Wednesday, February 3, 2010

The Shark Legacy Project

The Shark Legacy Project exists to protect sharks as part of the marine inheritance of all people. Founded by PADI Course Director Peter Wilcox, together with Shark Biologist Giacomo Palavicini, our research aims to assist governments in the establishment of shark sanctuaries.

Our pilot research project launched January 2010 in Roatan, in conjunction with the Roatan Marine Park and DIGIPESCA (Honduras Fisheries Department). The project combines shark diving operators in Honduras with our biologists to determine a dollar value of the sharks to tourism, and so protect them as a valuable marine resource. Recently DIGIPESCA enacted a bill establishing a complete moratorium on fishing of all shark species in Honduras until the research has completed, the government has a better idea of sharks as a resource to its people and a management plan can be established.

Victory number one was recently signed into law, now the research begins!

Want to help?

Visit www.sharklegacyproject.com and sign the petition, spread the word with the links on the site or better yet, come visit Roatan in the Bay Islands of Honduras and dive with us and the sharks!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think this is awsome. I have spend some time on Roatan (acutally have land there) and plan on building a house there next year. I think it is wonderful that the Honduarans are acutually working with you and recognizing the sharks as an asset. Hopefully this will help preserve the wildlife in this beautiful area. Good work!