Shark Focus

We’d like to say a big thank you to all of our supporters who have generously given theirtime and energy to raise money for the Shark Trust. We’ve been particularly impressed bythe commitment and stamina of our fundraisers these past few months – with many peopleundertaking gruelling runs to raise awareness and funds.Marine biologist, Graham Hill, from theDeep Aquarium in Hull, ran both theSilverstone Half Marathon (3rd March)and the London Marathon (21st April),in a three metre long handmade sharkcostume. To date, Graham has raisedan amazing £2113!Graham writes: ‘Race day was mindblowing, the support, people comingup to have their photo taken with itjust made the whole day an absolutepleasure. I would just like to say amassive thank-you to everyone whodonated money and to my Mum whohelped out a lot with the sewing!’You can read more about Graham’sfundraising journey on his blog atuk.virginmoneygiving.com/HamHill.Duncan Coston ran the Reading HalfMarathon in a time of 2 hours 11minutes:Fundraising‘The culture of out of sight out ofmind is just not fitting anymore andthe work the Shark Trust do to bringthe oceans top predator to light bothby education and research is a noblegoal. I felt proud to cross the finishline knowing that the money I haveraised is for a very good cause. Thankyou to everyone who sponsored meraising a total of £220’.Rachael Semple ran the BelfastMarathon on the 6th May, raising atotal of £236.20.‘I wouldn’t really consider myselfmuch of a runner, so the trainingat times has definitely been tough!26.2 miles may be a gruellingchallenge for me, but the challengesconstantly faced by sharks at ourhands are shocking. As a lifetimelover of sharks, I think the SharkTrust does a great job in educatingothers and helping to conservethese magnificent, misunderstoodcreatures. This is why I wanted toraise money for the the Shark Trustand hopefully in doing so, I can alsohelp promote the fantastic workthe Trust does for sharks to family,friends and fellow runners’.Liam Byrne completed the Hull 10KRun with a time of 49:32 min. Liamraised £107.49 and writes:‘I would like to thank my mum formaking my great shark fin and to allthose who sponsored me. This charityhas been close to my heart for manyyears and I am delighted to help outand raise awareness for sharks’.Pete Philp ran the London Marathon,raising £250. Pete wrote to the Trust:‘The reason I chose to raise moneyfor the Shark Trust is because ofthe love for the sea both my wifeand I have. She loves whales, butfor me, it’s always been sharks. Iam fascinated by them. They are soelegant, graceful, yet such powerfulanimals which we are still discoveringso much about. They have beenaround for such a long time whenmost other creatures didn’t survive,which to me, shows they are perfectlyadapted to their environment.I hope the money raised helps insome way, and I would like to saykeep up the good work, there aremany of us that thoroughly appreciateand support it’.Upcoming eventsMongol Rally 2013A group of six friends are undertakingthe Mongol Rally this July and havechosen the Shark Trust as one of theirprimary charities to support. Find outmore at dingosanddropbears.wix.com/mongolrally2013.All our fundraisers can be viewedon our online Walls of Fame. Youcan now also check out our newfundraiser event galleries atwww.sharktrust.org/fundraise.WebsiteUpdateThe new website has now been live for severalmonths and we’re very keen to find out whatyou think. To do so, we’re launching a websitequestionnaire – please visit the Shark Trusthomepage to take part. If you have a spare coupleof minutes we’d love to know your thoughts - goodor bad - so we can ensure a user-friendly websitethat you’ll enjoy visiting.If you’ve had a chance to browse our site over thepast few months, we hope you like the new designand layout, and have enjoyed navigating throughthe latest content. We’re aware of a few gremlinsin the system, so please bear with us while wework to resolve these. If you do encounter anyproblems please let us know so we can look into it.Sharks in Focus 2013Photography Competition(1 May – 28 August)The team have really enjoyed looking at all theimages entered into the Sharks in Focus 2013photography competition, since its launch on the1st May. All of the images can now be viewed inour online galleries, which are found in the GetInvolved section of the website – they’re wellworth a look!If you have any shark images you’re particularlyproud of, why not enter the competition for yourchance to win an exciting bespoke package ofactivities based in the Southwest of England. Or,if you know a talented shark photographer, makesure you let them