8,300 CHF
Successfully completed: Catch Analyses of Bluntnose Sixgill Sharks in the Mediterranean
Although according to the IUCN Red List, bluntnose sixgill sharks are not considered endangered in the Mediterranean, we must point out that fisheries there are poorly documented and controlled. Sixgill sharks are also frequently found in the bycatch of deep-sea fisheries (down to 2,000 meters). Considering the declining trends of most other shark populations in the Mediterranean (which have shrunk to 10-20% of their former size) this positive assessment seems rather unlikely and outdated.
This study included interviews and observations designed to identify trends in sixgill shark landings throughout the Mediterranean. It covered 11 countries: Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Montenegro, Albania, Cyprus and Israel. Conducted in cooperation with local researchers and volunteers from each country, the project was coordinated by Ignazio Nuez from the EEA member organization in Spain (Submon). Not only was it of great interest for shark conservationists, but it also aimed at promoting cooperation among the various EEA members in the Mediterranean region, especially between the new EEA members Greece and Israel.
The project was completed/is close to completion and an initial presentation of preliminary data was presented at the IUCN Workshop in Palma de Mallorca in November 2019. A final report on project results was published at the beginning of 2023.
Project Management: Ignasi Nuez, Msc, Submon, Spain
Expenditures 2023: -0- CHF
Investments to date: 9,650 CHF
Successfully completed: Shark and Ray Populations around Fregate Island, Seychelles
Little is known about the shark and ray populations of Fregate Island located in the Seychelles archipelago. In a biodiversity study conducted between 2019 and 2021, the populations there were described as "incidental" and were no longer considered in statistical analyses. This despite the fact that photographs taken during the studies confirm the presence of various species that, like the guitar ray, are considered critically endangered.
The aim of the survey was to establish an effective inventory of the shark and ray species inhabiting the waters around Fregate Island. For this purpose, so-called BRUVs were used (Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems or independent, baited underwater video stations). They were placed around Fregate Island at different times of the year at 22 locations for one hour each, 11 in shallow water, 11 in greater depths.
The data collection was successful and Maria is now working on the completion of her dissertation and on a publication.
Project Management: Masha Lourie, Lisbon University, Portugal
Expenditures 2023: -0- CHF
Investments to date: 2,700 CHF
Media/Public Relations
The Foundation and Shark Info answered questions, gave interviews, edited articles in various media, and provided expertise and tips on a wide variety of themes in connection with sharks and shark protection.
Web Server
The German pages (hai.swiss) were viewed by about 30% more visitors in 2023 compared to 2022, with a total of 306,700 visitors viewing 3,424,100 pages. This corresponds to an average number of 11 pages per visitor. Most visitors came from Germany, Singapore(?), the USA, Switzerland and Austria.
Figures for the English pages (shark.swiss) have doubled compared to 2022 and amount to 242,300 visitors who viewed 2,614,600 pages, i.e. also approx. 11 pages per visit.
Visitors seem to be spending more time on our new pages. They look at an average of 10 to 25 pages. Mobile devices accounted for the largest share on both sites amounting to 60 to 70%.
Shark Foundation Financial Policy
The Shark Foundation was established on August 29, 1997. As an internationally active foundation, it is subject to the supervision of the Federal Department of Home Affairs / Foundation Supervision, in Bern, Switzerland, and can accept tax-deductible donations. Once a year it submits its annual report and financial statements to the supervisory authority for approval.
The Foundation finances all its activities through donations, lectures and the sale of products such as shark sponsorships or soft toy sharks. The Board of Trustees works on a voluntary basis and receives neither meeting attendance fees nor a salary. The Foundation runs a Shark Online Shop on its internet pages (selling T-shirts, soft toy sharks, fossilized shark teeth and shark adoptions). Proceeds from sales flow directly back into the Foundation's account. As a rule, a mailing with a donation request and payment slip goes out once a year to all interested parties.
