Sharklab-Malta are invited the general diving public to participate in an international initiative aimed at gathering vital information about sharks, skates and rays around the world by utilizing citizen science, whilst raising conservation awareness about the importance of these creatures in our oceans.
We are emailing you to raise awareness of an event called the Great Shark Snapshot, that this year will be occurring between July 20th – 28th. This project, run by Shark Trust, aims to gather vital information about sharks, skates and rays around the world by utilizing citizen science, whilst raising conservation awareness about the importance of these creatures in our oceans. As divers and thus lovers of marine life we would be thrilled if you would also participate in this event with us!
Here is a brief overview of what the participation entails:
* During the project dates, divers are encouraged to take photos and videos of any sharks, rays or skates encountered during dives. These images will contribute with valuable data to our ongoing research and conservation efforts.
* Input your sightings data into the “Recording Hub” (If identification help is needed feel free to contact us) – https://recording.sharktrust.org/sightings/record
* We ask that you keep a record as a word document of all the encounters you had over the week, and if possible share this information with us so we can look at possible hotspots of occurrence around Malta.
* In exchange, we will help promote sightings on our social media by listing all the dive shops or individuals around Malta that are participating in this event. There are also templates provided by Shark Trust for your social media to demonstrate your participation in this project, which can be found here: https://sharktrust.filecamp.com/s/o/53JA0Qxka638CssZ
We believe that as divers you have the expertise and resources to make a significant contribution to this process. Your involvement will not only support our conservation efforts but also demonstrates a commitment to Malta’s marine life!
If you are interested in participating or would like further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us by replying to this email where we will send you an ID card pdf of the most common sharks, skates and rays species seen around Malta. Or for more information on the background of the project visit https://www.sharktrust.org/the-great-shark-snapshot
Although the event is not run by us, we are keen to get as many people in Malta involved as we can, so that we can further improve the knowledge of sharks, rays and skates around the islands.
Thank you for taking the time to read our email.
Best wishes,
Charlie Matthews
Science Officer
sharklabmalta.science@gmail.com
