A Year in the Life of a Sharkiologist...
July - September 2010
• Back in Aberdeen, Scotland researching the shark immune system.
• Published my first shark book (Shark 101), which will be available to purchase shortly.
• Begun collaborating about fundraising ideas and shark awareness programs, with the organisers of the European Shark Week 2010, which runs from the 9th – 17th of October.
• Confirmed my attendance at the annual meeting of the European Elasmobranch Association which will take place in November this year.
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April - June 2010
During this period I was working as a volunteer research assistant for the Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Project (TSRCP) in the Philippines. The experiences on this trip were unparalleled. Anyone who wants to catch up on what I got up to out there can check out my blog.
During my trip to the Philippines I also got to go freediving with Whale Sharks, which was truly incredible and I also got to take a trip to the Republic of Palau where I dived for 2 weeks at iconic locations such as Blue Corner and Ulong Channel where I got to dive with many sharks including my first Great Hammerhead!
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New Year 2010
The New Year has brought along many exciting new prospects and challenges. I have been working closely with the SSTP (Scottish Shark Tagging Programme) organisers, discussing new features for the SSTP website. This will hopefully also involve a collaborative blog (“Lauren on Location”) with my next big challenge for this year; going to work for the Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Project (TSRCP) in the Philippines.
See my page at: Scottish Shark Tagging Programme
I will be in the Philippines at the TSRCP from April through to June this year where I shall be staying on Malapascua Island and diving 3 times a day at Monad Shoal. During the dives I will be assisting with the TSRCP’s ongoing research using various techniques and equipment such as taking transects of the reef and using underwater videography and photography. The main aims of the TSRCP are to:
i) investigate the behaviour of pelagic thresher sharks in response to resident cleaner fish
ii) investigate correlations between parasite presence and injury on pelagic thresher sharks to respective cleaning interactions
iii) to improve established methods of observing the behaviour of sharks in situ
iv) to assess the population dynamics of thresher shark visit frequency to Monad Shoal
v) to inform conservation initiatives to manage fisheries and dive tourism in relation to their relative impacts on the abundance of pelagic thresher sharks in the area.
I will of course be making the most of all the shark species that the Philippines has to offer and high on my list is freediving with Whale Sharks!
I also hope to incorporate into this trip a visit across to the islands of Palau, which in September 2009 created the worlds first “shark sanctuary” by banning all commercial shark fishing in its waters.
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Autumn 2009
• I am delighted to announce that I will be joining the Scottish Shark Tagging Programme (SSTP) organised by the Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network (SSACN) at Loch Sunart and Loch Etive on the 14th/15th Nov.
The tagging event is part of an ongoing campaign to allow the stocks of Spurdog (a.k.a. spiny dogfish) and common skate in the lochs and surrounding area to regenerate by protecting them from excessive and unsustainable commercial exploitation. I will be deploying 10 data storage tags which log the time, date, pressure and temperature on Spurdog alongside the identity tagging proposed by the SSACN. I am very excited to be a part of this “hands on” work and hope it will provide useful information for the long term conservation of both the species and the habitat.
If anyone should find a tag please contact me on:
l.smith@sharkiologist.com
or on: 07828828873
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Autumn 2008
• Recently received my Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Biology from the University of Aberdeen, UK.
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• Based in Aberdeen researching the shark immune system.
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• Preparing talks for the general public and for schools with a view to promote conservation and awareness of shark species.
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• Attending pool and gym training sessions in preparation for future free-diving courses.
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• Undertaking the advanced open water dive course training.
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Earlier in 2008
• On 9 and 10 June I flew out to Tobermory on the Isle of Mull to do some filming with The Discovery Channel (Canada). We filmed on board a Sea Life Surveys vessel. Sea Life Surveys are an award winning organisation that operate valuable marine wildlife research and cruises around the Hebridean Islands. Check back for updates on this exciting collaboration.
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• Participated in the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition in London (30th June – 3rd July). The summer science exhibition is the Royal Society’s largest annual event which attracts around 6000 visitors and worldwide press coverage.
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And always...
• bobbing around in the North Sea (otherwise known as Surfing!).
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