All posts tagged: shark tagging

Protecting the Biggest Fish in the Sea with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation

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Personally, whale sharks are my absolute favorite shark species.  It is an incredible privilege to see them in all their glory in the wild.  For some of us, the opportunity to swim with a whale shark is once in a lifetime.  They are fascinating and docile creatures.  They reach an impressive size, up to 14 meters making them the largest fish in the ocean.  Whale sharks are considered to be gentle giants of the sea.  Their mesmerizing distinctive pattern is thought to aid camouflaging in their environment and is a unique, identifying mark like human fingerprints.  There is still so much to learn about Whale Sharks.  On that note, today we are featuring Ocean Conservationist Louisa Gibson from Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation to learn more about their team’s research studying the behaviors of Whale Sharks in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.   About Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation Whale Shark Research Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation and Guy Harvey Research Institute have partnered with a research group in Isla Mujeres, Mexico called Ch’ooj Ajauil to tag whale sharks with …

A Day in the Life of an Ocean Conservationist with GHOF’s Louisa Gibson

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Louisa Gibson is a local ocean conservationist working at Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF).  Growing up in the Cayman Islands Louisa has great respect for marine life, coral reefs, and the ocean.  This great appreciation for the ocean has instilled in her a strong desire to protect it.  Her strong connection to the ocean inspired her to pursue a degree in Animal Biology and a Master’s in Environmental Protection and Management with a focus on marine systems.  Through working with the GHOF, Louisa has had incredible opportunities to dive all over the globe.  Notably, a trip to Mexico to swim with whale sharks.  While in Costa Rica, Louisa swam with spotted dolphins and pilot whales.  For many, this is an adventure of a lifetime, but for Louisa, it is just another day at the office.   Interview with Louisa Gibson 1.  What is your role at the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation? I am the Development Coordinator for the GHOF. My primary responsibility is to raise the funds necessary to support our research and educational initiatives …

Shark Conservation Cayman in a Nutshell

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Who are we? Shark Conservation Cayman is a collaboration between the Department of Environment and Marine Conservation International, supported by the White Tip Conservation Fund from the Cayman Islands Brewery.  Together with a network of volunteers, the team is working towards a better understanding of our local shark populations. Shark Conservation Cayman and fellow collaborators work in Cayman to study and monitor our local sharks and improve conservation management in the Cayman Islands. So how do we do that? In order to protect sharks we need to study and understand their behaviour and life characteristics and use what we’ve learnt to raise awareness in local communities around the importance of sharks to healthy reefs and our Cayman marine environment. Since sharks are highly mobile animals with the whole ocean to roam in, studying them is no easy feat. In Cayman we use multiple, complementary methods one of which is “Acoustic Telemetry”. This means we tag a shark with an acoustic tag. Then, by utilizing a network of receivers located around the three Islands, we pick up …

Dive In: Guy Harvey’s Ocean Conservation Month & Fundraiser

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Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation has designated November as Ocean Conservation month. This is a first for the Cayman Islands and is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about issues our oceans and marine life face as well as ocean conservation efforts. To kickoff the month of November, Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation will be hosting their 3rd annual fundraiser on Wednesday 8th November 2017. The event will take place at Luca restaurant from 6:30pm-9:30pm, and will include both a live and silent auction. This is a cocktail party not to be missed, as the keynote address will be presented by special guest Dr. Ellen Prager. Tickets are on sale now at Guy Harvey Gallery and Shoppe, CI$150.00 for a ticket and all proceeds raised will go towards funding the biannual Southern stingray survey and shark tagging by the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. Throughout the month, there will be a focus on: Shark Talk – educational documentaries and talks for all local students at the Regal Cinema; an educational pack and short videos made available to schools …

Working with Sharks

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Ever wondered what it would be like to be a shark researcher for a day? Today’s feature is a Q&A with Johanna Kohler, Shark Project Research Officer at the Cayman Islands Department of Environment.  Johanna Kohler is an accomplished Marine Biologist, specializing in shark behavior and ecology, currently based in the Cayman Islands. She has gained valuable experience from both, working and traveling, all over the world, giving her an impressive portfolio in the field. As an advocate for ocean conservation, Johanna Kohler is passionate about protecting and preserving sharks. Her respect and love for sharks is evident through her commitment to study sharks in order to gain valuable insight for the betterment of shark conservation. Sharks are majestic creatures that have unfortunately been misunderstood. As a result sharks are mostly portrayed in a negative light, resulting in them being wrongly feared. In actuality what we should be afraid of is an ocean without sharks, not an ocean with sharks. Sharks play a vital role in regulating the health of the ocean and keeping marine …