At the first meeting of each respective year, the Shark Foundation's Board of Trustees decides on the use of the profit carried forward and the money stemming from the previous year's donations. To date, no reserves were set aside, instead all funds were released for ongoing projects, investments and administrative expenses.
The Foundation’s accounts are audited annually by the auditing company Revisal (Gossau, Switzerland).
Foundation
In 2022 disruptions to the Shark Foundation's research projects caused by the Covid 19 pandemic have greatly diminished. However, the economic problems resulting from the Russian invasion and the ongoing war in the Ukraine, as well as related uncertainties about the economic future and fears of recession, especially in Europe, affected the general work of the Shark Foundation. Public institutions, donors and sponsors have become increasingly reluctant to fund research and other projects. The Foundation may also no longer be able to count on the full support of its main sponsor in 2024. Due to this general financial reticence, new project applications received by the Foundation have accumulated massively compared to previous years. However, like other donors, the Foundation must distribute its funds carefully in order to be able to finance already committed projects over their full running time. Unfortunately, this means that some projects had to be rejected while other shorter and normal projects deemed very promising for shark protection could thus be newly included in the Foundation’s project portfolio.
In 2022, collaboration was established with the young fashion label Atelier Blyss in Lucerne which specializes in very sustainable, young fashion. Atelier Blyss donates 10% of its profits from the sale of their new collection FIN-K Beyond to the Foundation’s whale shark project.
Scientific research is expensive, especially when it comes to marine organisms such as sharks. Thus, in addition to the effective research materials, additional costs often ensue for boats, crew, fuel, travel, etc. Molecular biological research such as the analysis of population dynamics or the study of large-scale migrations using satellite transmitters devour vast amounts of research money and usually can only be financed by large laboratories, often with several donors. Where appropriate, the relatively small Shark Foundation supports or participates in such larger projects that specifically serve shark conservation. Sometimes, however, it is the small, relatively low-cost projects that can be very interesting (e.g. the analysis of local fish markets and shark landings in poorly studied regions). These are rarely supported by large donors, especially national funding agencies. By funding such projects, together with the networking of project leaders with each other and with larger laboratories working with us, the Foundation can substantially contribute to shark conservation with relatively little effort.
The Shark Foundation has been committed to the worldwide protection of sharks since 1997. Without the support of many small and large donors it would be impossible for us to carry on our work for sharks and hence to protect our oceans.
Thus we take this opportunity to thank all our donors and patrons whose generous support makes our work possible!
Sharks International Conference
2022, Valencia, Spain
From October 20 - 22, 2022, the Shark International Conference (SI 2022) was held in Valencia, Spain. Online sessions and workshops took place from October 10 to 14. Originally, the idea was to hold SI 2022 together with the annual conference and board meeting of the EEA (European Elasmobranch Society). Unfortunately, this was not possible because not enough EEA country representatives were able to attend the conference.
Nevertheless, from a scientific and networking angle, the conference was attended by many international research teams and was thus very successful. For the first time in years, Dr. Alexander Godknecht was able to again speak personally with many of the Foundation’s project managers in addition to getting acquainted with others for the first time.
Publications
The publication of scientific results that have been peer-reviewed by specialists prior to their release is one of the most important goals of research. It is only through these publications that other scientists and the public can benefit from the results. That is why the Shark Foundation is very proud of the fact that to date at least 111 scientific publications have resulted from the projects it supports.
In 2022 thirteen (13) reports on Shark Foundation projects were published (probably also as a consequence of the forced Covid 19 break in field research). Also published was a book written by Dr. Simon Pierce the contents of which included selected scientific articles on whale shark research.
US Shark Foundation
The U.S. Shark Foundation, based in Florida, was dissolved in 2022. The costs incurred by the U.S. Foundation no longer justified its benefits. Thanks to modern online banking and electronic communication options, activities in the U.S. can be easily managed from Switzerland.
Shark Exhibit
The exhibit is in storage and we are continuously looking for new exhibit locations.
