Thailand eShark Project Update - March 2014
BEFORE THE LATEST ESHARK FIGURES ARE SHOWN, HERE IS SOME IMPORTANT KEY POINTS ABOUT THE THAILAND ESHARK PROJECT!
- ONE MONTH LEFT FOR THAILAND ESHARK PROJECT (30 APRIL 2014) BUT….. YOU CAN STILL ENTER DATA ALL YEAR ROUND! You have unlimited time to enter your dive/snorkel data for the Thailand eShark Project of your activities between November 2013 and April 2014!. Please go back into your dive logs and get them entered into the Thailand eShark data base as soon as possible. The more data collected, the better we can use it for conservation!
- WE NEED ALL YOUR DATA ENTRIES – EVEN WHEN YOU DID NOT SEE ANY SHARKS! This has been a common misunderstanding during the Thailand eShark Project. As divers or snorkelers, some people thought that they had to see a shark to enter their data. This is a big misconception! NO SHARK SIGHTINGS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT, IF NOT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO RECORD into the Thailand eShark Data base! By doing this we get a better idea of the number of dives or other water activity done, compared to how many times sharks were seen. Over time, this data will show a decrease in the number of sharks seen year by year.
- IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH DATA AND NOT ENOUGH TIME, PLEASE SEND IT TO US AT SHARK GUARDIAN AND WE WILL ENTER THE DATA FOR YOU! We have volunteers who are helping to collect and enter data from several dive centers and snorkeling centers throughout Thailand. As a professional diver for example, you may have hundreds or even thousands of dives logged in Thailand over many years. THIS IS VITAL AND USEFUL INFORMATION for the Thailand eShark project. Especially where you have also noted when you have, and have not seen sharks during those dives.
- OLD DIVE OR SNORKEL DATA IS VALUABLE TO ENTER NOW! By entering your past dive or snorkel data, it will help create a base of information to work with as well as compare figures and shark sightings to the data being entered now. So if you have old logbooks, no matter how old, we can use it for conservationTODAY! PLEASE ENTER ANY DATA YOU HAVE GOING BACK AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.
MARCH 2014 UPDATE
Since Shark Guardian started the Thailand eShark Project in November 2013 we have collected 3,817 data entries! From December 2013 we have received just under 1,000 entries a month of NO Shark sightings or when sharks have been sighted either by divers, snorkelers, people on boats or near the beach. Not only have we collected vital information on shark species and numbers, but we have also collected information about rays, turtles, sea horses, marine mammals, jelly fish and indications of garbage or pollutions in the area at the same time. Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed so far. These are the findings:
Total number of records submitted from Thailand : 3817
Total number of surveys with sharks present is: 464
Total number of surveys with rays present is: 559
Total number of surveys with turtles present is: 332
Total number of surveys with seahorses present is: 177
Total number of surveys with whale present is: 22
Total number of surveys with jellyfish present is: 478
Between December 2013 and February 2014 – 11% of data entries were recorded with shark sightings.
Between February 2014 and March 2014 – 12% of data entries were recorded with shark sightings. 1% Increase shown!
The Thailand eShark Project is the largest ever community science initiative to be undertaken by divers in Thailand to help build a basis of information about shark populations in Thailand. Data collected over the years can help us find trends and build a picture if shark sightings are on the fall or on the rise. Data collected in national marine parks will also be important to know how well the protected areas are being monitored and policed. The information collected by this data will be used to access shark populations in Thailand and help formulate plans for greater conservation action for sharks and marine protected areas in the future.
