Shark Focus

CAMPAIGN CORNERSupporting the European Elasmobranch AssociationThe Shark Trust4 Creykes Court, The Millfields, Stonehouse,Plymouth PL1 3JBTel: (+44) (0)1752 672008/672020 Fax: (+44) (0)1752 672008Email: enquiries@sharktrust.orgFor some ten years a seesaw battle has ragedin Bimini, the Bahamas, between scientists,conservationists and ethical tourism representativeson one side and the builders of Bimini Bay Resortand Casino on the other. The Shark Trust has beencentrally involved in the battle.by Jeremy Stafford-DeitschTiger Shark © Jeremy Stafford-DeitschBimini MarineProtected AreaWebsite: http://www.sharktrust.orgShark FocusIssue 34 March‐ 2009EDITORIALThe North Sound of North Bimini is a mangrove-fringedlagoon teeming with life. Perhaps most famously, it is anursery for Lemon Sharks Negaprion brevirostris whichhave been studied for over 20 years by the scientistsof the Bimini Biological Field Station under Dr Samuel(Sonny) Gruber. There are numerous other vulnerablespecies dependent on the lagoon including the criticallyendangered Smalltooth Sawfish Pristis pectinata.RAV Bahamas—the company constructing theBimini Bay Resort and Casino in collusion with HiltonHotels Corporation—has a plan as ambitious as itis disgraceful: to destroy the lagoon, bulldoze themangroves, dredge the seabed and reclaim Crown andTreasury land as substrate for the resort’s hotel, casino,apartments, villas, marina, docks, channels, restaurants,HousekeepingWith spring just around the corner, better weather willsoon be with us, and hopefully this will lift everyone’sspirits, no doubt dampened by the gloom and doom ofthe economic climate that is affecting us all.In recent reports from the media and the CharitiesCommission it is apparent all areas of the charitablesector are suffering drops in income, as people,understandably, tighten their belts and curb theirspending. However, despite the recession we nevercease to be amazed by your continued generosityand support. The Shark Trust Staff and Trustees aredelighted that you choose to continue to support sharkconservation and grateful thanks are sent to you all.The London International Dive Show is just aroundthe corner and hopefully we will get to see a few of youat the stand. It’s always good to put names to faces.We have some nice new items for the stand and just forEaster some wonderful chocolate shark lollipops! Thesewill also be available through the website prior to theartificial islands and 18-hole golf course. Meanwhile,Hilton Hotels—a company that claims to be ethically andenvironmentally responsible on its website—stands backand allows RAV Bahamas to do the dirty work.The previous government of the Bahamas (theProgressive Liberal Party or PLP) turned a blind eye tothe illegal appropriation and destruction of Crown andTreasury land by RAV Bahamas, ignored its failure toprovide a valid Environmental Impact Survey of its plansand encouraged its cavalier destruction of virgin habitat.Meanwhile, RAV Bahamas embarked on a misinformationcampaign to fool the locals, defamed and threatened tosue scientists and conservationists and, in bed with thelocal (PLP) Member of Parliament, bribed Biminites withtrinkets to win their support.show. Take a look in the web shop as we have somenew stock including the most gorgeous cuttlefish, andkeep watching for the shark lolly’s and a few other newitems I have in the pipeline.As always, if you pay your subscription by standingorder please can you ensure this is set at the correctamount, £15 student/junior, £25 individual and £30 fora family. I know I have mentioned this many times, soplease double check you are paying the correct amount,thank you.If you have any questions with regards finance andadministration please do not hesitate to contact me onglenys@sharktrust.org I am always happy to hearfrom you.Glenys Heafield,Financial Administrator &Company Secretary.The first glimmer of hope for Bimini appeared in Mayof 2007 when the PLP lost the general election to itsarch rival the Free National Movement (FNM) party. Inopposition, the FNM under the Rt. Hon. Hubert IngrahamMP had been outraged by the carnage being inflictedon Bimini. In power and under the constant cajolingof conservationists, scientists and ethical tourismrepresentatives, the FNM put a halt to the bulldozerswhile launching an investigation into the scandal. InDecember of 2008 the government announced that theremaining two thirds of the North Sound and associatedintertidal habitats were now off limits to developmentand an official Marine Protected Area. Perhaps, at last,the ecological future of North Bimini and the future ofBimini’s people are secure.Features4 Manta Rays A New Species Discovered!6 Arabian Sharks and Rays8 Shark Champion Awards9 Great Eggcase Hunt - five years on12 The Social Club - shark aggregations17 Fossil Shark Giant on Show19 Sharks in Focus 2009Regulars10 Shark Trust and World Shark News11 Shark Trust Projects14 Member’s Pages16 Junior Member’s Page18 Website and EEAEdited by the Shark Trust©Shark Trust 2009Shark Focus is published three times a year in March, July and November. Copydate for the next issue is 31st May 2009. Shark Focus is copyrighted and thereforethose wishing to reproduce articles must first contact the Shark Trust. The viewsand opinions expressed by the authors in Shark Focus are not necessarily thoseof the Shark Trust.Established in 1997, the Shark Trust works to advance the worldwideconservation of sharks through science, education, influence andaction. The Trust is the UK member of the European ElasmobranchAssociation and currently provides the EEA’s secretariat services.Trustee/Directors: Richard Peirce (Chair), Grant Bates, George Bowser,Roger Covey, Paul Cox, Sarah Fowler OBE, Heather Koldeway,John Nightingale, Brian Phillips and Christopher Pringle.Patrons: Nick Baker, John Boyle, Leonard Compagno,Marc Dando, Bob Earll, Bernard Eaton, Ian Fergusson, Mariella Frostrup,Loyd Grossman, John Gummer MP, Monty Halls, Martha Holmes, Kate Humble,Sir David Jason OBE, Simon Rogerson, Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch,Michaela Strachan and Ron and Valerie TaylorRegistered Company No. 3396164. Registered Charity No. 1064185.The Shark Trust is supported by: the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation,the Pew Foundation, the Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England,Scottish Natural Heritage, the Crown Estates, Project Aware.Design: