Argentina sport fishers help protect sharks through citizen science

Sharks in the southern Atlantic ocean are being protected through a citizen science program with sport fishers who regularly target sharks. Why is this a big deal you ask?

Previous to this program, sport fishers were killing the sharks that they caught due to the sharks' bad reputation. A study quantified the number of sharks killed per year as 18 sharks were caught per trip (on average), which equated to 3000 sharks per year (approximately). One sport fisher finally realized the devastation that was happening to the shark population of different species. So he spoke up. 

After many challenges, the sport fisher started a citizen science program over a decade ago, where sport fishers would tag their shark catches and release them instead of killing them. The program now boasts 150 fishers who tagged over 800 sharks. Those 800 sharks are not dead because of these fishers and the citizen science program that exists to protect them.

Link to article: https://bit.ly/33Ab1Tu

Connect with Speak Up For Blue:
Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc