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MarAlliance

Sharks and rays are an essential part of a marine ecosystem.

MarAlliance works to conserve sharks and rays throughout the Americas, as well as in Micronesia—a small group of islands in the western Pacific Ocean—and Cabo Verde, Africa.
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Despite their intimidating reputations, sharks have far more to fear from us than we do from them.

Sharks and rays—who are in the same class of fish—are vulnerable to human induced threats like pollution, climate change, and overfishing. Global demand for their meat and fins is also contributing to severe declines in shark populations. Twenty four percent of sharks and rays worldwide are now endangered to extinction, due primarily to overfishing, and to a lesser extent due to pollution, climate change, and habitat degradation. After surviving for 400 million years on this planet, sharks and rays are now in serious trouble. Sharks and rays are an essential part of a marine ecosystem, their disappearance endangers the oceans.

MarAlliance, led by founder Dr. Rachel Graham, works to conserve sharks and rays throughout the Americas, as well as in Micronesia—a small group of islands in the western Pacific Ocean—and Cabo Verde, Africa. Scientific research to support fisheries management and conservation efforts as well as training local communities—from students to fishers—about marine wildlife are at the heart of MarAlliance’s work. MarAlliance also supports the creation and expansion of marine protected areas and legislation that enables sustainable fisheries to minimize threats and maximize protection of sharks and rays.

 

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We know far less about ocean wildlife than animals on land.

Rachel Graham tells TV network HITN about MarAlliance's efforts to learn more about the incredible big fish, like sharks and rays, that inhabit our oceans and their work to protect threatened marine life and create healthy seas.
MarAlliance (Dr. Rachel Graham)
The canaries in the coal mine for how our reefs are actually doing are the large marine wildlife, like sharks and rays.
Dr. Rachel Graham

Dr. Rachel Graham, Founder and Executive Director

Rachel has been fascinated by the ocean ever since her childhood in Tunisia. She’s worked with fishers to establish effective conservation goals for nearly 20 years. In 2011, she won the prestigious Whitley Fund for Nature Gold Award, and in 2014 she founded MarAlliance to promote impactful and inclusive grassroots science and conservation of marine wildlife. Rachel is probably best known for her successful conservation work with whale sharks and she is now focused on protecting what she calls “toothy” sharks, as well as rays and other threatened marine species.

A Unique Conservation Approach

Fostering Behavioral Change

Fostering Behavioral Change

Working primarily with local communities and creating corresponding educational programs, MarAlliance is changing how people think of sharks and rays. They tackle issues of sustainable fisheries, responsible seafood consumption, and critical habitat protection through the lens of sharks and rays. They also show people the value of large marine species, both as indicators of the health of the oceans and as magnets for eco-tourism. Because fishing often results in the unintentional killing of sharks and rays, MarAlliance seeks to reduce the use of unsustainable fishing gears such as nets and longlines and helps create alternative pathways for income besides fishing.

Science for Conservation

Science for Conservation

MarAlliance works with governments, academia, other NGOs, the private sector, and fishermen to increase the understanding of target species that is needed to support effective management and conservation efforts. They also work on building the next generation of monitors; training students and other partners in techniques for monitoring sharks, rays, and turtles, and assessing how marine protected areas impact the health of large marine species.

Building Collaboration

Building Collaboration

MarAlliance has worked to establish local and international networks of partners to replicate and advance research and outreach efforts, helping to strengthen and promote the conservation of marine wildlife. They now operate in nine countries throughout the world and have 24 partners they work closely with to achieve the greatest conservation success possible.

Icon_behavioral change

Fostering Behavioral Change

Fostering Behavioral Change

Working primarily with local communities and creating corresponding educational programs, MarAlliance is changing how people think of sharks and rays. They tackle issues of sustainable fisheries, responsible seafood consumption, and...
Icon_research

Science for Conservation

Science for Conservation

MarAlliance works with governments, academia, other NGOs, the private sector, and fishermen to increase the understanding of target species that is needed to support effective management and conservation efforts. They...
Icon_collaboration

Building Collaboration

Building Collaboration

MarAlliance has worked to establish local and international networks of partners to replicate and advance research and outreach efforts, helping to strengthen and promote the conservation of marine wildlife. They...

Fostering Behavioral Change

Fostering Behavioral Change

Working primarily with local communities and creating corresponding educational programs, MarAlliance is changing how people think of sharks and rays. They tackle issues of sustainable fisheries, responsible seafood consumption, and critical habitat protection through the lens of sharks and rays. They also show people the value of large marine species, both as indicators of the health of the oceans and as magnets for eco-tourism. Because fishing often results in the unintentional killing of sharks and rays, MarAlliance seeks to reduce the use of unsustainable fishing gears such as nets and longlines and helps create alternative pathways for income besides fishing.

Science for Conservation

Science for Conservation

MarAlliance works with governments, academia, other NGOs, the private sector, and fishermen to increase the understanding of target species that is needed to support effective management and conservation efforts. They also work on building the next generation of monitors; training students and other partners in techniques for monitoring sharks, rays, and turtles, and assessing how marine protected areas impact the health of large marine species.

Building Collaboration

Building Collaboration

MarAlliance has worked to establish local and international networks of partners to replicate and advance research and outreach efforts, helping to strengthen and promote the conservation of marine wildlife. They now operate in nine countries throughout the world and have 24 partners they work closely with to achieve the greatest conservation success possible.

Impact by the Numbers

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countries received technical advice for the development of National Plans of Actions for Sharks

1st

baselines for sharks and rays in Belize, Honduras, and selected sites for Mexico, Guatemala, Panama and Cabo Verde conducted by MarAlliance

$50 covers the cost of bait required for underwater video monitoring of sharks.

$100 funds the monitoring of large marine species by one fisher.

$250 supports running two school presentations with materials.

Watch Dr. Rachel Graham's Expo Talk on Sharks and Rays

Dr. Rachel Graham shares how MarAlliance promotes impactful and inclusive grassroots science and conservation of marine wildlife, including sharks, rays, and threatened finfish.

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World Environment Day 2018

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Photography Credits: Joshua Asel, MarAlliance
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