Expenditures/Investments to date: approx. CHF 270,000
Population Genomics of Large
Shark Species
Under the direction of Professor Mahmood Shivji, this project is being carried out in his laboratory and includes molecular genetic analyses of various large oceanic sharks, e.g. large hammerheads, makos, great white sharks, sixgill sharks or whitetip oceanic sharks. These analyses support molecular biological research on global genetic links between populations of especially large oceanic and other endangered shark species.
Genetic connections provide information on whether individual populations are isolated or if they mix with other populations, enabling them to compensate any losses through the integration of other species. In 2022 Professor Shivji’s team published a scientific paper on the population dynamics of scalloped hammerhead sharks in the Eastern Pacific.
Expenditures 2022: CHF 11,700
Investments to date: approx. CHF 70,100
Global Analysis of
Large Shark Species Migrations
Numerous shark species are in massive decline worldwide due to overfishing. Their meat and especially their fins are a highly valued commodity and their high demand puts increased pressure on their populations. Although large shark species are top predators they mature slowly, become sexually mature much later and also have fewer offspring. This obviously makes them more susceptible to population decline caused by overfishing.
SOceanic sharks in particular are often found in the same regions where international fishing fleets are also active. Analyzing their migration routes is thus especially important. Laboratory and field work performed in Professor Mahmood Shivji’s laboratory in 2021 was possible but was subjected to long Corona-based interruptions.
Resumption of this work was possible in 2022.
Expenditures 2022: CHF 7,800
Investments to date: approx. CHF 48,400
Shark Nurseries
The shark „nursery“ project in Rookery Bay, 10,000 Islands, Florida, has been managed by Pat O’Donnell since 2000 in cooperation with the Mote Marine Lab. The region is used by sharks as a primary nursery (newborns) and secondary nursery (juvenile sharks one year and older). The study region includes Fakahatchee, Fake Union and Pumpkin Bay.
The marshlands, whose waters flow into these bays, were drained over 20 years ago for a land reclamation project which, however, failed. It was only a few years ago that the State of Florida decided to restore the original marshlands. This project has been severely delayed and to date has not been completed, although results are slowly beginning to show. The amount of fresh water that used to be diverted to the sea through canals to drain the swamp is decreasing. The goal of this research is to determine how any salinity change in these nursery areas affects juvenile sharks.
The Foundation continues to invest in this project whenever required
Expenditures 2022: CHF -0-
IInvestments to date: approx. CHF 61,500
Fiji Shark Sanctuary
The Fiji Shark Conservation Park project is now self-sustaining, but the Foundation will continue to provide financial assistance as required. At the end of 2013 Mike Neumann requested continued support for the Fiji Shark Count Project in order to inventory all sharks in the region dating back to 2012. The Fiji Shark Count is ongoing and was co-funded by the Foundation in 2013/14. In 2015 Christine Ward-Paige from Dalhousie University, Halifax, evaluated the data collected during the Fiji Shark Count.
The Foundation continues to invest in this project whenever necessary.
Expenditures 2022: CHF -0-
Investments to date: approx. CHF 41,800
Migration of Large Coastal Sharks
in Jupiter, FL, and the Bahamas
Bull Shark Migrations Jupiter/Bimini/Bahamas
The project involves research into the movements of large shark species such as hammerheads, tiger sharks, lemon sharks as well as bull sharks in the region. In 2022 changes were made to approval procedures for the study of great hammerheads and the project team subsequently focused their research on bull sharks. First results are expected in the second quarter of 2023.Expenditures 2020 - 2021/22: CHF 18,700
IInvestments to date: approx. CHF 86,200
Whale Sharks
In 2022, the Marine Megafauna (MMF) team led by Dr. Simon Pierce and Dr. Chris Rohner was able to resume its research work where it left off prior to the pandemic.
In 2021 Simon Pierce and his staff published a status update on the threat to global whale shark populations in the IUCN Red List.Mozambique:
Madagascar:
Tanzania / Mafia Island:
Galapagos Research Trip in July 2022:
In 2022, the team published three scientific articles and one book with selected scientific articles on whale sharks.