Fluke Art. www.flukeart.comManta Ray © Guy Stevens. Inset pic: Orkney eggcase hunters © Richard Land.It’s an ill wind………………. and among those who have found a silverlining in the world economic crisis are sharks. I envisage groups of sharksreading their Financial Times and not being in the least worried by the effectthe credit crunch is having in China! The financial crisis means less moneyto buy luxury items, and as the Far Eastern economic miracle helped pilepressure on shark populations, the slump must ease that pressure.Further shark good news comes from the EU with current downward revisionsof TAC’s and Quotas and the launch of the Community Plan of Action forSharks (CPOA) which should mean that real progress will be made infisheries management which in turn will lead to effective conservation. Iam hugely proud that the Trust has been right at the leading edge in thesebattles and believe the Trust’s involvement has, in no small measure,contributed to the successes achieved. Battles have been won but in manyways the recent positive moves merely mark the start of, and need for, evenmore work. The Trust and others must not let up in lobbying UK and EUgovernments, effective implementation has to be ensured, special permitsallowing the removal of fins at sea must be ceased, and the whole marineconservation movement needs to continue to work to gain rapid managementfor vulnerable species, and recovery plans for others.Trust supporters have played a valuable role in helping achieve the recentpolitical successes – thank you all, but please don’t flag now, continuingsupport is needed. In this respect please take the time and encourage yourfriends to send the e-card on our website to the U.K. fisheries minister.Spring is nearly here and this time it’ll be a great summer – I feel it. So lotsof opportunities to get in the water, on the water, and on the beaches andcliff tops. Please keep your eggcase and shark sighting information coming,and this summer I won’t be trying to bet on whether we will have a dopeymedia shark frenzy – I’ve given up, because, I know a Great White will bespotted in the Thames!Richard PeirceChairman2 www.sharktrust.org/campaigns Shark Focus 34 Shark Focus 34 www.sharktrust.org 3

Arabian Sharks and Rays:traditional use & culturalimportanceAlec MooreIUCN Shark Specialist Group (Gulf Region)and Matthew McDavittSenior Attorney, National Legal Research Group, Inc.The arid lands of Arabia are not immediately associated with sharks and rays by manypeople, but the region has a long record of humans interacting with them. Religioustexts, historical documents and diaries of administrators and explorers provide afascinating insight into how they were used, and perceived, by local peoples.Elasmobranchs were important to humansfrom very early on. Archaeological excavationsaround the Persian/Arabian Gulf’s shorelinehave revealed that a number of differentspecies were found as human food remains,and there is even some evidence from anIron-Age site near Abu Dhabi to suggest thatorganised temporary settlements were setup specifically to exploit sharks and sawfish.Around 6,000 years ago in the ancientsettlement of Susa (about 150 miles east ofthe Tigris River in modern-day Iran) sawfishwere represented in images used to mark claystoreroom and jar sealings, to ensure thatcontents were not tampered with or stolen.Sawfish appear several times in differentcontexts around this time: while they werecertainly symbolic, it is not known what theyrepresented.Sharks in religionSharks make an appearance in both Islam andChristianity. The Islamic prophet Muhammed (PBUH)belonged to the renowned Quraysh clan who ruledMecca (in modern-day Saudi Arabia). The leadinginterpretation of this clan name is that it is thediminutive form of qirsh (“shark”) designating a clanemblem, the “little shark.” Why was the Quraysh clannamed after a shark? Muhammed’s cousin `Abd Allahibn `Abbas, when asked this very question, is reportedto have remarked: “Because of a beast in the seawhich eats but is not eaten, which overcomes but is notovercome” suggesting an early knowledge of the role ofsharks as apex predators.In the Christian biblical Book of Tobit (of the Catholiccanon), is related the story of Tobiah, an Israelite of theexile period who was attacked by a man-eating “fish”(likely a Bull Shark) in the Tigris River while travellingfrom Nineveh (in modern day Iraq) to the city of Rages(now Shahr-e Rey, near Tehran, Iran). Unbeknownst toTobiah, his travelling companion is the angel Raphael,who instructs him to catch the malevolent fish andretain its heart, liver and gall bladder. Upon arrivingin Rages, Tobiah marries the beautiful Sarah, who isplagued by the demon Asmodeus, who kills every manshe tries to marry on their wedding night. Raphaelinstructs Tobiah to burn the shark’s heart and liver,the smoke of which repels the demon to Egypt, whereRaphael imprisons him. Upon his return to Nineveh,Raphael teaches Tobiah to cure his father’s blindnessusing the shark gall.PHOTOSAbove: Kuwaiti fishing vessels © Shark Conservation SocietyLeft: sawfish seal drawing. Source: Amiet, Pierre. 1972.Glyptique susienne des origines à l’époque des PersesAchéménides: cachets, sceaux-cylindres et empreintesantiques découverts à Suse de 1913 à 1967. Mémoires de laDélégation archéologique en Iran, 43.Below: Dried sharks for sale in Oman. Image © Alec MooreOpposite page: Sawfish rostrum for sale in Dubai.Image © Shark TrustTraditional fisheriesHistorically, fisheries have been of greatimportance, and sharks were both highly valuedand widely targeted, particularly in Oman.A variety of capture methods were used fromgillnets to spears, with nets for large sharkssometimes being gathered in by brave (orfoolhardy) fishermen floating out on flimsyinflated goatskins - surely a non-intensiveand sustainable approach that modern sharkfisheries would do well to copy! These fisheriesyielded an array of products. Dried shark meatwas important to desert nomads as a portablefood item that kept well in the heat, and thistraditional food can still be found for sale inmarkets in remote inland towns (see picturebelow left). Shark meat was also thought tohave aphrodisiac powers - a belief still held bysome in the region today - and flesh was alsoused as manure. The livers of both sharks andrays were utilised, principally for oil, althoughthey were used for other purposes such ashook-bait to catch other fish species. Livers