Caribbean Chondrichthyan Network / Red de Condrictios del Caribe

When interviewing tuna purse seine net fishing captains working from the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean about setting on whale sharks and their releases from tuna nets 20 years ago, they told me that one of the most horrific things they had seen happen was the detachment of the tail from the body when an animal was hoisted by a crane out of the net.
20 years on, this method of "release" clearly continues with catastrophic results.
This is the first time we have seen such a video. The very large animal would not be able to survive long without its tail fin. There are other methods of release, including rolling the animal out of the net in the water that will better ensure its survival.

Scenes like this one out of Bangladesh are common in the fishing industry—large marine animals are the consequence of bycatch, and end up dying after being lugged on board. In this specific incident, there was also a human fatality. The reality is that 40% of fish catch worldwide is unintentionally caught and partly thrown back into the sea, either dead or dying. This includes 300,000 cetaceans every year that are killed as bycatch. When we support the seafood industry, we can be unknowingly support the negative consequences of bycatch. Seafood is exported and imported all over the globe, and lax regulations, mislabeling, and illegal fishing operations end up making it difficult for consumers to feel confident that the seafood they buy didn’t negatively impact species or the environment. OPS urges consumers(if food security allows) to refrain from consuming seafood, whether its farmed or wild caught.

Really proud of MarAlliance and our awesome comms team led by Mireia Peris for creating this innovative metaverse exhibit. Great way to engage folks in wildlife conservation by immersing them in our world of marine megafauna.

Follow the link to guide you through the process and exhibit and have a fun wander around the world of marine megafauna.

Shell-abrating love on Valentine’s Day! - MarAlliance.org Valentine’s Day is a perfect opportunity to reflect on the beauty of the effort required for the survival of a species. So why not make it a love-filled and educational day by learning more about sea turtles? Sea turtles are known for their long journeys across the ocean. These vast migrations tak...

Introducing “Golden Bond,” my newest fine art addition / Even in the faint glow of the setting sun, all I could see was pure love between this mother and her cub. Brown bears forge powerful connections with their young— the kind that leave indelible marks on the heart long after their cubs are grown. Although I have been accused in the past of projecting human characteristics onto animals, I would challenge us to reconsider humanity’s monopoly over emotions. The more time I spend in the company of our planet’s fauna, the more I learn about the depths of maternal love, the pain of loss, and the surprising power of empathy. I think many of us could take a lesson or two from the animal kingdom in what it means to break down the walls of apathy and lean into the vulnerable place of living and loving deeply. / To inquire about this piece or view my entire fine art catalog, please visit the link below.

www.PaulNicklen.com/fine-art/golden-bond

As we all get ready for the CITES conference of the parties in November, here is a quick primer on NDFs, which we helped Belize to complete for Hammerheads and Silky Sharks. Too many acronyms? Please read the article and also stay tuned on updates via our Instagram account ().

Mientras nos preparamos para la reunion de la CITES en noviembre, aquí hay una breve introducción a los DENP (NDF En ingles) que ayudamos a Belice a completar para los tiburones martillos y los sedosos. ¿Demasiadas siglas? Lea el artículo y permanezca atento a las actualizaciones a través de nuestra cuenta de Instagram ().

What is a Non Detriment Finding and Why is it Important for Shark Conservation? - MarAlliance.org Like it or not, the international trade of shark and ray products is a world-wide industry. Countries that plan to export shark meat, fins, or other products are required to abide by international laws that are intended to protect species that are in danger of extinction. In some cases, a country ma...

New paper. MarAlliance is so pleased to have contributed to this highly collaborative analysis led by Melinda Conners and Sara Maxwell in Frontiers in Marine Science. Work highlights the challenge of mismatch in scale between highly mobile and (62 authors, 36 species). Thrilled to see many of our University of colleagues contributing.

See the paper here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.897104/full

Sharing a different way of highlighting the "don't touch the wildlife" message by MarAlliance.

Mar Alliance Leave marine wildlife alone! Absolutely brilliant educational video! Leave marine wildlife alone! MarAlliance's Conservation Video Workshop is pleased to present the runner up video by H...

Only a few more hours to go to say goodbye to 2020 and welcome 2021.

Although 2020 proved very challenging, we nonetheless remained productive and registered some considerable wins for conservation. We got through this year thanks to you, our colleagues, partners and supporters. We are immensely grateful for your support and collegiality.

We are under no illusion that 2021 will be a walk in the park. The long term impacts of the pandemic to the economic, travel, conservation, fisheries, academic sectors and more will continue for a time to come.

But we are a resilient lot and take the challenges head on because we believe in our vision for the future that involves a societal reset that will lead to reduced consumption, healthier seas with thriving marine wildlife and people reconnecting with and stewarding nature.

Should you wish to support our work and the community-based conservation of marine wildlife, we have until the end of today to meet our generous $50k match where every one of your donated dollars will be tax deductible and matched one to one to double your conservation impact at www.maralliance.org/donate

With gratitude, and on behalf of the whole MarAlliance Team, I wish you a very happy, safe, kind and productive New Year.

Rachel