Expenditures 2022: approx. CHF 9,700
Investments to date: approx. CHF 129,800
Project successfully completed
White Sharks in the North Atlantic:
Analysis of Hormones and Microplastics
As top predators of the oceans, white sharks are found at the end of the food chains. As such they accumulate environmental toxins such as mercury and microplastics. Surveys of great white shark populations conducted in cooperation with Ocearch are expected to provide more information on their health status.
Veterinarian Michael Hyatt will be assisted in his research on the accumulation of microplastics in great white sharks, in the analysis of the population’s general health status, and in studies on stress endured by sharks during capture and on-board examinations.
The project is scheduled to continue until the end of 2022 since the goal of analyzing 20 individuals each of one-year-old, young, juvenile and adult white sharks was not yet achieved. By the end of 2021, 73 sharks from different age groups had been analyzed and results were presented at four conferences held by the American Elasmobranch Society, as well as published in one scientific journal. Since various analyses on microplastics, stress hormones, mercury, nutritional physiology, etc. were not yet completed, further publications are expected in 2022/23.
Preliminary analyses show that great white sharks accumulate microplastics which not only can clog the gills but can also enter the bloodstream. The danger lies in the fact that microplastics bind dangerous environmental toxins which can enter the body’s cells and cause long-term damage.
Studies on the migrations of various age groups and sexes in the eastern North Atlantic brought new insights into mating areas, habitats of pregnant females and one-year old sharks. The distribution area was extended to the far north of Canada. These new findings will help to better protect great white sharks in the North Atlantic.In 2023/24 the Ocearch team plans to search for white sharks in the Mediterranean.
Expenditures 2022: CHF -0-
Investments to date: approx. CHF 29,400
Cape Verde Shark Conservation Project
West Africa’s Cape Verde is an archipelago consisting of ten volcanic islands and is home to more than 60 species of sharks and rays, including whale sharks, tiger sharks and manta rays. These species have been exploited uncontrollably in West Africa for many years. However, the Cape Verde Islands – especially Brava and Maio – are exceptional in that they are the only regions where sharks and rays are not intensively fished. This makes them a hotspot for these species and one of their last refuges in the northeast Atlantic.
After the various corona lockdowns in 2020/21 the project was slowly resumed at the end of 2021. Various activities in the field of public relations, protection of prey fish of sharks and the fight against illegal industrial and sports fishing are beginning to bear fruit.
Whether or not the project will continue to be supported remains to be seen.
Expenditures 2022: CHF -0-
Investments to date: approx. CHF 20,000
Indigenous Fisheries in Angola
In West Africa an alarming decline in sharks is being observed, mainly due to the ever-increasing demand for shark fins in the Asian region. Great hammerheads, lemon sharks and bull sharks are experiencing an especially threatening decline, but many other shark species are also affected.
Angola is located in the northern part of the so-called Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME). The BCLME is an extremely productive marine region thanks to the confluence of the Benguela and Angola currents which create eddies that transport nutrient-rich deep water to the surface.
The demand for shark fins has led to a massive increase in local coastal fishing in Angola, especially over the past 10 years (source FAQ, United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization). However, since no accurate data on specific shark fishing is available, the project aims at collecting such data.
The project is progressing well. A second interim report with data from various ports in Angola is now available.
In 2021 Ana Lucia Furtago Soares was accepted into the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and will write her dissertation at the Ludwig Maximilian University (Munich, GER) based on her work.
Project Management: Ana Lucia Furtado Soares
Expenditures (2017-2019): approx. CHF 9,500
Expenditures 2022: CHF 6,000
Investments to date: approx. CHF 19,800
Social Behavior of Bull Sharks in Fiji
Bull shark populations in Fiji have been studied extensively and like all bull sharks their status on the Red List of the IUCN is “almost threatened.” However, the bull sharks in Fiji are considered more endangered as they do not mix with the nearest bull shark populations due to the latter’s distance from Fiji. This means that their losses cannot be compensated.