werecollected and crushed underfoot to extract theoil. One of the main uses of shark liver oil, afterbeing mixed with slaked lime, was to coat boathulls to prevent fouling. A harpoon fishery forWhale Sharks, probably driven by the high profitattainable in collecting livers from these hugeanimals, is known to have existed off the Iraniancoast. The trade in shark fins for soup dates backhundreds of years in the region. Trade routesextending from the Gulf and Muscat to China (viaBombay and numerous other ports), with fins asa principal product, helped spread the influenceof Arab culture and language throughout southernAsia. Skin was also utilised - that of large sharkswas cured with the denticles intact to makeshagreen used to polish items such as ivory,while ray skins were employed to cover swordhandles and shields.PearlingBefore the petroleum industry developed in theGulf, much of the wealth of the region lay in thepearling industry. Interestingly, some of thesebare-skin breath-hold divers used a carvedshark vertebral centrum as a nose clip. Althoughshark attacks in the Gulf itself are extremelyrare nowadays, the time spent in the water byhundreds of divers, often operating from boatsanchored in one area for an extended period,inevitably led to encounters; some divers woreblack in the belief that this would preventattacks. However, to some divers, who spentmuch of their time grubbing around on the seafloor for oysters in poor visibility, sharks werenot the greatest fear: several accounts relay thedread of sawfish, which were thought able tocut a man in two. Large stingrays were also wellrespected.IraqIn Iraq, elasmobranchs have a long culturalhistory due largely to the presence of the BullShark, which penetrates rivers in the areaas far upstream as Baghdad. Their presencewas known even to Greek geographers in the2nd century AD, who described “man-eatingmonsters” in the Euphrates; historians have evenspeculated that a type of wind vane mentionedin ancient Mesopotamian texts was fashioned inthe shape of a shark. In some parts of southernIraq, women sometimes hang sawfish teethon necklaces used to adorn newborns, to bringluck and ward off dangers (wolves’ teeth areusually used for this purpose elsewhere in thecountry). Kausaj (“Shark”) is also used as afirst name by the Marsh Arabs in southern Iraq,which indicates intelligence - indeed there areold reports from the Gulf of beliefs that crafty BullSharks would position themselves in rivers underdate palms to feed on falling fruit. Bull Sharksstill inspire folklore: most recently (October2007), the capture of a two-metre specimen160 miles from the sea (in a saline canal nearNasiriya, Iraq) prompted locals to suggest thatthere was a high probability that it was placed inthe river by American military forces!Many thanks to Laith Jawad(Ministry of Fisheries Wealth, Oman)for providing information.Kuwait’s first steps inshark conservationAlec MooreThe Shark Trust was pleased to hear that the Kuwaitgovernment had recently passed a law banning nearly allcapture and sale of sharks and rays. As reported in SharkFocus (July 2008), the Shark Conservation Society (SCS)mounted an expedition there in April 2008 to sample fishingports and markets for elasmobranchs, and found that largenumbers were being caught in gillnets.A ban may sound ideal, and active consideration of itselasmobranch fisheries is a very positive and forward-thinkingstep by Kuwait. However, on closer examination, managementmeasures could be made more effective. In Kuwait at least,smaller sharks and particularly rays are low-value bycatch. Onthe SCS expedition it appeared that, even with large numbersof heavy and worthless (dead) rays to extract from their netson a daily basis, fishermen were still prepared to operate inareas of high bycatch in order to target more valuable bonyfish species. This indicates that an outright ban on landingsharks and rays may simply result in the same fishingpractices, but with fishermen dumping dead bycatch back atsea - the mortality will still occur, just out of sight. Prohibitionof landings may even encourage the finning of sharks at seato allow relatively inconspicuous, but valuable, bags of fins tobe landed.Additionally, the law states that two species of sharkare still allowed to be landed - the medium-sized GracefulShark Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides and the small GreySharpnose Shark Rhizoprionodon oligolinx - however, bothof these species present clear problems to the practicalenforcement of this law. The Graceful Shark is extremelydifficult to identify from a number of other closely relatedspecies, especially a “normal” Blacktip, C. limbatus. As aresult, the Graceful Shark may have been under-recorded inthe past, and very little is known about its biology, abundanceand distribution - or its resilience to fisheries. Converselythe Grey Sharpnose Shark is a naturally small and relativelyrapidly reproducing shark common in Kuwait landings, andmuch more likely to be able to sustain fisheries. However,without training it too is difficult to tell apart from a number ofother sharks, including young of larger species.The ban shows a welcome willingness of Kuwait’sgovernment to tackle the sustainable use of sharks andrays. However, fisheries landings of elasmobranchs are notquantified and reported by Kuwait (and several other Gulfstates), even though significant fisheries operate. Little, ifany, local research has taken place - other than the “snapshot”SCS expedition, virtually nothing is known about factorscritical in making effective management decisions, such asseasonal abundances, levels of bycatch in different fisherygear and location of nursery grounds. Basic data such asthese would allow for strong conservation measures to be putin place, such as seasonal closures of gillnet fisheries incertain areas. Specific legislation like this, backed by soundscientific data, may be more feasible to enforce, likely bemore palatable to fishermen, and provide a much strongermanagement framework for shark and ray species.Thanks to Dareen Almojil for providing information onthe new law.6 www.sharktrust.org/recording Shark Focus 34 Shark Focus 34 www.sharktrust.org/downloads 7

