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Milestones & Achievements

2014

During this year the Society’s legal advisors highlighted the risks to the Society in case of injury or accident to a volunteer taking part on an expedition. All our volunteers have to get their own insurance before coming on expeditions, and all volunteers agree to sign waivers making clear that their attendance on the expedition was acknowledged by them to be entirely at their own risk. Despite these measures we were advised that should an accident or death occur, the insurers acting on behalf of the volunteer could sue the Society to re-claim any amount they had paid out.

SCS is a small volunteer run Society which does not have the resources to be able to afford the £6,000+ annual insurance required to cover the Society in this event. Our policy has always been to pass costs onto volunteers on an ‘at actual’ basis, (i.e. no add-ons) and it can be seen that in the event of one expedition a year with twelve volunteers taking part, paying such a premium would increase the cost to each volunteer by £500. This is plainly both ridiculous and unaffordable, and so the directors of SCS are trying to find ways to raise the money to be able to continue with expeditions without having to pass costs onto volunteers. This sad state of affairs is hardly an ‘achievement’ but unfortunately it is a ‘milestone’. We hope it is a milestone we will soon successfully pass!

2013

SCS continued to enable the publishing of scientific papers. The Society also launched its 'Ehfazo Khaleej' (Protect the Gulf campaign). The acclaimed film 'A Short Time Dying' was released and distributed to activists within the Gulf.

Blue shark research expeditions were carried out in both the Azores and the Adriatic.

February 2012

On February 22nd 2012 Order (1) of 2012 was signed into law by HH Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al-Khalifa. The new law prohibits all and any targeted fishing for the Green Sawfish (Pristis zijsron) in Bahraini waters. Fishermen are required to

  • Return any bycatch specimens
  • Report landings/captures referencing date and location

The law is directed under the auspices of the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife.

In April 2010 SCS commenced discussions with the Bahraini government and were invited to make a proposal regarding protection for the Green Sawfish. The new law is a result of the Society's proposals, and the Society congratulates the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain on passing this important legislation.

2011

Civil unrest in the Kingdom of Bahrain forced the government to delay the SCS 2011 Bahrain expedition until 2012. However Richard Peirce and Mark Boothman visited the Kingdom in April and in addition to signing an MOU confirming the 2012 expedition, they proposed that the Bahrain government declare the Green Sawfish a protected species. The Bahrain government accepted this proposal and a law will be passed to this effect.

In October the board decided that it would be appropriate if the word 'exploration' could be incorporated into the Society's name e.g. 'Shark Conservation and Exploration Society'. The board believes this will more accurately describe the Society's activities and ensure the Society's future relevance if and when the major conservation battles have been won. The decision was taken in principle, but the name change, and the actual new name will be decided on in due time after consultation with our Registered Supporters.

2010

At the end of 2010 the Society became aware of the potential threat to the Dyer Island marine habitat in South Africa, which is so important to Great White Sharks. This threat is posed by the possibility of a new nuclear power station being built at Bantamsklip which is less than 5 miles across the water from Dyer Island. SCS offered its services to those involved in the 'Save Bantamsklip' campaign.

In April 2010 a small SCS team worked in Qatar for the second year to prove a nursery area near Aliyah island. The work was successful and will be followed up in 2011 with the third such visit.

Following the deferment of the April 2010 UAE expedition, the SCS board agreed to pay the airfares for our Gulf scientific advisor to travel to Abu Dhabi to continue with the market survey aspects of the work being carried out by the Society in the Gulf.

In March the Qatar government issued a decree giving total protection to the Green Sawfish in Qatari waters. This legislation was proposed by SCS following the two expeditions to Qatar in 2009.

2009

In October the 3rd Ardriatic expedition succeeded in its aim of gathering evidence of a Blue shark nursery area and the data has been passed to Alen Soldo (SCS Scientific Advisor) to enable him to work towards implementing an effective fisheries management policy for sharks in the region.

September saw the publication of the first SCS newsletter and opening of the SCS online shop.

In September a small SCS team visited Qatar and in talks with the Qatar Ministry of Environment (Dept. of Fisheries) suggested the following conservation measures:

  • Mandatory release and reporting of all Green Sawfish;

  • An annual 3 month (Feb 15 May 15) ban on the landing of all sharks and rays;

  • Closure to all fishing in the same period for a 2 mile area near Al Alia island. This is the nursery area for Whitecheek and Milk sharks discovered on the April expedition.

  • The Qatari Ministry of Environment agreed to work with SCS toward implementing all of the above suggestions.

    SCS April Qatar Expedition this expedition continued the work which was started in Kuwait in 2008 and by the end of the expedition:

  • 6 new species had been confirmed present in the Gulf;

  • Over 300 hours chumming achieved;

  • Over 3500 sharks and rays had been processed and recorded in the markets;

  • SCS started lobbying for protection for the Green Sawfish, an annual 3 month ban on elasmobranch landings and a yearly 3 month closure of a probable Whitecheek and Milk shark pupping/nursery ground.

Release of Sharks in British Seas on DVD. The first film made about Britain's sharks SCS were major contributors to the film.

2008

RPSC morphed into the Shark Conservation Society (SCS)

SCS Kuwait expedition marked the first shark research work carried out in the Arabian Gulf, which resulted in:

  • initiating compilation of the first researched list of shark and ray species present in these waters;

  • the discovery of a possible new species (still awaiting confirmation);

  • helping to trigger new laws in Kuwaiti waters to restrict shark fisheries.

    2nd Porbeagle expedition continued producing a Porbeagle map of the north Cornish coast, and scientific paper was published based on the results of the satellite tagging carried out by the Society in 2007 (Pade)

2007

1st Cornwall Porbeagle shark expedition achieved:

  • the first satellite tagging of Porbeagles in the eastern Atlantic;

  • the first good quality underwater footage of Porbeagles;

  • the first good quality still photographs of Porbeagles.

2006

2nd Adriatic shark search expedition reconfirmed 2005 results and recorded and filmed large Blue sharks in the central Adriatic.

Massive publicity accompanied the launch of UK shark cage diving, and this was successfully used by RPSC to further awareness of the need for shark conservation.

2005

Our 1st Adriatic shark search expedition confirmed highly depleted shark numbers and:

  • helped Dr Alen Soldo achieve protection for the Great White shark in the Adriatic;

  • resulted in the publication of a scientific paper on Blue sharks (Soldo, Peirce);

  • a highly acclaimed documentary film was made of this expedition, which was screened across Europe and hailed as a milestone conservation film.

RPSC supporters helped in the first pilot project leading to the successful launch of cage diving in the UK in 2006.

2003

3 week shark search expedition off Devon and Cornwall generated more media interest than any other pervious 'shark event' in the UK. For the 3 weeks TV, radio and newspaper coverage was used to increase awareness of the plight faced by sharks and the depletion of sharks off Devon and Cornwall.

2001

RPSC paid for the building of a prototype propeller guard for use by South African White shark cage diving operators.

2000

RPSC financed the re-commencement of the tagging of all sharks caught by the Shark Angling Club of Great Britain.

1999

The SCS forerunner, Richard Peirce Shark Conservation (RPSC), was founded.

Shark Cornwall | Richard Peirce | The Poachers Moon