Marine Life & Conservation
Bleaching and teaching – saving corals and marine life in the face of El Niño
In the Maldives, repressive politics, coral bleaching and the whale shark tourism industry are out of control. Two NGOs – Biosphere Expeditions and the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) – battle on regardless. Their silver lining is civil society groups.
The two NGOs have worked in the Maldives since 1990, eventually joining forces in 2011. Today they run an annual research expedition to the Maldives, assessing coral reef fitness alongside marine health indicators such as whale sharks. “We are also very concerned by the increasingly repressive political developments,” says Dr. Matthias Hammer of Biosphere Expeditions.
El Niño devastating reefs
The recent El Niño event has severely stressed corals in the Maldives too. So much so that according to MCS’s Dr. Jean-Luc Solandt the July research trip will be “one of sadness – to see the impact of climate change. A massive bleaching event has hit the Maldives in May as a result of a strong and long El Niño. It has clearly killed many shallow water Maldives reefs. Our task is to see the extent of the damage caused and to work out which reefs are more resilient.”
Dr. Hammer adds that “Maldivian local communities are only slowly becoming more aware of human impacts on reefs and therefore the source of their livelihoods and homes. Given the very real threats to coral reefs and the rapid pace of change, communities, politicians and government must be more proactive in managing the coral reefs of the Maldives properly and sustainably.”
Photos (left to right): Surveying the reef (c) S Hashim; Whale shark (c) Biosphere Expeditions; Colours of the reef (c) S Hashim.
Unsustainable, out of control whale shark exploitation and harassment
The two NGOs also do not mince their words in their assessment of the whale shark tourism industry in South Ari Marine Protected Area. “Although the area is a Marine Protected Area (MPA), as of yet it is merely a paper park. Despite suggestions for regulations being put forward, there is neither a proper management plan that all the stakeholders agree on, nor a governing body actively involved in enforcing these regulations. As a result, boat collisions that result in major injuries to the sharks and harassment by boats and divers / snorkellers engaged in irresponsible tourism activities are the rule, rather than the exception. Whale shark tourism is therefore far from sustainable and the MPA has a long way to go until it is no longer just a paper park.”
The silver lining: Where the officialdom fails, communities step in
But it is not all doom and gloom. Where officialdom is failing, civil society and committed Maldivians are stepping in. Ever since Biosphere Expeditions started running its annual research trip to the Maldives in 2011, it has educated and trained Maldivians in reef survey techniques as part of the Biosphere Expeditions’ placement programme. This culminated in the first-ever all-Maldivian reef survey in November 2014 and other community-based conservation initiatives since then, the latest in March 2016. Shaha Hasihim of local NGO Gemana, for example, has taken part in several expeditions and is now training her compatriots in reef survey techniques and setting up community-based conservation programmes, because, in her words, “monitoring the reef on a regular basis helps local communities identify issues that may affect the health of the reefs and take preventive measures to restore the balance and ensure reef survival.”
Photos (left to right): A healthy reef with live coral and a thriving fish population (c) S Hashim; A local volunteer collects the all-important data along the Reef Check transect line (c) S Hashim; Coral bleaching has also devastated Maldives reefs (c) XL Catlin Seaview Survey.
Biosphere Expeditions is also raising funds for more placements across other parts of the planet, as part of its campaign to train 15 young conservationists in 10 countries across the globe. The funding target is $7500. Donations are most welcome.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Until 28 November, prizes worth a massive £10,000 – including experiences, products and tuition – feature in a line-up of items that can be won for £5 in an online prize draw to celebrate Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation’s 20th anniversary and help generate crucial funds for the future.
Top of the list of prizes is the chance to spend time with adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall, a workout session with Nat Geo star Aldo Kane, a kayaking trip alongside white-water expert and diver Sal Montgomery and a Zoom call with ‘shark whisperer’ Cristina Zenato.
On top of that, some of the most admired companies in the diving and scuba industry have been quick to support the charity with fabulous prizes that make the £5 ticket price worth more than just a flutter.
Master Liveaboards, BSAC, Midlands Diving Chamber, Go Freediving and Blue Shark Snorkel have all generously donated experience prizes, while celebrated photographer Alex Mustard has donated a print and artists Scott Gleed and Olivier Leger have donated a sculpture and illustration to help boost the fundraising pot.
Fourth Element has donated Ocean Positive gear and LA watch company Nodus has gifted the charity a stunning dive watch. For land lovers, the charity has included a five star London hotel stay at Bankside Hotel plus a family visit to Longleat Safari Park in the roster of prizes.
Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from companies and individuals that we truly admire and who have supported us on our 20 year journey and we’re truly grateful to them all. While we feel incredibly proud of our achievements over the past two decades – and we are super excited about the next chapter – this prize draw isn’t a vanity project. It represents a real lifeline to our work and important advancements in the global protection of sharks. So we hope divers, dive clubs and even bargain hunters grab some tickets to make this a massive success.”
The charity hopes that the prize draw will generate crucial funds to launch a brand new, ground-breaking, campaign to enrol the public and increase support for the protection of sharks around the world.
To enter the competition visit www.bite-back.com/prizedraw. The prize winners will be announced on 1 December 2024.
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