Shark Champion AwardsIn recognition of their valuable contribution to shark conservationThe Shark Trust had the privilege at November’sBirmingham NEC Dive Show to announceCameras Underwater, Dive, Diver, FourthElement, Ocean Optics and Reef Jewelry as itsShark Champions for 2008.The new awards recognise and rewardcompanies or individuals who have helped,and will in the future help, the Trust take itsimportant work forward.Cameras UnderwaterShark Trust Chairman Richard Peirce attended theDive Show to present some of the awards and morerecently visited Dive magazine’s offices and said:“The support from people like our SharkChampions plays a vital role in enabling the Trust tocontinue its work. I was delighted in mid February topresent a Shark Champion award to Dive Magazine,the last of our 2008 Shark Champions to receivetheir certificate and accolade.Shark Champions 2008Dive magazineRichard continued saying: ”In 2009 the SharkTrust board and staff will have the pleasure ofacknowledging a new round of organisations andcompanies who will join the select group that theTrust is proud to call Shark Champions!”The Shark Trust is very grateful to all thecompanies who have helped over the years andwill continue to recognise their support by annuallyawarding two companies as Shark Champions.Fourth elementGreat Eggcase Hunt - five years onEggcase hunts in Croatia,Cornwall and ScotlandSince 2003 the Shark Trust has encouraged membersof the public to record the mermaid’s purses they findwhilst out on the beach. The project is now one of themost widely participated in marine recording schemesin the UK with thousands of people contributing manythousand eggcase records.Back in 2003 there was very little information on eggcases save for aDutch website maintained by Peter Bor www.rajidae.tmfweb.nl whichprovided invaluable information in the formative years of the project.Over time our understanding, support materials and project hasdeveloped into an internationally respected scheme. We have engagedmany thousands of people and eggcases have been recorded from asfar afield as Holland, Angola, America, Croatia, Australia, with sisterprojects establishing in France and Ireland.“We were extremely pleased and proud to berecognised by the Trust. We are all divers hereat Cameras Underwater and try our best notto be just another sales company. We helpout wherever we can to promote the underseaenvironment that we all love. Over the yearswe’ve helped a diverse selection of companiesand individuals with their campaigns to protectthe seas and oceans. We’ve been involved withturtle tracking programs to helping the RAF diveteam chart reef deprivation but at the end ofthe day the Shark Trust is our firm favourite.“Jenny Rosenfeld accepted the Shark Championaward on behalf of Cameras Underwater.Dave Glanfield, Commercial ManagerDiver“I’m delighted to support the Shark Trust inthis key area of marine conservation. It is vitalthat everyone including divers help conservesharks as without these charismatic animalsthe health of the seas would be at stake.”Steve Weinman accepted the Shark Championaward on behalf of Diver.“We are honoured to receive this recognition,as we have a very high opinion of the SharkTrust. For us, there was never any questionof whether we should support the work of theTrust. We had to do so. Divers are afforded anincredible insight into the world of sharks, andit is only natural that a magazine covering theworld of scuba should highlight the key issuesof shark conservation in the face of the globalproblem of shark-finning.”Simon Rogerson, Editorocean optics“The Optics team were honoured to havereceived one of the first Shark ChampionAwards. It was unexpected. All of the teamhave dived with and photographed sharks.So we felt the Shark Trust was a cause wegenuinely wanted to support. Shark protectionis indivisible from the teams own goals ofwanting to enjoy more encounters with sharksin the wild. It’s become more poignant givenour failures to bring blue sharks to our diveboat in the med.”“It feels fantastic to have been awarded theShark Champions award for 2008. The plightof the sharks is something close to our heartsand has been so for some time, ever since werealised the extent to which shark populationswere being reduced. It is nice to do something,no matter how small, to help to raiseawareness and to help the Shark Trust.”Jim Standing, DirectorReef jeweLry“I am very proud to have been awarded aShark Champion on behalf of Reef Jewelry. Wedecided to support the Shark Trust because thevalues that it upholds mirror those of ourselves.We believe that the vital conservationmessage that the Shark Trust are teachingand campaigning for on an ongoing basis isso important for the awareness and ultimatesurvival of the shark species. We are pleasedto be able to support the continuing good worksof the Shark Trust.”Peter Barbarovich, Owner of Reef JewelryThe Shark Trust also takes every opportunity to check out other organisation’s eggcase collections,not only to help identify some of our overseas records, but also to see the diversity andmorphological variation that exists. Over the years the Trust has worked with prestigious institutionssuch as: the Natural History Museum, London; the National Museum of Scotland; and the NationalMuseum of Wales, as well as the Hamburg Zoological and Botanical Museum and the San MarinoOceanographic Museum. Most recently we had the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian NaturalHistory Museum in Washington D.C., where the curators gave the Trust generous access to theirextensive collections.The Great Eggcase Hunt is a simple way for anyone to contribute to science and marineconservation. If you find yourself on a beach, you can join the hunt by simply searching thestrandline or the very back of the beach for the empty eggcases of the local skate, rays andcatsharks. Scuba divers can also get involved spotting (but not touching!) eggcases on the seabed.The practical outputs from this project are varied and are contributing to the understanding on therange extents of animals, identifying important regions for certain species and providing a strongindication of the diversity of species in each region. With over 16 eggcase laying species in ourwaters, you never know what you might find!Location of Great Eggcase Huntevents to date.Eggcases from as far afield as America(© Smithsonian Institute)and South Africa .© Lorraine Stocking).This year we hope to publish a report on the Great Eggcase Hunt finds to datewith maps of where individual species have been found. If you would like to getinvolved in the project please take a look at www.eggcase.org or email the officeon enquiries@sharktrust.org to request your free eggcase ID guide.The success of the project, and the volume of data and information the eggcaserecords provide, has raised as many questions as answers! How far do eggcasestravel on the wind and tide, how do you really tell the difference between anUndulate and a Spotted Ray eggcase, and do rays interbreed? However, there isone question that we have no trouble answering – should you keep collecting?– definitely! The Great Eggcase Hunt is here to stay, and your records are asimportant today as they were five years ago!Eggcase hunts have taken placeyear round and in all conditions.© L-R Drey,Cottages4You,Thanet Coast Project.Nigel Eaton, Editor-in-ChiefSteve Warren, Owner of Ocean Optics8 Send in your stories to enquiries@sharktrust.org Shark Focus 34Shark Focus 34 www.eggcase.org 9

