Meeting #29 The Status of Australia’s Shark, Rays and Chimeras & Expedition Recaps

We’d like to extend a massive thank you to Dr. Colin Simpfendorfer for sharing his recent work and the process through which assessments of the stock status of 331 chondrichthyan species are implemented into policy.

• Some highlights from Colin’s talk included:

  • Learning about the process of assessing stock sustainability of elasmobranchs in Australia to compile the Shark and Ray Report Card

  • Gaining a greater idea of the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of chondrichthyan conservation from Lifeboat Australia to conserving depleted species to the ongoing South Australian algal bloom

  • Seeing the continued damage the algal bloom has inflicted across most South Australian marine taxa, emphasizing the continued focus on the conservation of depleted species and the compounding effects of fishing pressure and climate change

  Huge thank you as well to Ian, Tessa, Andrea, and Mel for presenting on their recent expeditions to Arborek and Lombok, Indonesia with the EPI Kalabia Project and the Dorsal Effect!

• Some highlights from the student talks included:

  • Hearing from the EPI Kalabia student’s about their challenges of working in adverse field conditions to visiting ReShark in Raja Ampat and spending time within the community to gain a deeper understanding of local knowledge and the role of aquaculture in conservation

  • Learning about the balance of survival vs. privilege in conservation from the Expedition Dorsal Effect students, particularly as it revolves around Lombok’s shark fishing industry and the importance of collaboration and optimism in this field