Although we know a great deal about bull sharks, very little is known about their social behavior. We do know that sharks often develop social structures, form groups and cliques, learn from others, and that they differ in individual behavior.
Managing this project is Natasha Dominique Marosi. In her dissertation she will examine in detail the social behavior of bull sharks in Fiji with the aim of answering the following questions:
The project is progressing well. In 2022, the project was expanded to include a shark tagging component with acoustic transmitters. Since this expansion adds important value to the project, the Foundation approved a one-time additional $10,000 for the transmitters and accessories.
Project Management: Natasha Dominique Marosi
Expenditures (2021-2023): approx. CHF 15,000
Expenditures 2022: CHF 14,700
Investments to date: approx. CHF 19,800
Artisanal Fisheries in Ghana
Ghana is not only one of the most important shark and ray fishing nations in West Africa, but these fisheries are also one of the biggest employers in the coastal regions. They secure the livelihood and income for many of the poorest communities on the Ghanaian coast.
The project aimed at collecting critical basic information on indigenous fisheries in Ghana, focusing on ecological, cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of such fisheries in western Ghana. Specifically analyzed were special, typical dangers for sharks in a particular region. Based on this data (which so far has been nonexistent), the plan is to develop a national strategy in order to help sustainably protect and manage Ghana’s shark and ray populations.
Results of the project were published in 2022 in three scientific papers.
Project Management: Seidu Issah
Expenditures 2022: CHF -0-
Investments to date: approx. CHF 16,450
Short-Term Projects
New Project 2022: Indigenous Fisheries in Tamil Nadu, India
When experts assess threats to worldwide shark and ray populations, they most often focus on the large demand from Southeast Asian fin markets. However, both IUCN shark specialists and the FAO have recently witnessed the emergence of increased local and global markets for other shark products such as meat, skin and squalene, which may threaten shark populations.
India is one of the largest global shark catching nations. Especially the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu reports the second highest catches of sharks and rays in India next to Puducherry. Project research will focus on shark catches and especially supply chains of shark products in ports in the big city Chennai. Interviews with fishermen, traders and buyers of end products will be used as well as direct investigations of catches on boats and in markets.
The project objective is to collect for the first time exemplary data on landed sharks and rays and the associated supply chains in India. This data and the sustainability of fisheries and trade will be discussed with local politicians and the fishing industry.Project Management: Shruthi Kottillil, Tamil Nadu, India
Expenditures 2022: CHF 7,000
New Project 2022: Shark and Ray Populations around Fregate Island, Seychelles
Little is known about the shark and ray populations of Fregate Island, an island in the Seychelles archipelago. In a biodiversity study conducted between 2019 and 2021, the populations there were described as "incidental" and not considered further in statistical analyses. This despite the fact that photographs taken during the studies confirm the presence of various species that, like the guitar ray, are considered critically endangered.
The aim of the survey is to establish an effective inventory of the shark and ray species inhabiting the waters around Fregate Island. For this purpose, so-called BRUVS (Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems) will be used. They will be placed around Fregate Island at different times of the year at 22 locations for 1 hour each, 11 in shallow water, 11 in greater depths.
Project Management: Masha Lourie, Lisbon University, Portugal
Expenditures 2022: CHF 2,700
New Project 2022: Blackmouth catsharks in underwater canyon in the Mediterranean Sea
Shark populations in the Mediterranean Sea have declined dramatically over the last 20 years due to overfishing and bycatch, and many species are endangered. The identification and appropriate protection of so-called "essential" habitats is one way to protect and conserve marine biodiversity. In these areas, marine creatures can breed, feed and spend protected adolescence time to adulthood. While these habitats are known for some large shark species such as hammerheads, bull sharks, lemon sharks or white and mako sharks, little is known about such habitats for deep sea sharks.
Blackmouth catsharks (Galeus melastomus) are deep-sea, egg-laying sharks widely distributed on the slopes of continental shelves in the Mediterranean Sea at depths of about 300 to 800 meters. They are frequently found in bycatch. Deepwater sharks are generally severely threatened by trawls and bottom trawls. Blackmouth catsharks, however, can counteract fishing pressure because they reach sexual maturity at a markedly early age for sharks and thus have higher reproduction rates.
