Shark Legacy Project - Conservation and Education

About the Shark Legacy Project

The Shark Legacy Project (SLP), a multi-disciplinary scientific research and education organization, was created to conduct research on sharks and promote the conservation of sharks. Founded in 2009, the SLP has projects on the island of Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras with new projects planned in Fiji, Bahamas, and Mexico in 2010.

SLP works with the scientific and government communities, individuals and organizations concerned about the health of marine ecosystems, and marine resource users; sport divers, dive tourism industry and subsistence fishermen. SLP works to establish a positive perception about sharks and stop the slaughter of 100 million sharks annually.

A primary goal is researching the value of sharks to the tourism industry as a sustainable natural resource, particularly in developing countries that rely on tourism for healthy financial futures. By doing so, a steady revenue stream is also generated for local fishers that might otherwise slaughter the sharks for immediate gain. Current programs involve visual data collection, behavioral studies, environmental advocacy, petition and public education.

Project Objectives

To promote public awareness of sharks and their vital role in shaping the marine ecosystem, to the establishment of Marine Protected Areas as sancutaries for sharks; to maintain a global network of projects, establish a multi-disciplinary network of researchers and advocates, to conduct and sponsor behavioral studies of sharks and support research into their value, biology, distribution and global populations; to foster the interest of people of all ages, races and backgrounds in scientific research through lectures, publications, educational courses and other relevant means; to maintain library, map and other advisory facilities which will assist those interested and engaged in scientific research; to encourage industry, organizations, foundations and individuals to promote the general and specific purposes for which this Corporation is organized; to further education and educational facilities aligned with the puposes of the SLP and those specific to the success of its goals.

Read about our current projects.

Meet our project staff.