Alpha Sevilla

Who I am

I was born in a small city in Honduras. From a young age, I constantly asked myself how things worked and why the world is the way it is. Curiosity guided me, and gradually a conception of nature as the be-all and end-all came to mind. This perspective made the world fascinating and even more intriguing.

It was that curiosity that eventually led me to sharks, creatures that are the product of millions of years of evolutionary engineering that shaped them into one of the essential architects of marine ecosystems. Along with sharks, there are communities I work with that have helped me deepen my understanding of the ocean and its challenges and have led me to ways to support adequate management of marine ecosystems. Every day in the field reinforces why this work matters.

Where I work

I work in Honduras, a country with both a Caribbean and a Pacific coast and a marine territory that is twice the size of its land. In 2011, its waters were declared a shark sanctuary, marking a significant milestone for marine conservation in the region. However, in 2016 an amendment permitted that sharks caught incidentally could be retained and could be traded by indigenous communities.

This, combined with the high national demand for dried shark meat (cecina) at Easter, has created new pressure on shark populations. There is limited data on their abundance, distribution and ecology, and standardised methods for fisheries management – particularly for incidental capture, or bycatch – are still lacking.

These challenges are even greater in remote areas like La Moskitia, where this project is based. The ecologically rich and culturally significant region is home to indigenous communities whose livelihoods are closely connected to the ocean. Understanding how to balance sustainable use of marine resources with shark conservation is critical.

By working directly with local fishers and communities, this project seeks to generate reliable data, test practical monitoring tools and promote conservation strategies that are both scientifically sound and socially inclusive. La Moskitia is not just a place on a map; it is a living, dynamic environment where people and nature co-exist, and protecting this delicate balance is at the heart of our work.

What I do

My work in La Moskitia focuses on understanding shark populations and monitoring incidental captures. Reaching this remote region is an adventure in itself, requiring travel across land, rivers and sea. Trips can take several days, but while physically demanding, they are also incredibly rewarding, providing a rare opportunity to witness the rich biodiversity of this unique area.

Boat trips are a constant part of our work, taking us to Brus Laguna Bar to conduct monthly fishery landing surveys. Here, local fishers generously share their catches, allowing us to record species, sizes and capture methods and to collect anal fin samples from sharks in three hard-to-reach communities. These samples provide essential information for genetic and population studies, helping us to understand the structure and dynamics of local shark populations. Beyond data collection, the interactions with fishers are opportunities to learn from them, understand their motivations and appreciate the challenges they face in balancing livelihoods with conservation.

A key part of the project is training and supervising local fishers in proper sample collection and data recording. Through hands-on guidance and continuous follow-up over the five months of sampling, fishers gain the skills to safely collect tissue samples while contributing to meaningful research. This approach fosters community involvement and a sense of ownership in shark conservation.

To interpret the data, we use mathematical analyses to identify patterns in species, size and capture methods, which allows us to estimate population size, growth and the impact of capture. By combining scientific monitoring with fisher participation, this project evaluates the feasibility of an anal fin monitoring programme, improves landing data and supports the Fisheries Department in managing shark populations sustainably. Ultimately, it demonstrates how science and local knowledge can work hand in hand to protect marine life in remote and challenging environments.