A quick walk on the streets of Chinatown in Bangkok will give you a chance to see how popular shark fin soup still is in Thailand. Although there have been a few public campaigns which tried to raise more awareness to how unhealthy it is for humans to eat shark (not to mention cruel), the restaurant are still thriving.
Banning the selling of shark fin soup and forcing these restaurants to shut down will not solve the problem either. They’ll just enter the black market trade, drive the prices up, and possibly make the business even more profitable. So, what’s the solution then? Quite simple: education.
One of the many activists who work hard to educate the public with regards to the importance of sharks to our ecosystem is Brendon Sing, a passionate 37-years-old marine scientist from South African who has been living in Thailand for the last fourteen years. From his base in Khao Lak, he runs, together with his wife and partner Elizabeth Ward-Sing, Shark Guardian, a worldwide shark and marine conservation project registered as a charity in the United Kingdom.
Brendon came to Thailand soon after 9/11 happened in 2001 when he relocated from Turkey where he had been working as a dive instructor. “Speaking to other friends, they recommended that I travel with them to Thailand and come look for a position as a dive instructor there as the season was just about to start,” Brendon recalled. “The tales of amazing people, excellent diving, and delicious food was a big selling point!”
Brendon and Elizabeth Ward-Sing
These tales turned out to be true and Brendon soon worked his way up the ladder as a dive instructor and educator. He achieved the PADI Course Director certification – the highest instructor trainer certification in recreational diving – and also found opportunities to get involved with shark conservation work like he used to do in South Africa.
Brendon has been diving with and researching sharks for over 20 years and has also lead many shark diving educational expeditions and courses. “Since I was ten years old I loved going to the aquarium and looking at sharks for hours through the glass walls. All I wanted to do was learn how to dive with sharks,” confessed Brendon Sing. “So once I learned to dive, I was diving with sharks very soon. Then I went to university to study and research sharks.”
Referring to the shark finning industry in Thailand, Brendon believes that some members of the public are not aware of the threats to sharks by eating shark fin: “People don’t know the scale of it and the damage it is causing to our natural environment. They are not aware how wasteful and cruel the act of shark finning is either.”
Shark Guardian was created to educate everyone about how awesome and amazing sharks are, the important role they play in our marine ecosystems, and why they need to be protected. “With that awareness and education we can offer anyone opportunities to go diving to see sharks, collect data for research, and get their teeth into real conservation,” said the director of Shark Guardian.
When asked why he chose to concentrate on the preservation of sharks and not other marine animals, Brendon clarified that, being at the top of the food chain, sharks are Apex predators. “They play a fundamental role to maintain the health and diversity of all other marine life below them. Sharks don’t just look after fish abundance; they also indirectly protect coral reefs. They have been here for over 400 million years and have survived five mass planet extinctions – and are still here. Logic says if something has been around for that long, they have to be vital for our oceans.”
Through Shark Guardian, Brendon hopes to make everyone highly respect sharks and not fear them: “I want to get people excited about sharks so they are willing to do everything they can to make sure sharks survive. For the sake of our oceans and our future, we need sharks and we can make a difference.”
Recently, Brendon’s team has launched the Shark Guardian International Student Shark Ambassador Program in which they train school students to become Junior Shark Experts. With the knowledge and tools provided, students can give their own Shark Guardian presentations, arrange events, conduct fundraisers, and help organize educational trips and diving or snorkeling expeditions to see sharks and collect data for conservation.
Over the past three years the Shark Guardian team has been visiting schools from Europe to Australia. Through their outreach projects, each year, over 30,000 students learn more about sharks and conservation. And the good news is that there are plans for expanding their reach even more!
Funding mainly comes though their online store where people who believe in their cause can buy Shark Guardian merchandise. All the sales go back to the charity to support their conservation work and educational projects worldwide. Also, they accept online donations from individuals and from the schools visited.
If you want to learn more about sharks, get inspired or get involved with shark conservation and research, email Shark Guardian at info[at]sharkguardian[dot]org. Also visit their website (www.sharkguardian.org) and Facebook Page to find out if they are presenting in your area.
