The Shark Trust was established in 1997 as a registered wildlife charity. It is the UK member of the European Elasmobranch Association (EEA) and collaborates with other EEA members to promote the study, management and conservation of sharks, skates and rays in British, European and international waters. Its objectives are similar to those of the EEA - the introduction of management for shark, skate and ray fisheries, reduction of bycatch in other fisheries, increased levels of biological and ecological research effort, the conservation and management of critical areas and habitats (e.g. breeding and nursery grounds), promotion of international conservation and research initiatives, and enactment of legal protection for threatened species under national legislation and international conventions (for migratory species). To achieve these goals, the Trust aims at increasing public awareness of the conservation problems faced by the elasmobranchs. It does so through its newsletter Shark Focus, published three times a year, and intends to work with commercial fishermen, recreational sea anglers, divers, yachtsmen, public aquariums, and all other interest groups and individuals interested in the conservation and management of elasmobranchs. It is active in international elasmobranch conservation through its participation in the EEA network and by advocacy to the UK government, and is beginning to support international research and conservation programmes.

 

Armelle Jung
Rue de Liège

BP 5115129211

Brest

Cedex 1

FRANCE

 

02 98 05 40 38

 

asso@asso-apecs.org
 
http://www.asso-apecs.org

 
Heike Zidowitz

c/o Biozentrum Grindel & Zool. Museum Universität Hamburg

Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3

20146 Hamburg

GERMANY

 

The German Elasmobranch Society (Deutsche Elasmobranchier-Gesellschaft, D.E.G.) was established in 1995 by a group of scientists, journalists and interested citizens as a non-profit organisation based in Hamburg. It is not a purely academic society, but intends to facilitate communication between all German and German-speaking specialists, enthusiasts, the general public, and those concerned about the conservation of threatened sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras (chondrichthyan fishes).
 

German waters of the North and Baltic Seas are home to only a relatively small, yet surprisingly high number of sharks, skates and rays (elasmobranchs). These populations are generally of natural low abundance, but they have also shown declines in the past decades due to habitat decline and fisheries activities. Germany has a large consumer market of elasmobranch products, for example, smoked belly flaps of the spiny dogfish can be found as “Schillerlocken” throughout the country as a delicacy, shark cartilage or liver oil as ingredients of dog food, or for medical and cosmetic products.

 

The D.E.G. aims to raise public awareness on the wider issues of consumption of elasmobranch products, informs about the important ecological role of elasmobranchs within the ecosystem, and the world-wide threat to chondrichthyan fishes by often unregulated fisheries. This is done not only through its journal “Elasmoskop”, but also by providing consultancies and interviews for the media. The D.E.G. also attends public events and gives lectures, providing the latest scientific findings and conservation developments to the public.

 

Due to the joint EU fisheries policy within the European Community, international shark conservation and management issues are of considerable importance to the Society. Its specialists work in umbrella organisations such as the EEA and the Shark Alliance, and are members of international expert panels such as the IUCN Shark Specialist Group or the ICES Working Group on Elasmobranch Fishes. Our experts are in communication with all relevant German departments for fisheries management and species protection as well as EU institutions.

 

 German version

 

 

Edward Farrell
c/o Marine Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution

School of Biology & Environmental Science
Science Centre West
University College Dublin
Belfield
Dublin 4

IRELAND

 

 

Massimiliano Bottaro / Marino Vacchi

C/O National Antarctic Museum (MNA)

University of Genoa

Viale Benedetto XV 5

I-16132 Genoa

ITALY

 

 

 

Dr Paddy Walker
Laagveld 146

9753

Ke Haren GN

NETHERLANDS

APECE
Associação Portuguesa para o Estudo e Conservação de Elasmobrânquios

  

Nuno Queiroz / João Correia
Rua Jorge Castilho 1613, 7C

1900-272 Lisboa

PORTUGAL

 

The Portuguese Association for the Study and Conservation of Elasmobranchs (APECE) was founded in January 1997. It is a non-profit voluntary organization whose goal is promoting elasmobranch research and conservation, and is a member of the EEA and Shark Alliance. The APECE is now supported by 150+ members, primarily students and academics. It issues a newsletter, delivers frequent seminars on shark conservation, provides students with career guidance, and provides accurate information on elasmobranch issues to the media in Portugal. Multiple scholarships have been awarded to students conducting research on elasmobranchs. The APECE celebrated its 10th Anniversary and is actively engaged on multiple global issues, such as lobbying against finning and studying large pelagic movement patterns through satellite tracking.

 

 Portuguese version

Shark Foundation Switzerland
Hai-Stiftung Schweiz
 
Dr. Alexander J. Godknecht
Blütenstrasse 4

CH-8057 Zürich
SWITZERLAND

 
shark@shark.ch

 

The Shark Foundation's purpose is to contribute to the protection and preservation of sharks and their natural habitats through its own projects and through the active support of third parties.
 

In this sense the Foundation supports scientific work domestically and abroad both financially and in an advisory function. Through such public relations activities as organizing and carrying out courses, lectures, touring exhibits, as well as a show of presence in the mass media, etc., a broad segment of the public is to be informed of the threat to many shark species and their habitats.

 

Finally, together with similar institutions and official authorities, the Foundation can enter into co-operations that correspond to its objectives.

Uno Squalo per Amico of San Marino

 

Irene Bianchi
Casella Postale 30
47895 Domagnano RSM

SAN MARINO REPUBLIC

 

ibianchi@omniway.sm

 

 

Rabassa 49-51, Loc-1

08024 Barcelona

 

alexbartoli@submon.org