“The Sharkiologist, giving over 400 million years of evolution a voice”

What is your moral/ethical standing on the use of sharks for research purposes?

When conducting research on live sharks, the welfare of the animal is of utmost importance, and for me an absolute priority. Not only is this a moral issue but also a practical consideration, for instance you cannot expect to obtain reliable information from a species if its environment or treatment cause unnecessary stress in those animals. I believe that by conducting studies on sharks (keeping those numbers to an absolute minimum) it is possible to provide otherwise unknown information which is ultimately essential in the conservation and long term survival of all sharks.
(Autumn 2008)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It True Shark's Don't Get Cancer?

It's not that sharks don’t get cancer but it is extremely rare as far as we know. It's important to remember that many forms of cancer which affect humans are dietary or lifestyle related. Although it is possible that we can learn from the sharks immune system to combat different types of cancer, research should be carried out responsibly. (shark cartilage was touted as a miracle cure for cancer, which resulted in many sharks being killed unnecessarily to market cartilage pills).    
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Aren’t Sharks Just Fish with Big Teeth?

No! This is precisely the stereotypical media portrayal of sharks. The idea: put “shark” and “teeth” in a headline and you’ll sell papers, fill out movie theatres etc… In reality sharks are complex animals, generally a shark possesses a large, well developed brain. Shark brain-mass to body-mass ratios are comparable to many birds and mammals.

Evidence suggests sharks can learn and remember (improving their hunting technique by trial and error, nurse sharks were taught to press a button for food, a technique they retained for months after) and are social animals with reports of co-operative feeding such as great white sharks moving a whale carcass into deeper water, and remarkably reports of “play” with a group of Porbeagles chasing an individual holding a section of Kelp between its teeth. When the Kelp was seized by another the other Porbeagles chased the new owner of the Kelp.

So large brains with the ability to learn and remember, displays of social complexity, curiosity, possibly even playfulness, coupled with well developed sensory systems (low frequency sound detection 20-300 Hz from 1 km or more, water-borne scents 1 part per billion from several hundred metres or more, vibration detection from 100 m or more, well adapted eyesight especially in low light conditions, detection of electrical fields down to 0.5 nanovolts/cm²).

Still think sharks are just fish with big teeth?
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Don't You Get Scared?

Working with sharks and specifically freediving with wild sharks is not about risk taking. True, there’s an element of risk involved but I’m not reckless, it’s about being comfortable in a situation and not harassing the shark. It’s important to keep a sensible distance between you and the shark. Don’t make it feel threatened by invading its territory too much or by surrounding it as you’re effectively blocking its escape route.

In essence respect the shark: you’re in its domain, also remember unprovoked attacks are extremely rare, most attacks are as a result of direct provocation, curiosity (generally not fatal) or mistaken identity.

A sharks objective is not to eat humans!
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