NEWSWhat we have done since November!The Shark Trust made their annual Birmingham Dive Show appearance and had agreat event, thanks to all our volunteers for making the event a success - see thewebsite for a full report and page 15 for details of all our sponsors!In recognition of their ongoing support for sharks and the Shark Trust we announcedDive, Diver, Ocean Optics, Cameras Underwater, Reef Jewelry and Fourth Elementas Shark Champions. Check out page 8 for more details!In November the Shark Trust team packed its bags and flew out to Lisbon tocontribute to the 12th annual European Elasmobranch Association Conference.See page 18 to find out more!The Shark Trust welcomed the ground-breaking agreement by more than 80governments to list Mako, Spurdog and Porbeagle Sharks under the Conventionon Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).The Shark Trust worked hard in advance of the December Fisheries Council toencourage the designation of responsible and sustainable catch quotas. Whilstnot entirely what we called for there were some very positive outcomes. See page11 for more.So far in 2009 the Shark Trust has made appearances at two schools, two lecturesat the University of Plymouth, a regional BSAC conference and at a strandlineevent in Looe.February 5th saw the Shark Trust in Brussels for the launch of the long awaitedCommunity Plan of Action for Sharks. Find out what the CPOA means for sharkconservation on page 11.On February 11th we organised and contributed to the 12th meeting of the WelshSkate and Ray Group in Cardiff. The group consists of a wide range of stakeholdergroups and represents a very positive approach to countrywide management ofinshore skates and rays.In late February the Trust delivered nearly 20 000 petition signatures collectedduring European Shark Week 08 to representatives of the English and ScottishGovernments. More than 100 000 signatures were collected throughout Europe.Events CalendarShark Trust volunteersat the Dive Show.London Dive Show 28-29th March. The Shark Trust will once again have their sharkroadshow at the Excel Centre in London - www.diveshows.co.uk.Dive Fest, Pentewan Sands 15-17th May. The Shark Trust will be helping tocelebrate diving (and sharks) at Dive Fest – find out more at www.divefest.co.uk!Sharks in Focus: The Shark photo competition is returning – get snapping! Moredetails can be found on page 19!The Deep, Hull May 30-31. The Shark Trust will be taking part in the HumberEnvironment Fair at The Deep Aquarium in Hull, find out more atwww.thedeep.co.uk.WORLD SHARKNEWSNews since last FocusNovember 2008One Quarter of Northeast Atlantic Sharks and Rays Threatened with ExtinctionThe release of the first ever IUCN Red List of Threatened Species assessmentof Northeast Atlantic sharks and closely related rays and chimaeras revealedthat 26% are threatened with extinction, and another 20% are in the ‘NearThreatened’ category.DNA Fingerprinting Method May Thwart False Labelling of Shark MeatSpanish researchers reported that the new DNA identification method,forensically informative nucleotide sequencing (FINS) could thwart false labellingof shark species used in various seafood products including shark fin soup.December 2008Threatened Sharks Listed Under UN Migratory Species ConventionPorbeagle, Spurdog and Mako Sharks listed on the CMS. See left.European Commission Sets Fishing Quotas for 2009See right.Florida’s Smalltooth Sawfish to Gain Habitat ProtectionThe US federal government proposed to protect critical habitat for theendangered Smalltooth Sawfish along the south-western coast of Floridabetween Charlotte Harbour and Florida Bay. Published in today’s FederalRegister, the rule proposes to protect areas in Florida that are essential for theconservation and recovery of the Sawfish.January 2009Tesco Withdraw Shark Meat Products in ThailandTesco customer services responded to the Shark Trust’s concerns by statingthat they will remove all shark meat products from their stores in Thailand. TheShark Trust will meet with Tesco representatives in the forthcoming month tonegotiate the additional removal of shark fin products.Thousands Flock to See Great White Shark DissectedThousands of New Zealanders crammed into a museum amphitheatre to get upclose and personal with a real-life Great White Shark as scientists performed anecropsy in front of the public for the first time.February 2009Endangered Sharks to Get Artificial UterusesScientists reveal development of an artificial uterus in a race against time tosave the endangered Grey Nurse Shark. The artificial breeding chamber will helpnegate the cannibalistic breeding habits of the Grey Nurse Shark: While still inthe uterus, the strongest pup eats its siblings, meaning only two pups are bornfrom each female (each has two uteruses) at a time.EU Plan of Action Gives Shark Protection Extra Bite!The Shark Trust joined fellow Shark Alliance members in Brussels to mark therelease of the European Commission’s Plan of Action for Sharks and commenton its provisions. See right.Hotel Urged to Free Whale SharkEnvironmentalists renewed their call for the Atlantis resort in Dubai to releaseSammy the Whale Shark which has been on display inside the hotel’s giant fishtank.The Community Plan of Action for SharksCPOA ReportOn the 5th February 2009 the European Community Plan of Action for Sharks(CPOA) was launched in Brussels by the European Commissioner for MaritimeAffairs and Fisheries, Joe Borg.The CPOA comes nearly ten years after the governments of the United Nationspledged to produce shark conservation plans for their waters. The Shark Trust