Stranding Investigations
The Stranding Investigations Program (SIP) provides 24-hour response to sick, injured and deceased marine mammals & sea turtles.
1600 Ken Thompson Parkway
Sarasota, FL 34236
Ph: (941) 388-4441
Hours: 10AM - 5PM
A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Reef sharks are in trouble worldwide. Here at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, we're applying science—and people power—to save them through the initiative Expanding the Global FinPrint.
The world's largest shark survey, Global FinPrint, is expanding into its second round of surveys building on the data gathered from previous years. Led by Dr. Demian Chapman, FinPrint deployed 22,000 baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS) on about 400 reefs in 58 nations and territories from 2015-2018. The main findings appeared in Nature and Science and concluded that reef sharks were functionally extinct on around 20% of surveyed reefs and the five main reef shark species had declined globally by 63% on average. This contributed to most species of reef sharks being listed as threatened with exticntion by the IUCN Red List ofThreatened Species, as well as new international trade regulations for these species under the Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES).
Global FinPrint showed that reef sharks were doing well in places where people invested in management approaches that were culturally and socio-economically suited to the local community. These management approaches included nationwide shark fishing bans (“shark sanctuaries”), nationwide limits on shark catches, marine protected areas (MPAs), or restrictions on longlines and gillnets.
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is working with the FinPrint data and a network of collaborators to turn these lessons learned into conservation successes—by investing in people power to better protect reef sharks. How? We are partnering with local grassroots organizations, governments and fisherfolk in countries where there is high conservation potential for reef sharks. Financial and scientific support are being directed to these people so that they can implement the right management approaches for their country, ensuring benefits for sharks and people.
We have a global reach but our main focus is the tropical Western Atlantic and Caribbean, a region that our survey “red-flagged” because of depleted shark populations.
Thanks to the grant awarded by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Mote is excited to announce it’s expanding with a second round of global shark surveys. From 2024 - 2025, Finprint will be visiting 26 nations to conduct follow up surveys.