San Franciso Ocean Film Festival - Sharks

Filmmaker, shark conservationist, and activist David McGuire has set up a noted shark conservation panel to discuss sharks this month in tandem with this years Ocean Film Festival.

The festivals short films are shark heavy so naturally we'll see you there:

Join me at the Cowell Theater with shark films and an analysis of sharks Myths and Misconceptions with shark experts and filmmakers following the films February 21 at the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival.

The panel discussion will begin at 3:15 PM in Room C260 at Fort Mason Center – opposite the main
entrance to Cowell Theater.

Panelists

Dr. John McCosker, Senior Scientist and Chair Department of Marine Biology, California Academy of Sciences

Dr. Scot Anderson, Shark Research Scientist, Point Reyes Bird Observatory

Dr. Leonard Compagno, Shark Taxonomist, Board Member Save Our Seas Foundation, Curator of Fishes in the Division of Life Sciences and Head of the Shark Research Centre (SRC), Iziko Museums, Cape Town

Maria Brown Superintendent, Gulf of the Farallons National Marine Sanctuary

Lesley Rochat, Filmmaker, Manager and Director Education & Awareness, Save Our Seas Shark Centre (SOSSC), Founder, AfriOceans Conservation Alliance (AOCA)

Shark Research in Action CICIMAR

Since 2004 shark researcher Mauricio Hoyos has been doing battle with wind, rain, unstable fishermen, and a critter infested "love shack" on the north end of Isla Guadalupe, Mexico.

He also makes do with a tiny seasonal budget, Mexican politics, and rampant equipment failures.

Why, you may well ask, would anyone put themselves though this kind of privation all in the name of shark research?

Because it is important. It's important that a Mexican lead program spearheads efforts at what has become the most robust and accessible white shark site on the planet. It's important that several of the local shark operators support this effort, and they have, to the tune of thousands of dollars in materials and conservation websites like the Isla Guadalupe Fund.

It is important because the second phase of any successful commercial shark site is, stewardship. Without ongoing research and data these sharks remain at the whim of politicos and shark fishing agendas. Proof of migration, proof of feeding patterns, proof of behavior patterns all feed into the larger plan for site stewardship.

Maurico Hoyos is doing his part to ensure these magnificent animals, at this rare and pristine shark site, remain for generations to come.

As rare as this site is to white sharks, Mauricio and his ongoing efforts are to the world of shark research. Kudos.