hasplayed a key role in securing the delivery of this plan, working both within the UKand in Europe as a founder member of the Shark Alliance.The plan covers all cartilaginous fish – not only sharks, but also skates, raysand chimaera and it has the potential to provide a comprehensive framework forchange, encouraging science based catch limits, the protection of endangeredspecies and the revision of the EU shark finning regulation. Following the resultsof the consultation exercise in early 2008 (see Shark Focus 32) the Commissionhas adopted five fields of action to enable: the collation of species-specific dataon shark catches and trade; assessment and mitigation of threats; stakeholderconsultation and awareness; sustainable shark fisheries; and a revision of theshark finning ban.In a Press Conference to launch the plan the European Commissioner for MaritimeAffairs and Fisheries Joe Borg commented: “Sharks are very vulnerable tooverexploitation and the consequences of depleting their numbers may have veryserious consequences not only for sharks but also for marine ecosystems and forfishermen themselves.”Member States are currently working towards Council conclusions which will bereached in late April 09 and will set priorities for the EU Commission and MemberStates in the months ahead.Although the launch of the CPOA represents a significant step forward it is nowmore important than ever that the Shark Trust maintains pressure at governmentlevel to ensure swift and effective implementation of the plan.Ali Hood, Huw Irranca-Davies, Sarah Fowler and Suzanne Pleydell (PADI)UK rises to the CPOA challengeGovernment support for Shark ConservationThe Shark Trust has secured cross party support for the Community Plan of Actionfor Sharks. Meeting with Mr Huw Irranca-Davies the Minister for the Natural andMarine Environment, Wildlife and Rural Affairs the Shark Trust, accompanied byShark Alliance colleagues Project AWARE, presented the Minister with petitionscollected during European Shark Week 2008. Over 100,000 European Citizensvoiced their support for the Plan of action for Sharks with nearly 20,000 of thosefrom the UK. In turn the Minister reiterated his strong commitment to a plan with‘much merit’ and indicated that the UK would champion its swift implementation.“Our scientists tell us that some shark populations are criticallyendangered, and we need to respond to that advice.” (Richard Lochhead)Travelling to the ScottishParliament the SharkTrust met with Mr RichardLochhead the ScottishSecretary of state for theEnvironment and RuralAffairs who in a statementto the Trust said: “Iwelcome the publicationof this Action Plan whichsuggests taking a wellbalancedapproach.We will study it and itsimplications in detail. TheCommission’s approach Richard Lochhead and Ali Hood.should allow time forfishing practices to adaptto new management techniques that may need to be developed. Our scientists tellus that some shark populations are critically endangered, and we need to respondto that advice. In Scotland we will continue to work closely with the Commission,industry and with NGOs to ensure that sharks are given adequate protection andthat our waters remain healthy and our fish stocks sustainable.”The Trust held additional meetings with Martin Horwood and Richard Benyon theShadow Environment Ministers for the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives -both MPs also expressed strong support for the plan and particular intent to seeimprovements to the shark finning regulation.Shark FinningA priority field of action within the CPOA is the proposal to review the finningregulation. Adopted in 2003 the EU Shark Finning regulation forbids the removalof shark fins at sea, however Member States can opt to provide registered vesselswith ‘special fishing permits’ which allow the removal of fins at sea providing finsand carcasses are landed in compliance with the 5% fin:carcass ratio.Although the CPOA proposes to address this loophole seeking a tightening of theratio and enforcing the requirement to land both fins and carcasses at the sameport, the Shark Trust feels strongly that the most reliable means to prohibit finningis to adhere to the original intent of the regulation and ensure all sharks are landedwith their fins attached. In this vein the Trust is strongly advocating that the UKcease the provision of special fishing permits and is in discussion with Mr HuwIrranca-Davies regarding this.TACs and QuotasEach year the Shark Trust gets actively involved in the December [EU] Councilmeeting where Total Allowable Catch (TACs) and Quotas are agreed (see SharkFocus 33). The Trust attends frontloading meetings at Defra and liaises withindustry whilst working to secure support for sound management options. Aheadof the 2008 December Council the European Commission proposed the mostsignificant shark conservation measures to date presenting the Trust with a solidbasis from which to seek support from the devolved administrations.Although the results were far from a clean sweep they most definitely representpositive progress. Porbeagle and Spurdog saw a reduction in their overall TACand the adoption of maximum landing sizes to protect breeding stock. The UK willmaintain a closure of the target fishery for Porbeagle, and there was a commitmentat EU level to adopt a zero TAC for Spurdog in 2010.Skate and Ray saw an extension of the range of their management and therequirement for the mandatory release of Common Skate, White Skate and UndulateRay.The icing on the cake was the adoption of a prohibition on the landings ofAngelshark throughout European waters.10 www.sharktrust.org/news Shark Focus 34 Shark Focus 34 www.sharktrust.org/campaigns 11

