The Shark Legacy Project was founded by PADI Course Director Peter Wilcox and Shark Biologist Giacomo Palavicini to assist governments in the protection of sharks as part of the marine inheritance of all people. The Roatan project is headed by PADI Instructor and Shark Biologist Giaco Palavicini, and run with together with the Roatan Marine Park and DIGIPESCA (Honduran governments Fisheries Department).
The research projects definition is:
"Study and Analysis of Carcharhinus Perezi to determine the population and local value to the economic future of tourism in the reef ecosystem of Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras."
The Shark Legacy Project has several approaches to furthering the goal of reducing shark mortality. Peter and Giaco have written a PADI Shark Diver course that is now being taught by many of the PADI Dive Centers and Instructors on Roatan. If you chose to train with us you can also earn this certification.
The PADI Shark Diver course teaches responsible diving practices, naturalistic observation and non invasive interaction. We hope that by educating divers about sharks and involving them in research, conservation and establish a unique way to value sharks, we may inspire divers to get involved in their protection.
Giaco and the Shark Legacy Project, in conjunction with the biologists of the Roatan Marine Park, have been meeting with DIGIPESCA throughout 2009. We are very excited to report that on January 5th, 2010 DIGIPESCA announced a complete moratorium on the fishing of all shark species in Honduras!
The moratorium is intended to eliminate fishing pressure on all shark species until research can be completed and a responsible management plan can be put into place. We are very pleased to be playing a role in this success for shark protection, but we must first applaud the biologists of the Honduran Government. This is just the most recent example of laws intended to protect the marine resources of Honduras, the Whale Shark and Nurse Shark species are also protected here.
For a more complete over view of the research program, how to get involved, for course information, or how to become a PADI Shark Diver Instructor you can email Peter.