In the Gulf of Lion, west of Toulon, a highly increased number of blackmouth catsharks was detected in the bycatch compared to other regions. This suggests that the area is an "essential" habitat for this species. The aim of the project is to study this region in more physical detail, to analyze the mortality rate of the sharks on board and to learn more about their population structure. Since the Mediterranean is considered one of the most polluted seas, the stomach contents of captured sharks will be examined for microplastics and possibly harmful plastic additives.
The Foundation usually does not support research on shark species that are not considered endangered. Nevertheless, this project was approved because it may provide interesting information on the extent that microplastics and possibly toxic plastic additives are found at greater depths in the Mediterranean Sea.
Project Management: Ignasi Nuez, Msc, Submon, University of Barcelona, Spain
Expenditures 2022: CHF 5,080
New Project 2022: Environmental DNA (eDNA) study on shark and ray populations in South Africa
South Africa is located between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is a hotspot when it comes to climate change. The study will investigate the influence of climate change on the occurrence of key species of the approximately 200 shark and ray species found in this region.
Traditional surveys of shark and ray populations are complex and expensive. They include representative catches and recaptures, interviews with fishermen and fish traders, underwater videos (BRUVS, i.e. Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations) and other methods. As previous studies have shown, living organisms also leave species-specific traces in the form of DNA. Studying populations using DNA samples (eDNA) extracted from the environment (in this case seawater) is a relatively inexpensive and now technically established alternative for qualitative studies on the occurrence of specific species in a region. However, it reveals nothing or very little about population sizes.
This project - part of a dissertation at Stellenbosch University - will investigate the occurrence of several important shark and ray species along the South African coast using eDNA analysis. The following locations will be analyzed: False Bay, Gansbaai, De Hoop, Mossel Bay, Plettenberg Bay, Algoa Bay, Chintsa, Umkomaas, Richards Bay, Sodwana Bay, Port Nolloth, Strandfontein, Saldanha Bay.
The goal is to test, for the first time, such broad-scale eDNA surveys of shark and ray populations in South Africa in order to establish a basis for future similar surveys that may reveal trends in species composition caused by climate change.
Project Management: Kristina Loosen, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Expenditures 2022: CHF 8,300
Critical areas for sharks in Greece
Sharks are threatened worldwide, but for years now severe overfishing has caused an especially dramatic decrease in their numbers in the Mediterranean Sea. The waters around Greece are known for their rich diversity of shark and ray species (67 species), thus rendering them important for the conservation of biodiversity. The western region of the Mediterranean Sea is relatively well researched in terms of sharks and rays as opposed to the eastern part. The waters around Greece are thus particularly interesting.
The project will investigate the Ambracian Gulf for possible shark nursery grounds. This is a partially enclosed shallow water area in the Ionian Sea and is home to many large marine species such as dolphins, sea turtles and at least six species of rays. However, nothing is known about any shark species found there.
The project team plans to study shark populations, especially the endangered but not protected sandbar sharks (Charcharhinus plumbeus) in the Mediterranean Sea. With the help of bycatch analyses, tagging and so-called citizen science (e.g. the analysis of private shark photos posted online on social media), the team will try to establish a long-term monitoring system of the shark populations there.
Project Management: Ioannis Giovos, iSea, Greece
Expenditures 2021/22: CHF 5,200
Project ended by the Foundation:Blue sharks (Prionace glauca) are large deep-sea sharks and top predators found worldwide in temperate and tropical waters. Like other shark species they are an important regulating factor in their marine ecosystems.
Blue sharks are either caught directly for their fins, or they perish in the bycatch of deep-sea fishing fleets. Their status on the Red List of Threatened Species is “near threatened,” i.e. close to, or with a strong tendency towards “endangered.” However, the lack of more current data means they might already have to be classified as “endangered.”
