Say It Ain't So Matt Rand!

What started as a rumor last week has been confirmed. Matt Rand is leaving PEW.

As a driver behind PEWS shark conservation program Matt has been a genuine force for good, in fact he's been more of a Tour de Force.

Name one successful shark campaign over the past few years and somewhere in that mix was the long hand of PEW lead by Matt and his team. Great stuff.

Matt is off  on "other adventures" and PEW has lost one of the finest examples of their organizations conservation leadership. Here was a guy who was more than a policy wonk, a front line conservationist who strove for conservation metrics vs conservation hysteria in his programs.

The kind of conservation programs that can be put in place today, ones that can measure success on a year to year basis vs emotional programs that look good to the media, but ultimately fail to translate in a meaningful way to the animals we all care about.

It's a real conservation distinction and one that Matt during his short tenure at PEW championed.

Matt and his team managed in a very short time to leave the world a better place.

The conservation community wishes Matt the very best, waiting in anticipation for Matt Rand 2.0

Good hunting on your next adventures sir, wherever they may lead you!


About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Shark Jobs? PEW is looking for someone

The Pew Global Shark Conservation Campaign is looking for a communications expert.  Pew is the leader in global shark conservation having supported efforts to end the commercial fishing of sharks in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.  The job posting is online.  Follow the link to apply.  The position is based in Washington, DC, United States.

Overview:
Organization: The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life

Department: The Pew Environment Group – The mission of the Environment group is to promote policies and practices that protect the global environment, preserve healthy forests and marine ecosystems. For the past two decades, the Environment group has been a major force in driving conservation policy in the United States, and increasingly internationally. The group’s work is focused on reducing the scope and severity of three major global environmental problems:

• Transition to a clean energy economy from one based primarily on the burning of fossil fuels.
• The erosion of large wilderness ecosystems that contain a great part of the world’s remaining biodiversity; and,
• The destruction of the world’s marine environment, with a particular emphasis on global fisheries.

Position Overview: The communications officer will work on a daily basis with programmatic campaign staffs, and will assist and advise Pew Environment Group (PEG) campaigns on outreach to journalists, web content, and all aspects of public communication. While supporting issues relating to PEG, this position reports to the head of communications for PEG within the central Communications department.

Pew’s global and highly visible shark campaign is seeking full-time communications support. The ideal candidate will have a passion for shark conservation, keen ability to shape and pitch stories, strong writing skills for preparing press materials, fact sheets and web content and the ability to translate dense information into compelling visuals [emphasis mine].

Responsibilities:

• Facilitate the development of concepts and strategies for crucial projects;
• Advise and coordinate with PEG Communications and PEG campaign staff on energy, oceans and land issues;
• Develop and support Pew’s use of “new media” and social media outlets for the campaigns’ messages;
• Participate and advise in the drafting of campaign-related communications tools and web content;
• Work with PEG Communications staff on support and promotion of the organization’s brand;
• Develop and maintain news media contacts to be used by all campaigns;
• Provide support for PEG related communications as needed.

Requirements:

• A minimum of eight years in advocacy communications. College degree required.
• Must have excellent oral communications, writing, editing and research skills, and proven ability to frame and develop cogent messages.
• Skills associated with completion of an undergraduate degree program in communications, journalism or related major required. Graduate degree preferred.
• Must demonstrate understanding of media and news organizations, particularly broadcast media and web-based outlets.
• Must be flexible, creative, consistent and assume high accountability for all areas of responsibility. Must demonstrate strong collaborative spirit and leadership ability.
• Ability to think strategically, handle multiple priorities, be extremely well-organized, manage time effectively and identify resources for projects required.
• Aptitude for understanding organizational structure and working through administrative systems preferred.
• Must be able to work in groups and individually to meet goals.
• Passion for achieving goals to protect the environment.

Travel
Domestic or international travel may be required.

Compensation
The Pew Charitable Trusts offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits package, including a generous 401(k) plan, four weeks vacation and flexible benefit options.

Bahamas Dealing in Shark Leadership

Add another win in the "March for Sharks" around the globe this week, with the Bahamas moving to enact stringent new fishing protections for sharks.

(Image at Tiger Beach 2011, hooked Lemon shark)

The effort was kicked off by the Bahamas National Trust, Pew Trusts, and Guy Harvey with some help along the way from a variety of sharky sources including some industry help and outreach as well.

We have been fans of this effort from the get go but as Da Shark cautions this is only the beginning as nothing is set in concrete just yet:

The law needs to be drafted, gazetted and signed by the Minister, and then comes the really hard part. Yes once again I'm talking about putting in place all the necessary legal, human and financial resources that are required for its successful enforcement - it will take time, it will be challenging, there will be setbacks and the various players will have their mettle tested. But I am hopeful, the more as the BNT and the dive industry are already working together on education and outreach. Only by changing the public's mind set will the legislation endure in the long term.

Truer words have yet to be spoken on the matter. Kudos to everyone who had a hand in this effort, for every email, phone call, PSA, and group of shark divers introduced to the Sharks of the Bahamas.

Matt Rand from PEW - Bahamas Shark Tourism PSA

If you are wondering why so much attention is being directed at shark conservation in recent times Matt Rand, Director of Global Shark Conservation of the PEW Environment Group says it is all becomes of an Asian obsession with shark fin soup.

"Unfortunately, because of their value in a bowl of soup, up to 73 million sharks are killed annually, just so their fins can end up in soup. It is a luxury item, it is not a food item. And what this is causing very rapidly is a global depletion of sharks. Right now 38% of shark species that are in the world's oceans are threatened, or are near threatened with extinction; and those are just the ones that we know. We also know that that statistic is actually short," said Rand.

This global decimation of the shark population is now having a negative impact on the ecosystems of many oceans, but Rand says but for a country that has tourism as its number one industry, potentially there can be a more devastating outcome.

"Here in The Bahamas, shark tourism activity actually brings in $78 million into the economy annually and reef sharks here are actually estimated to be about $250,000 each for shark tourism and shark related activities here in The Bahamas. So it is an important economic driver and it's a sustainable situation. If you leave the sharks in the water, keep them healthy as you currently have them, and keep the ecosystem healthy right now then you will have this resource for future generations to come, so that the kids will actually be able to see a healthy ocean environment as well," continues Rand.

Complete Story.