JuniorMEMBER’S pageLet’s Investigate SharksRecently, Pine and Cedar classes at Ford Park Primary School in Plymouth decidedto learn all about sharks and so they called in the Shark Trust team to help them ontheir way.Fossil SharkGiant on ShowEmma-Louise NichollsThe Shark Trust went along and spent a day at school and had a great time workingwith the children learning about topics including:AdaptationFood WebsHabitatsDiversity and ThreatsOver the day we had discussions, played some games and designed some fabulousnew sharks.Over the following few weeks the students have continued to learn about sharks andCedar class has even made these stupendous papier mâché sharks!The Shark Trust has developed a series of resources and activities aimed at key stage1 and 2 students all available to download for free from the Shark Trust website. Tofind out more about the Shark Trust education resources please visitwww.sharktrust.org/educationThe Predator of the Deep By Callum Bromley aged 13The sea was like a ghost that never said a word,Even if you listened nothing could be heard,But there was one creature of all that stirred,The predator of the deep.Its eyes were black as black can be,When you caught a glimpse of it you wouldn’t believe it could see,If you went in the water you’d think “it’s coming for me,”The predator of the deep.All the fisherman about to set sail,Had heard the story, a legendary tale,About a creature that would make you go pale,The predator of the deep.The coral swayed in the ocean’s own breeze,If you saw the sight you’d fall to your knees,But if you saw the creature you’d freeze,The predator of the deep.The fish swam towards the fishermen with pride,Swaying its tail in time with the tide,Creeping towards them, very big eyed,The predator of the deep.Just a few sections of the shark display atFord Park School. © Shark Trust.You could see the coldness in one fisherman’s face,As he scanned the ocean from place to place,Then he saw the fish’s great pace,The predator of the deep.The fisherman cried “He’s here! He’s here!”Then another one shouted “He’s near! He’s near!”Suddenly the boat was shadowed in fear,The predator of the deep.Each prayed that it would go away,They threw some fish and even a ray,As it swam off they shouted “Hooray!”Goodbye predator of the deep.The sea was like a ghost that never said a word,Even if you listened nothing could be heard,But there was one creature of all that stirred,The predator of the deep.Great Hammerhead. © Marc Dando.Megalodon jaws. © Shark Trust.This February the Miami Science Museum opens its doors to an excitingand unique exhibition entitled “Megalodon: Largest shark that ever lived”.Megalodon is a fossil species of shark that is estimated to have been around18 metres in length, well over 3 times the length of a Great White Shark!The giant predator ruled the prehistoric oceans for 15 million years beforemysteriously becoming extinct 1.8 million years ago.Megalodon in comparison with a Great White Shark. about three times the extant species length.© Marc Dando/Shark Trust.To enter the exhibition, guests walk through a set of jaws that belong to the first full sizereconstruction of a Megalodon. The body consists of a cleverly designed metal skeletalstructure that comes complete with gill slits and black velvet seats in the shape of itspectoral and pelvic fins. Fossil teeth, vertebrae, casts, diagrams and modern jaws all help todemonstrate to the public how scientists have been able to understand so much about a sharkthat has no living relatives and that no human has ever seen.Megalodon teeth at Colchester Museum © Peter Ta’Bois. Inset,White Shark tooth in comparison © Marc Dando/Shark Trust.The only fossils that have been found of Megalodon areteeth and isolated vertebrae which make up the spine.A reconstruction of the most complete set of Megalodonteeth found to date helps to illustrate how tooth sizeand shape can be compared mathematically to that ofthe modern Great White Shark. These teeth were usedto work out the size of the creature and subsequentlyestimate a length and body mass.Scientists know that tooth shape accuratelydemonstrates the diet of a shark. Pointed blade-liketeeth indicate that the shark feeds upon fish, whereasblunt peg-like teeth belong to sharks that feed on crabsand lobsters that have to be crushed before they areswallowed. The modern Great White Shark has verysimilar teeth to Megalodon and so scientists use itas a model for inferring diet and ‘life habit’ e.g. freeswimmingrather than dwelling on the sea-bed.The exhibition continues through the body and out of aside entrance explaining as it goes when and for howlong Megalodon lived, and where in the world their fossilteeth have been found. Sharks are extremely sensitiveto their environment which is one of the reasons theyare at risk from human impacts on marine ecosystems.Megalodon however was a special shark that has beenfound all over the world from America, through Europeall the way over to Asia, meaning it is a ‘cosmopolitanspecies’. Oceans vary greatly throughout the worldin temperature and salinity (salt content) and soMegalodon must have been a very adaptable species tobe cosmopolitan. This information makes it all the moredifficult for scientists to understand what drove thespecies to extinction.Moving away from Megalodon the exhibition investigatessome other fossil shark species. The exhibition exploresweird looking sharks such as the Carboniferous Edestusgiganteus which had a unique scissor-like set of jaws.Edestus has puzzled scientists since the Family wasnamed in 1899. How did these jaws function and whydid the scissor-shape evolve are two of the manyquestion that have scientists scratching their heads.The exhibition finishes with conservation of modernspecies. Habitat loss, over fishing and shark-finningall play a part in the most high impact element of theexhibition and form a poignant conclusion to the story ofMegalodon and its descendants.16 www.sharktrust.org/education Shark Focus 34Shark Focus 34 www.sharktrust.org/getinvolved 17

Web UpdatesEEA 12thAnnualMeetingSharks in Focus2009GreetinGS from europe –protect our SharkSGo online and send this e-card to the UK Minister for Fisheries. Image © Shark AllianceSupport the Community Plan of Action for Sharks!In support of the Community Plan of Action for Sharks (Page 11) the Shark Trust has created an E-Card thatyou can send to UK Minister for Fisheries Huw Irranca-Davies to show your support for the shark plan. Simplyfollow the CPOA E-card link on the Shark Trust homepage to get your voice heard!Online PetitionIn late February the Shark Trust presented the petitions signed by you and many others during European SharkWeek 2008 to Mr Huw Irranca-Davies the Minister for the Natural and Marine Environment, Wildlife and RuralAffairs and Mr Richard Lochhead the Scottish Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Affairs. Thefinal count of petitions collected across Europe during Shark Week 08 was over 100,000 signatures so we’dlike to say a big thank you to everyone involved! The online petition for European Shark Week is now closed,but don’t worry we’ll soon have a new petition up for you to sign