So we’ve hit the ground running here in Eleuthra. On our first day we went out to sea to film one aspect of the shark research project here; long lining.
The words long-lining normally have very negative connotations, but this type of long-lining is an essential part of shark research. It allows researchers to gather lots of data on the different types of sharks that are found in an area. The sharks are released once the hooks have been cut from their mouths, and they’ve been measured, sexed, and tagged.
Its really useful being able to shoot the long-lining. Not only does this give us footage that can demonstrate how shark populations are normally surveyed, but I’ll also be useful for editing into other short films about the threats that shark populations face from commercial longline fisheries.
It was a bit nerve wracking being in the water with sharks that were hooked. The animals were obviously distressed, and so have the potential to be more aggressive. I kept my distance for the most part, but at times was able to shoot close-ups of hooks in the mouths of the sharks, as well as getting the sharks being bought up to the side of the boat and being handled, measured and tagged by the researchers.
All good stuff.