March 2008: Photographing Tiger Sharks

Flavia joined Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures (JASA), onboard the 65' live-aboard M/V "Shear Water" to go document and photograph tiger sharks off "Tiger Beach" in the Bahamas. Flavia was lucky enough to encounter several different species on the dives from tiger sharks to lemon sharks. JASA is committed to the environment and works closely with other organisations to promote conservation and environmental awareness by educating divers and non-divers on how precious and sensitive the ocean ecosystems are so that they can be shared with future generations.  For more information log on to the JASA web site http://www.scuba-adventures.com

February - March 2008: Jupiter Lemon Shark Aggregation

Duncan accompanied a team from Sharklab over to Jupiter on the southeast coast of Florida to study, tag and film the lemon shark aggregations. Back in 2001 a local sports diver "Walter Stern" discovered the aggregations numbering up to 100 individuals laying on the seabed. This year the team managed to capture 24 mature lemon sharks which were all intrinsically fitted with an acoustic transmitter that will be picked up by the array of listening stations placed along the Florida coastline and allow us to track their movements. In addition to the acoustic transmitters 4 satellite pop-off tags were deployed on the dorsal fins of 4 mature female lemons which will allow us to track their long term movements.

As well as the lemon sharks the team were also lucky enough to catch and workup several large Hammerheads, countless Bull sharks and a Sandbar shark.

Very little is known about the adult phases of the life of a lemon shark. This research is vital in learning more about the movements and behaviours of these magnificent sharks. For more information on the Jupiter project or find out how you can become involved in next years project log onto www6.miami.edu/sharklab

Feb 29th 2008: Shark Water

Rob Stewart, producer and filmmaker of the award winning documentary "SHARKWATER" visited the Bimini Sharklab along with Tyler MacLeod of Sharkwater Productions Inc. and French TV TF1. Duncan was brought onto the team to shoot underwater footage for Rob and TV TF1 for the French release of Sharkwater.
While it was a short visit, it was also action packed. Sharklab and Sharkwater joined forces for a shark dive with Caribbean Reef sharks, some hands on work with our juvenile Lemon sharks and wrapped it all up early the next day by tagging one of five Tiger sharks that were caught on the long lines before releasing the 2.66m female by hand and free swimming with her before she dissapeared into the blue.
Oceanicallstars wishes Rob continued success with his film and commends his team for their continuing work towards raising awareness and promoting shark conservation. Look for the North American DVD release in April, 2008 or log onto www.sharkwater.com for more information.

For filmmaker Rob Stewart, exploring sharks began as an underwater adventure. What it turned into was a beautiful and dangerous life journey into the balance of life on earth. Driven by passion fed from a lifelong fascination with sharks, Stewart debunks historical stereotypes and media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas

January 24, 2008: Fabien Cousteau presents Bimini Paradise in Peril

The "Ocean Futures Society", headed by the world famous Cousteau family, has joined hundreds of other voices in the effort to save Bimini's valuable ecology. Duncan met with Fabien Cousteau, grandson of famed explorer Jacques Cousteau, when he visited Bimini in January to make a short documentary to highlight the effects of over development with the "Bimini Bay" complex in the North of Bimini. This unsustainable development lead by "Gerardo Capo" of the "Capo Group" closely linked to the Hilton Hotels chain has destroyed acres upon acres of vital mangrove habitat that provides nursery and refuging grounds for everything from Juvenille lobster and conch to lemon sharks. Destroying these fragile ecosystems will only lead to a reduction in the productivity of the fisheries and gig game fish populations around Bimini.

Fabien's team accompanied by photographer "Tim Calver" and videographer "Neil Hammerschlag" interviewed various people around Bimini on the the Bimini Bay development. Duncan provided underwater and topside footage of lemon sharks and mangroves for the documentary. Click on "Bimini, Paradise In Peril", to watch the video and log onto www.savebimini.org or www.restrictbiminibayresort.org for more information of how you can help.

November 2007 - February 2008 Whale Shark Research Tanzania

Through November 2007 to February 2008 Matt was conducting whale shark research off Mafia Island, Tanzania. The work initiated by the "Shark Research Institute" (SRI), and supported by the "World Wildlife Fund" (WWF) had Matt working off the dive liveaboard vessel M/V "Kairos". 

A large part of the work that Matt was conducting involved tagging the whale sharks so that we are able to learn about the populations utilizing the Tanzanian waters. He was also collaborating with a newly formed group called WHASCOS to promote conservation and local awareness of this magnificent species. They worked together to regulate ecotourism sustainability, educate local fishermen and help formulate a real sense of stewardship and value for the benefit of both sharks and humans allowing them to to co-exist together.

During Matts trip a large part of his work involved photo documenting the whale sharks adding to his ever expanding shark portfolio.