As tempted as I was to kick this off with some famous quote by a legendary historical figure about the value and importance of education, I will resist that urge. Mostly because I think we are all aware how critical education is at all levels in modern society, and, well, the dramatic famous-quote-intro has become […]

Effective conservation of our natural resources depends on having adequately trained people with the passion and skills necessary to protect our fragile environment. At Shark Spotters, we focus on employing individuals from disadvantaged communities in our operating areas and providing skills development and training opportunities to create “Marine Conservation Ambassadors”. Through this training the team […]

The bronze whaler or copper shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus) may not be a household name for many of us unfamiliar with the lesser known shark species that occur in South Africa’s coastal waters. After all, their reputation does not precede them quite as dramatically as that of the white shark (cue ominous Jaws music), but nevertheless, […]

The “Silly Season” is almost upon us, and while most people use the drifting sounds of Boney M and Mariah Carey as a signal that Christmas is near, Cape Town’s surfers have another cue altogether……the Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival. Running over a full month this year (6 Nov – 6 Dec 2019), what better […]

After 13 years of watching over Cape Town’s most popular beaches, Shark Spotters remains the primary shark safety strategy adopted by the City of Cape Town, promoting beach safety for countless locals and tourists alike. But is the programme keeping on top of its game and achieving its objectives of balancing the needs of people […]

Bronze whalers (Carcharhinus brachyurus), or bronzies as they are known locally, are a common species in the coastal and shelf waters around South Africa. They are relatively large, reaching a maximum length of just over 3 metres, and feed on a range of prey, including teleosts, catilaginous fish and cephalopods. They are most frequently seen […]

There is nothing false about the sense of security provided by the Fish Hoek beach shark exclusion net. The term “shark net” is used loosely to describe many mesh-based shark attack mitigation measures in place around the world. However, it is important to realise that “not all shark nets are created equally” and in fact […]

Large, predatory sharks occupy the top of ocean food chains, where they play important roles in maintaining diverse and healthy ecosystems. The loss of these predators can therefore have significant impacts on ecosystems. Photo © Wildestanimal | Shutterstock For a long time broadnose sevengill sharks have occupied the apex of the food chain alongside the more famous […]