that tackles the revision of shark finninglegislation.Shark ForumThere has been a recent burst of activity in the shark forum, with lots of topical discussion threads beingcreated and new forum members being encouraged to join. The culprit behind all of this is forum userArchaeolamna who is our new elected Forum Moderator. Archaeolamna is on hand to help maintain the upkeepof the forum so if you have any queries or new ideas please feel free to contact them.Online Interactive GamesThe Shark Trust has been collaborating with students from the Plymouth University Digital Art and Technology(DAT) course to design and build online video games that have a strong conservation message and which arefun to play. Students have the choice of designing a build-a-shark game that allows users to create their ownshark while teaching them how the shark’s body parts are adapted to their ecology. The second option for DATstudents is to design a shark gauntlet game where users guide a variety of shark species through differentlevels while avoiding threats. Students are currently creating their games and will be presenting them to theShark Trust staff in late March with the best games being promoted and linked to from the Shark Trust website.The Shark Trust always welcomes new web ideas and has been lucky in the past to work with media studentsand designers on content for the Shark Trust website. If you have the skills to create multimedia content for thewebsite please contact us at enquiries@sharktrust.orgThe Shark Trust teamed up withfellow European ElasmobranchAssociation members for theorganisation’s 12th annual meetingfrom Friday 14th – Sunday 16thNovember at Oceanário de LisboaAquarium in Lisbon, Portugal.This year Associação Portuguesa para o Estudo eConservação de Elasmobrânquios (APECE) hosted theannual meeting which was a weekend of presentationsand poster exhibitions by some of the globe’s top sharkand ray experts.On Saturday the scientific meeting kicked off with awelcome address from EEA President Sarah Fowler andAPECE President Nuno Queiroz. Sarah Fowler seizedthe opportunity to announce Heike Zidowitz as hersuccessor as president of EEA. Sarah Fowler is now EEAVice President.27 superb talks were presented at the conference ondiverse subjects ranging from the management andconservation of sharks to research projects on theirecology.Talks of interest included a fascinating oral presentationon the impact of climate change on the River StingrayPotamotrygonidae’s life cycle by Maria Lúcia Góes deAraújo all the way from the Universidade Federeal doAmazonas, Brazil. Another engaging talk was AntoninBlaison’s presentation on Diel observations of WhiteShark’s vertical migrations while patrolling Seal Islandat Mossel Bay, South Africa.The Shark Trust presented six posters at the conferencedetailing updates on a variety of their projectsincluding the ‘Great Eggcase Hunt’, ‘Identification–Aiding Fisheries Management’, and ‘The Internet as aConservation Tool’.The conference wasn’t all hard work, with a deliciousbanquet served to guests on Saturday evening followedby a comical and light hearted auction hosted by JoãoCorreia to raise money for the EEA student bursary.At Friday’s EEA Board Meeting the EEA Committeemet to discuss resolutions for 2008 which were thenput forward to delegates during the conference to beapproved and voted on. Delegates agreed on resolutionsregarding the European Community Plan of Actionfor sharks, recommendations for ICCAT to adoptinternational shark management measures, support forthe EU Commission’s proposals for shark managementat the December Fisheries Council and the Conservationof migratory species.Delegates also took the chance during the EEA meetingto visit the aquarium’s exhibits including the main tankwhich contained a huge collection of fish including ajuvenile Manta Ray, Sandtiger Sharks and Sun Fish.This year’s EEA meeting was a great success and theShark Trust would like to thank APECE and Oceanáriode Lisboa for their warm hospitality and for organising afun and informative event.Sharks in Focus 2007 entry © JP Trenque.In Shark Focus 33 we were excited to announce the imminent launch of Sharks inFocus 2009, and we hope that you have spent the winter delving through your backcatalogue of images in anticipation of the release of the competition categories.Sharks in Focus 2009 will be officially launched in the June edition of Diver Magazinewhere we will promote this year’s judges, sponsors and prizes.But to give Shark Trust members a head start we have posted the categories below.There’s definitely something for everyone and plenty for those of you who don’t makeit under the water.Shark! Capture the character and celebrate all that is magnificent about sharks,skates and rays.Best of British: We have a phenomenal diversity of sharks, skates and rays inBritish waters, and whether you encounter them in our seas or elsewhere we’re keento showcase them.Endangered: Overfishing, habitat destruction and the curio trade have broughtmany species of shark to the brink of extinction. Giving profile to threatened speciesas well as the challenges they face is a vital step in securing their conservation.Shark Culture: This category highlights how sharks have been feared and revered.The iconic image of a shark is used throughout the ages to depict speed, power andmenace, whilst in some cultures sharks are honoured as gods, protectors and guides.Check out the Sharks in Focus 2007 Gallery atwww.sharktrust.org/galleryfor a great source of inspiration.Members AREA Login DetailsUsername: Silvertip, Password: SharkPlease Note: These membership login details are shared by all Shark Trust members, therefore when loggedin under these details no items should be purchased from the Shark Shop, username and password detailsshould not be changed, and the shark forum shouldn’t be used.(Please note the Shark Trust takes no responsibility for the content of third party blogs.)Posters were also on display throughout the conferenceand showcased the latest research of 23 sharkscientists, who were at hand to answer any questionsabout their findings.All images © Shark Trust.Copyright Rachel Ball/Liverpool MuseumSharks in Focus 2007 entry© Andrew Sallmon.In the next issue of SharkFocusThe Psychology of FearDaily migration of White SharksWhale Sharks in DjiboutiSmoothhounds – the latest research18 www.sharktrust.org/forum Shark Focus 34Shark Focus 34 www.eulasmo.org 19