Our Work
We work globally to improve the conservation status of sharks, skates and rays. Advocating for policy changes and generating collective action to support out goals.
Our conservation goals
All of our projects, campaigns and policy actions drive progress towards these three key goals:
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Species Protection
Protection of endangered species through legislation and effective conservation action. Our Saving Species projects place science at the heart of conservation action.
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Fisheries Management
Fisheries managed for sustainability to prevent declines in non-threatened species. We're transforming fisheries to prevent population decline through overfishing.
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Responsible Trade
We promote responsible trade and reduced demand for non-sustainable shark products.
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Outreach
Our conservation goals set the agenda for our work. We achieve these through projects and campaigns that bring together different players.
Did you know?
Over a third of sharks are now at risk of extinction due to destructive fishing.
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Community Engagement
We believe in the power of collective action and the value of working with communities to encourage best practices around sharks and rays
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Living with Sharks
Living with Sharks is a new cross-disciplinary project which seeks to identify emerging issues and co-create equitable solutions with affected communities.
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Fisheries & Policy
How fisheries are governed, the projects changing them, and the advisories that make catches safer.
Our conservation programmes
The Shark Trust works with a network of regional partners on projects that span policy engagement, species-specific recovery programmes and community engagement.
Oceanics programme
Our Oceanics Programme is a wide-ranging advocacy effort which targets the conservation of oceanic sharks and rays. Oceanic sharks are some of the most iconic and functionally important species in our ocean. They are exceptionally threatened by overfishing and urgent action is required to ensure their long-term sustainability.
High Seas Fisheries Management
A landmark 2021 report highlighted the specific threats faced by 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays. Sharp declines in populations over a 50-year period are attributed directly to an 18-fold increase in fishing pressure over the same timeframe. Now three-quarters of these species are classed as threatened.
Mediterranean programme
The Mediterranean Sea is a hotspot of extinction risk for sharks and rays. A complex body of water home to more than 80 species of shark, ray and skate, of which over 50% are at risk of extinction.
Surrounded by 22 different countries across 3 continents, and home to roughly 57,000 small boats, the Mediterranean Sea is subject to a broad range of diverse fisheries pressures. Working through a network of regional partners, our Mediterranean programme spans policy engagement, species-specific recovery programmes, and community engagement.
