by Ruth H. Leeney
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| Bluntnose guitarfish. Illustration by Alexis Aronson. |
I have neglected this blog for a long time, but have revived it in order to share some updates on a new project in Namibia.
Almost nothing is know about chondrichthyans (sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras) in Namibian waters. The Namibia's Rays and Sharks project (NaRaS) is the first project of its kind in Namibia, aiming to collect much-needed baseline information on these species. Populations of many shark, skate and ray species are declining due to a huge array of threats, in particular bycatch (accidental capture) in small-scale and commercial fisheries, and overfishing of shark and ray species that are often targeted for their fins.
The NaRaS project also aims to educate the public, both in Namibia and internationally, about sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras - their amazing diversity and beauty, and the important roles they play in keeping life in the ocean in balance. All of us rely on the ocean in some way - for our jobs, for food, or simply because plankton in the ocean produces around half of all the oxygen in the air we breathe! We will be producing posters, an educational film and an identification guide to Namibia's chondrichthyans, giving public presentations and interactive lessons in schools.
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| A close-up of a bluntnose guitarfish's eye. (c) Melanie Honiball. |
Stay tuned for updates on all our activities, and to learn more about the amazing creatures under Namibia's waves.
Our project is funded by the Sharks Conservation Fund, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisers.
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