Sharks, rays and skates are decreasing in number so rapidly that blue sharks, which used to be common species throughout the Mediterranean, have seen their numbers reduce almost to a point where they will not be able to recover. Greg Nowell, one of the founders of Sharklab Malta, tells Veronica Stivala why they are determined to make a difference.

Sharks have a bad press and whenever we speak about them, people often react negatively, associating the creatures with deadly danger.

Indeed the truth is that sharks – which have been around for more than 400 million years – are magnificent creatures and are under threat themselves. Most shark species around Malta are small and inhabit deep waters – nonetheless, the numbers of sharks, rays and skates (collectively called elasmobranch) around Malta and within the Mediterranean are on the downward spiral. This can be seen by the reduced numbers caught and brought to the market for sale every year and the significant reduction in the number of sightings by boaters and divers. If change doesn’t happen soon many species will simply disappear forever.

Blue sharks, which once were a common sight in the Mediterranean, have seen their numbers drop by over 90 per cent in the last 10 years alone. This is almost to a point where they will not be able to recover.

Voluntary organisation Sharklab Malta is determined to make a difference and turn the tide for these magnificent and very important apex predators.

Greg Nowell, one of Sharklab Malta founders, explains how crucial elasmobranch are to the ecosystem.

“Without elasmobranch in our waters, not only will we never see them return, but we will also change the way the whole fragile and balanced marine ecosystem works. As apex predators, sharks sit at the top of the food chain and play a critical role for all species of marine life. Sharks keep fish populations healthy and balanced, control disease which would otherwise significantly reduce fish populations, and maintain balanced numbers.”

Nowell founded Sharklab Malta together with Andrej Gajic in 2008 with the aim of researching, educating and raising awareness about the species. It is now an expanding global organisation with researchers based in Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina, South Africa, North America, Ecuador, Kuwait, Spain, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Germany, France, Croatia, Australia, Malaysia, Maldives, Canada, Kuwait and the UK.

The organisation’s main objective is to find as much as it can about these magnificent creatures – which of them call our waters home, which travel through Malta’s waters, and which species need our help to continue to survive here.

The list of research and activities being undertaken is immense, ranging from embryological studies to creating sightings maps. Sharklab Malta is also assisting with a number of international research programmes, working in collaboration with the shark genetics research team at the University of Aberdeen (the UK), CRIOBE (France) and Shark Trust UK. Sharklab Malta is also working with the University of Malta on several research projects.

All the research is aimed at a better understanding of elasmobranch. Sharklab Malta also wants to gain sufficient and accurate data to be able to pursue better management and protection of elasmobranch in our local waters and within the Mediterranean. Thus, Sharklab Malta hopes to put pressure on governments to change local fisheries legislation and to implement the universally recognised Community Action Plan for Sharks.

So what can we do to make a difference?

“We, as the human species, need to change our perception of these animals. They are not the big-mouthed man-eaters so often portrayed in the media. They are critical, amazing, diverse, spectacular and misunderstood. They need to be appreciated and understood for the role they play in waters around Malta and around the globe,” explains Nowell.

Sharklab Malta is collecting catch data from the fish market in Valletta to gain more information on the range of species caught and brought to the islands. It is recovering egg cases from some species of landed sharks, taking these and placing them in a controlled aquarium environment – once they hatch, they are then released in the waters around Malta. Nowell notes how this work has captured the imagination of many Maltese.

“This aspect of research is extra special as the eggs recovered from landed sharks is something which is a first of its kind. It is not only helping destroy the myth that all sharks are large, but the fact that sharks are landed carrying young or eggs is something which many have not considered or even known about.”

Through working with the Malta Aquaculture Research Centre and in the future the Malta National Aquarium, Sharklab Malta will be able to showcase this fascinating research to the public.

Organisation members also go snorkelling and on dive searches, observing species and looking more closely at the habitat around the islands. Sharklab Malta furthers education and awareness through presentations and keeps elasmobranch in conversations and in the media to spread the message that differences need to happen now.

Nowell admits that the organisation was initially seen as a threat and fishermen feared for their livelihood. But things have changed and people are starting to realise that protecting the species means long-term benefits for all. That said, there is still room for improvement.

Many Maltese regularly eat shark, skates and rays – not in restaurants, but sold by hawkers and shops to locals. Mazzola is a name given to a group of seven different species of sharks regularly sold. This, explains Nowell, creates a problem.

“This means that individual species are not recognised and we know as an organisation that some of these species are simply disappearing from our waters. A more accurate name association to species is something which needs to be pursued to help resolve this.”

Sharklab Malta also regularly encounter sharks being sold under the name of different fish. This is because in most cases there is a lack of knowledge about different fish species and people don’t buy shark, but will happily buy aċċjola for instance.

“A more rigorous system for accurate naming of fish for sale needs to be implemented to stop this practice and a more open approach by shops and hawkers needs to happen. This needs monitoring but more importantly it needs to be enforced,” Nowell says.

One of Sharklab Malta’s major projects is sighting data collection. This project aims to engage with the public, the dive community and boat users to send in sighting information for all species of elasmobranch. By collecting this data they hope to generate accurate mapping of species locations and migratory routes for elasmobranch in Maltese waters.

There really is so much to do when it comes to understanding the real state of elasmobranch around our islands that Sharklab Malta will always continue to diversify research methods, engage in joint ventures and is always looking to expand membership for this to be possible.

For more information e-mail Sharklab Malta at info@sharklab-malta.org or visit www.sharklab-malta.org.