Ocean News

People’s eyes are often drawn to the big and eye-catching. From scaling the largest mountains to building the largest skyscrapers. So much so with wildlife, where people often go on safari to see the giant elephant, a pride…

Will a COVID-19 vaccine increase shark fishing pressure? Are shark bites more common as they have less food? How are sharks different from other fish, and why do shark eggs have strange curly bits on them? Find out…

Sorry no sawfish, yet, but will a crocodile do? For those of you who have not followed the story so far, here is a quick recap. In 1974/5 I went to Senegal and The Gambia as part of…

Manta Project Fiji The Fiji Islands have long been considered one of the best dive destinations in the world, boasting the title of the ‘Soft Coral Capital of The World’ and with the world-famous Beqa Shark Dive, it…

One of the main challenges during this project is the lack of previous data regarding shark and ray biology and fisheries, as well as other marine species in general. With no comparison point, it is extremely important to…

In July 1974, while in West Africa, I had the chance to join a short expedition up the River Gambia with a Dutch FAO scientist, Wim Scheffers. He was sampling for plankton; I was searching for sawfish. Each…

Spending two months living in confined quarters with twenty-something people is enough to drive anyone mad. On the other hand, and perhaps more importantly, it’s conducive to creating long-lasting connections and friendships based on mutual passion. So, when…

Sharks have gotten a lot of conservation attention in recent years, in part because of well-documented population declines, particularly of certain species in specific places. These declines have primarily been driven by commercial fishing, both target (fishermen going…

October 17th marks an important day on our calendars where we highlight one of our oceans most marvellous creatures – International Sawfish Day. First launched four years ago, this day is dedicated to increasing knowledge and awareness of one of the most endangered groups of elasmobranchs. As long-time supporters of…

We dig deep and answer some pretty big questions in the 4th episode of The Whole Tooth. Isla and our guest researchers uncover the truth about prehistoric sharks, shark fossils, the rarest shark and the effects of climate…

When the Save Our Seas Foundation established the SOSF Shark Education Centre in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2008, it aimed to connect people of all ages from the local communities – as well as visitors from distant lands – with the unique marine environment found on their doorstep in…

Sawfish Captured with Swim Goggles Wrapped Around Body.   Entanglement of marine species in discarded lines, fishing gear, and other garbage and debris is a problem seen with unfortunate regularity.  This includes Endangered species such as North Atlantic…