know about the competition– you could even send them a Sharks in FocuseCard from our website.The prize will include shark watching andsnorkelling/diving with tour operator Charles Hoodoff the Cornish coast and a sleep-over with thesharks at Plymouth’s National Marine Aquarium.The best shots will also make up the SharkTrust-themed 2014 Diver Calendar. However,all entrants will gain the satisfaction of havingcontributed to shark conservation, as their workwill be widely appreciated and showcased throughthe activities of the Shark Trust.To find out more, and to view the Sharks in Focusgalleries, visit www.sharktrust.org/competition.Good luck to all our entrants – we look forward toseeing more images in the next couple of months.Members AreaAs a member you’re entitled to a web account withextra privileges, including access to the very latestissue of Shark Focus. If you haven’t already gota members web account and would like to createone, you can sign up at www.sharktrust.org/signup. Once you’ve created an account emailhannah@sharktrust.org to upgrade your access.17th EEA ConferencePlymouth, UK1 – 3 November 2013The Shark Trust is delighted to be hosting the 17th European Elasmobranch Association (EEA) conferencein Plymouth this November. Perfectly situated on the South Devon coast, Plymouth is a centre of marineexcellence and the Trust is pleased to announce the conference will be hosted in association with theMarine Institute of Plymouth University and the National Marine Aquarium. The theme of this year’sconference is: “From science to policy: How applied studies of elasmobranch biology can provide theevidence to support stock assessments, advice and management decisions”The opening address will be delivered by Fiona Harrison, Deputy Chief Scientific Advisor for theDepartment of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).The Trust can also announce that a keynotepresentation will be given by Sarah Fowler, who was a founder of both the EEA and the Shark Trust, and isa leading voice in global shark conservation management.SCHEDULE1st Nov EEA Board meeting and AGM.Evening reception at the National Marine Aquarium Plymouth. Registration opens.2nd Nov Registration and EEA Conference Day 1 at Plymouth University.Conference dinner and student bursary auction at the National Marine Aquarium.3rd Nov EEA Conference Day 2 at Plymouth University.CONFERENCE FEESThe EEA annual scientific conference is open to everyone - conference fees are listed below and include a conferencepack, 1st November evening reception, lunch and refreshments:Non Members - £90EEA Members - £80Students (University/College) - £75The conference dinner will cost delegates £28. Additional guests are welcome at £34 per person.REGISTRATIONAttending the conferenceTo attend the conference, please register by completing the online form at www.sharktrust.org/eea2013. If onlinepayment is not possible select the ‘Pay Later’ option and contact the Trust to arrange an alternative method ofpayment. Registration after 16th September incurs a £15 late fee. Final registration is 20th October.Oral and poster presentationsComplete the abstract form at www.sharktrust.org/eea2013. Delegates must have registered for an abstract to beconsidered. Abstracts must be submitted by 16th September and the programme will be selected with the guidanceof members of the Shark Trust Scientific Committee: Dr Jim Ellis (Cefas – Centre for Environment, Fisheries andAquaculture Science) and Prof. David Simms (MBA – Marine Biological Association). Please consider the conferencetheme when submitting your abstract, however abstracts will be considered on all relevant topics.Student travel bursaryTo register your interest in applying for a student travel bursary, email your details to the Shark Trust Head ofFinance/EEA Treasurer Glenys Heafield on glenys@sharktrust.org. Please note that bursaries are only awarded todelegates presenting work.ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONInformation on travelling to and from Plymouth, conference location and accommodation can all be found onwww.sharktrust.org/eea2013.IMPORTANT DEADLINESRegistration - 16th September (late registration will incur a £15 surcharge). Registration closes 20th October.Abstracts - 16th SeptemberPlymouth Sound. © Oliver Quinlan.The Barbican, Plymouth. © Oliver Quinlan..The Barbican at night, Plymouth. © Oliver Quinlan..Sherwell Centre, Plymouth University. © Tom Bastin..In the next issue of SharkFocusStudying the elusive BlackmouthCatshark.New population estimates forSouth African White Sharks.18 www.sharktrust.org/fundraising Shark Focus 47Shark Focus 47 www.sharktrust.org/eea2013 19