Research published today in the journal Conservation Biology presents the most comprehensive assessment of the status of Pacific shark populations to date. The paper, authored by Dr. Shelley Clarke and a team from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community in New Caledonia, shows significant declines in catch rates for blue, mako, and oceanic whitetip sharks, as well as declining average sizes of oceanic whitetip and silky sharks, indicating heavy fishing. These results, along with evidence of shark targeting reported by Dr.

With a possible high of 28 °C on Saturday 10th November, Brisbane Australia, you’d expect to find most people in the water, especially if they’re wearing wetsuits.  But the first Brisbane Wetsuit Walk will see hundreds of divers walk the city streets in their wetsuits to raise awareness for sharks.  They’re taking on the job of positive publicist for sharks everywhere.

Just a few weeks ago, Associate Director, Mike Holme helped kick start the Marine Debris Master Plan in Koh Tao, Thailand - one of five Project AWARE Ocean Action Projects being implemented across the globe.
Litter and improper disposal of rubbish is a major problem throughout Asia. The Koh Tao community has worked hard to re-manage the way waste is dealt with. But these methods only treat the symptoms.

One scuba divers idea has inspired a worldwide movement to get swimming to end shark finning with dive centres across the globe hosting Finathons to raise much needed funds for shark conservation.
Dive DownBelow, Sabah, Malaysia is FINatical about sharks and swimming to end finning this November.

During September’s Debris Month of Action thousands of scuba divers around the world took action to tackle the ocean’s silent killer and provide a global snapshot of the debris issues plaguing our ocean planet.
Tires, glass bottles, hooks, fishing lines, discarded fishing nets — you name it, divers removed it from the sea floor and coral reef before bringing it to the surface to be sorted and disposed of properly.

They are the gentle giants of the ocean, weighing as much as 1400 kilograms. But an emerging market in Chinese medicine for gill rakers is threatening global populations of giant manta rays.
Now, amid increasing international efforts to curb the decline, the federal government will today protect the species - found predominantly in the tropical waters of northern Australia - under national environment law.

A 10-fold rise in Marine Protected Areas has been recorded over a decade.
A report to a UN meeting on biodiversity in Hyderabad reports that more than 8.3 million sq km - 2.3% of the global ocean area - is now protected.
The percentage is small but the rapid growth in recent times leads to hope that the world will hit its target of 10% protected by 2020.
This would have looked most unlikely prospect just a few years ago.

Native sawfish among eleven shark and ray species proposed under wildlife treaty

If you’ve supported our work, signed our shark petition or rallied shark support in your community – then this message is for you. We couldn’t have done it without you.