Sharks International 2026
Sharks International is the world’s largest conference dedicated to shark research and conservation. The Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) has supported Sharks International since 2010, with the 2026 edition being held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from May 4-8.
SOSF is proud to be the primary sponsor of the conference, and this year is also providing a special travel grant to further facilitate access to the meeting. Students who have abstracts or poster presentations accepted can apply for travel support of up to USD 1,000 by clicking here: APPLICATION FORM.
All details about the conference can be found on the official conference website.
In June 2010 Cairns, Australia, hosted the first dedicated global shark science conference in over 20 years. This meeting continues every four years and aims at gathering the world’s leading shark experts to discuss the most up-to-date scientific discoveries in shark and ray research. Given the growing global concern for populations of sharks and rays throughout the world, this meeting provides an opportunity for researchers from around the globe to discuss what is happening in their regions and work toward international solutions to effective conservation, use and management of sharks and rays.
The meeting involves world leaders in shark research in addition to students, managers, conservation agencies and representatives from industries that utilise and rely on sharks, such as fishermen and dive tourism operators. Each edition of the conference provides a forum for sharing the most recent scientific breakthroughs in shark and ray research and provides opportunities for individuals from around the world to share results and build projects that span the globe.
The conference hopes to have a truly global attendance and, as such, invites keynote speakers from around the world. This pool of experts covers topics ranging from movement and behaviour to public protection programs and shark attack statistics.
A wide variety of research topics and species are successfully covered during the conference. Individuals interested in or researching sharks and rays are encouraged to attend and/or participate in the meeting.