SHARK & RAY RESEARCH MEETING
February 27, 2011 by dyertrust
Alison Towner and I attended the Southern African Shark and Ray Meeting hosted by the KZN Sharks Board in mid February. The first meeting of its kind, it offered the opportunity for scientists from across the country and Mozambique the chance to present their research and share ideas.
The conference also provided networking opportunities second only to the white sharks symposium in Hawaii last year whichAlisonandHennieattended. We were able to not only put the Dyer Island Conservation Trust on the map as a major player in the research and future of the South African white shark with quality presentations on our own research but also discuss potential future collaborations with the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) and a national database of fin IDs withSave Our Seas,Oceans Research,Bay World,Oceans and Coastsand the KZN Sharks Board. We hope this collaboration will answer the question of how many white sharks we have in South Africa?
Conferences like this are vital for the nations research initiatives and benefit not just the research organisations and researchers that attend but also the animals they are trying to protect.
Written by:Oliver Jewell
