Scientific shark committee
Many of the Fin Fighters are non-scientists and do not have backgrounds in biology or conservation. We have therefore created a system of collaboration with scientists to produce a tangible and reasoned method of generating action for species conservation. We established a committee of shark scientists to share skills and bring new technology to shark conservation, and specifically to the Moroccan studies. Working with scientists to collect data for their studies as well as for our own reports, ensures a circular needs based relationship: Scientists come to us with data requirements, we fill these by collecting data, which is then used in their scientific research, and the results are made available for Fin Fighters to use in pushing practical conservation or working to implement enforcement/policy. In this way we are all working collectively to ensure our needs are met and any papers published credit Fin Fighters as an institution for data collection, which adds to our credibility.
Many scientists have expressed frustrations as they feel that once a specific study is completed they have to move on to the next one without their concerns for the species being addressed or heard. Conservation and science continue to drive each other. What we are able to do as conservationists with a broader agenda is to bring all the different areas of study together for a common purpose and even propose new areas of study for future scientific Investigation.
It is not always easy to provide every scientist with exactly what they need, due to practical challenges, e.g. bad weather. Sharing of data and research had been interesting as many scientists are reluctant to enter in to collaborations due to either being stung in their past by fellow scientists who have appropriated their work, or for many scientists they simply have never worked in this way with non-scientists. However this has been easily overcome by the nature of the committee and the positive steps we are all taking together to share our ideas and time. The progressive and results based approach Fin Fighters have, has reassured many scientists to our commitment and desire to be scientific and reasoned with our work.