The IUCN/SSC Shark Specialist Group
Shark News 10: January 1998
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The Shark Trust
The Shark Trust was established in 1997 to promote the study,
management and conservation of sharks, skates and rays. It is the UK member
organisation of the European Elasmobranch
Association (EEA, established in 1996), all of whose member bodies
share similar aims and will collaborate to achieve these in national,
European and international waters.
The Trust is calling for: the management of shark, skate and ray
fisheries; reduction of bycatch in other fisheries; increased research
effort into their biology and ecology to support the development of
management and conservation strategies; the conservation and
management of areas crucial for breeding and migrating sharks and
the survival of young fish; promotion of international conservation
and research initiatives, including tag and release programmes; legal
protection for threatened species under national legislation and
international conventions (for migratory species); and increased
public awareness and concern for sharks and rays. It aims to join
forces with other groups concerned with chondrichthyan fish
conservation issues. These include commercial fishermen,
recreational sea anglers, divers, yachtsmen, and all those who want
to ensure the future survival of these animals.
The Trust is a registered wildlife charity (No. 1064185). It
receives grant aid from the UK conservation agencies (Scottish
Natural Heritage, English Nature and Countryside Council for Wales)
and from WWF-UK to support its work and that of the EEA. The Shark
Trust also directly supports the EEA by providing its main secretariat.
Existing individual supporters of the EEA will be asked to transfer
their subscriptions to the Shark Trust or to their national member
body of the EEA (if any). All are welcome to join the Trust (individual
annual subscription is GB £15.00, £25.00 for a family).
The Trust was launched with a week-long exhibition, including
displays on research work covering the biology and ecology of sharks
and rays, held at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham, UK,
September 1997. The first annual open meeting of the Trust is being
held at the London Aquarium, UK, in April 1998.
For more information, please contact the Shark Trust, 36 Kingfisher
Court, Hambridge Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 5SJ, UK. Fax:
(+44) (0)1635 550230, email:
sharktrust@naturebureau.co.uk
or visit the web page at
http://ds.dial.pipex.com/sharktrust
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