The Shark Side Webinar - Shark education and outreach

October is an extra special month this year as it marks both Shark Spotters' birthday and Sharktober! During Sharktober, we celebrate sharks, rays, and chimeras while spotlighting their crucial role in marine ecosystems. We also raise awareness about the many threats they face, from illegal activities and pollution to climate change and bycatch in the fishing industry. As their populations decline, the ripple effects of their loss are already being felt.
But it's not all doom and gloom! Across the globe, dedicated researchers, conservationists, and educators are working tirelessly to protect these incredible species. Their mission is to spread awareness, advocate for stronger protection laws, and help people understand just how vital sharks, rays, and chimeras are-whether we realise it or not.
This Sharktober, we celebrate these species with even greater passion. In line with the festivities, we're excited to introduce The Shark Side, a webinar series running every Wednesday in October at 14h00, hosted by Shark Spotters. Each week, we’ll sit down with industry experts to explore their work, share fascinating shark facts, and delve into topics like education and outreach, safety, reducing human-shark conflicts, and what’s needed to drive policy change in shark conservation.
The series kicks off with a discussion on education and outreach: the wins, challenges, and critical gaps that need addressing. We’ll be joined by shark education experts from Shark Spotters, the Save Our Seas Shark Education Centre, and The Shark Research Unit.