In addition to the threat posed to blue sharks from fishing, these top predators also encounter a major problem in that they accumulate environmental toxins. High concentrations of arsenic and mercury, far above European limits, have already been measured in blue sharks. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) can also accumulate in top predators, affecting their health and fertility.
Unfortunately, even in 2022 no major progress was made in the project, partly due to the exorbitant costs of any ships needed for the expeditions. In addition, the collection of tissue samples from free-swimming blue sharks proved to be difficult.
Due to the lack of results over a longer time period the Foundation thus decided to terminate the project at the end of 2022
Project Management: Dr. Andrea Gaion, South Devon College
Expenditures 2022: CHF -0-
Investments to date: approx. CHF 13,200
Successfully completed: Catch Analyses of Bluntnose Sixgill Sharks in the Mediterranean
Although according to the IUCN Red List, bluntnose sixgill sharks are not considered endangered in the Mediterranean, we must point out that fisheries there are poorly documented and controlled. Sixgill sharks are also frequently found in the bycatch of deep-sea fisheries (down to 2,000 meters). Considering the declining trends of most other shark populations in the Mediterranean (which have shrunk to 10-20% of their former size) this positive assessment seems rather unlikely and outdated.
This particular study included interviews and observations designed to identify trends in sixgill shark landings throughout the Mediterranean. It covered 11 countries: Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Montenegro, Albania, Cyprus and Israel. Conducted in cooperation with local researchers and volunteers from each country, the project was coordinated by Ignazio Nuez from the EEA member organization in Spain (Submon). Not only was it of great interest for shark conservationists, but it also aimed at promoting cooperation among the various EEA members in the Mediterranean region, especially between the new EEA members Greece and Israel.
The project was completed and an initial presentation of preliminary data was presented at the IUCN Workshop in Palma de Mallorca in November 2019. A final report on project results was published at the beginning of 2023.
Project Management: Ignasi Nuez, Msc, Submon, Spain
Expenditures 2022: CHF -0-
Total investments: CHF 9,650
Media/Public Relations
The Foundation and Shark Info answered questions, gave interviews, edited articles in various media, and provided expertise and tips on a wide variety of themes in connection with sharks and shark protection.
Web Server
The new web pages went online in April 2021, while the gradual redirecting of hai.ch and shark.ch pages to Swiss domains lasted until October. The number of visitors for hai.swiss and shark.swiss increased accordingly from October 2021 onwards.
Solid data for the new sites is now available for 2022. The German pages (hai.swiss) were used by 206,000 visitors in 2022, who viewed a total of 2,122,500 pages. This corresponds to an average number of 13 pages per visitor. Most visitors stemmed from Germany, Singapore, the U.S., Switzerland and Austria. Visitors on the English pages totaled 125,000 who viewed 1,002,300 pages, or approximately 10 pages per visit. Visitors seem to spend more time looking at the information on our new pages and view an average of 10 to 25 pages. Mobile devices had the largest share on both sites.
Shark Foundation Financial Policy
The Shark Foundation was established on August 29, 1997. As an internationally active foundation, it is subject to the supervision of the Federal Department of Home Affairs / Foundation Supervision, in Bern, and can accept tax-deductible donations. Once a year it submits its annual report and financial statements to the supervisory authority for approval.
The Foundation finances all its activities through donations, lectures and the online-sale of products. Members of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees work on a voluntary basis and are not remunerated for their attendance at meetings, nor do they procure a salary. The Foundation runs a Shark Online Shop on its internet pages (selling T-shirts, soft toy sharks, fossilized shark teeth, as well as promoting shark adoption). Proceeds from sales flow directly back into the Foundation's account. As a rule, a mailing requesting donations goes out once a year to all interested parties with a payment slip.
At the first meeting of the respective year, the Board of Trustees of the Shark Foundation decides on the use of the profit carried forward and money stemming from donations from the previous year. Until now, no reserves were set aside; instead all funds were released for current projects, investments and administrative expenses.
The Foundation's accounts are audited annually by the auditing company Revisal (Gossau, Switzerland)
