Global Fin Print is a research initiative designed to acquire international data on the number of sharks and rays across the globe.
Teams in the western Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, the Coral Triangle and the Pacific Ocean use baited remote underwater video (BRUV) to conduct surveys on the numbers of sharks and rays.
According to their website, the initiative is “the largest survey of the world’s reef-associated sharks and rays that has ever been attempted. The analysis of these data will tell us what features of a reef influence the local abundance of sharks and rays and, in turn, how these animals affect the reef. This will help inform shark and ray conservation actions, such as the designation and monitoring of protected areas.”
The survey information will be in an open-access database, which can be used by NGOs, researchers and policy makers to assist in conservation plans while raising awareness on the importance of rays and sharks.
The BRUVs have recorded some very interesting videos.On July 28, the group published a video in which a great hammerhead is filmed swimming on its side. The sharks are thought to swim sideways to conserve energy.
Global Fin Print also shared a video in which a small Caribbean reef shark flees from the BRUV as a great hammerhead approaches from the distance. The videos give us a great insight into the lives of the ocean’s greatest predators.
You can find more information about Global Fin Print and their projects at Globalfinprint.org.
The website also has a blog section that includes articles about the global patterns of shark and ray bycatch, how marine-protected areas support healthy coral reefs, and the need for enforcement of shark sanctuaries.
