Beyond All the Sharks

Japan & Beyond: Inside Global Shark Fishing, Trade, and Negotiations with Dr. Shelley Clarke

With its major domestic and international fishing fleets and cultural emphasis on seafood, Japan's policies and practices ripple across every ocean. Understanding how sharks move through these, and neighboring, markets, kitchens, and even pet food is essential to addressing the global shark mortality crisis. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Shelley Clarke, an independent fisheries consultant with decades of experience working inside the systems that govern shark catch and trade worldwide. From her early career as a fisheries observer to her ongoing work with Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) , Shelley offers a rare insider perspective on how shark policy succeeds and where it falls short. Join us for a nuanced, honest look at one of the most complex fronts in global shark conservation and what everyday people can do to push things forward. Thanks to:📸 Andy Murch – www.sharksandrays.org | YouTube: @bigfishexpeditions8233 | IG: @bigfishexpeditions📸 Shelley Clarke 🔗 Follow us for more shark science and ocean stories:📸 Instagram: @shark_docs🎯 www.sharkdocs.org OUTLINE 0:00 – Intro to Japan, Global Shark Conservation, & Dr. Shelley Clarke 02:45 – Fisheries Observer Program & Career Path 08:55 – Japanese Culture & Relationship to Seafood and Conservation 22:19 – Japan's Diving Industry & Wildlife 27:22 – Healthy Seafood: Mercury & Fukushima 29:29 – Shark In Food for People & Pets 32:30 – Cultural Values towards Seafood 35:50 – Shark Finning, No-Retention Measures, Transshipment, & Mortality 47:10 – Shark Meat, Landings Records & Reporting 50:05 – Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUU) 53:30 – Shark Trade & CITES 59:35 – Solving Excessive Shark Mortality 1:05:49 – Making a Difference in Everyday Life 1:08:30 – Inner Workings of RFMO Meetings 1:16:20 – Small Steps Towards Conservation Success 1:20:30 – Research Advice for Grad Students 1:22:35 – Outro Relevant Literature & Resources 🌐 Guest Dr. Shelley Clarke – www.sasamaconsulting.com ⚠️ Conservation Status Dulvy et al., 2024 – https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.adn1477 Dulvy et al., 2026 – https://www.nature.com/articles/s44358-025-00120-2 🚫 Shark Fin Bans & No-Retention Ferretti et al., 2020 – https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12708 Worm et al., 2024 – https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.adf8984 Feitosa et al., 2025 – https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12892 Gilman et al., 2016 – https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2599 Tolotti et al., 2015 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2015.05.003 Clarke et al., 2012 – https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01943.x 🔍 Shark Fins, Trade, & CITES Cardeñosa et al., 2018 – https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12457 Cardeñosa et al., 2023 – https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12864 Cardeñosa, 2019 – https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-019-01221-0 Fields et al., 2025 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10592-025-01714-1 Fowler et al., 2021 – https://bfn.bsz-bw.de/frontdoor/deliver/index/docId/7/file/Skript607.pdf Bond et al., 2025 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106733 Clarke et al., 2006 – https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2006.00968.x 🥩 Shark Meat Trade Ospina-Álvarez et al., 2025 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106659 MacNeil et al., 2025 – https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.24.650194v1.abstract Okes & Sant, 2019 – https://sharks.panda.org/images/downloads/327/TRAFFIC_Top_20_Shark_Catchers__Traders_2019_1.pdf Ryburn et al., 2025 – https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1604454 Dent and Clarke, 2015 – https://www.proquest.com/openview/3b5c990099f5140bc44e63e7e691e271/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=237320 🎣 Bycatch & Fisheries Management Crespo et al., 2024 – https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14324 Cronin et al., 2023 – https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12710 Galland et al., 2018 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2017.10.029

Beyond All the Sharks: Galápagos Currents of Conservation with MigraMar

The Galápagos is one of the world’s most iconic marine ecosystems, but the sharks and other megafauna that roam these waters don’t recognize borders. Many species move across thousands of kilometers, linking Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and beyond. Understanding those movements is vital for designing effective marine reserves while supporting sustainable fisheries. In this episode, MigraMar’s Dr. Alex Hearn and Dr. César Peñaherrera-Palma break down decades of tagging research, remote-video surveys, and long-term ecological work that reveal where sharks go, how they move, and how they use “swimways” through the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Their science helped drive the creation of the Hermandad Marine Reserve—an important milestone for migratory corridors—but the work is far from finished. Even with new protections, major threats remain. Join us to learn more! 🔗 Follow for more shark science and ocean stories: 📸 Instagram: @shark_docs 🎯 www.sharkdocs.org [http://www.sharkdocs.org] Episode Guide 00:00 Intro 03:06 Darwin’s Arch to Darwin’s Pillars 05:15 Tiger sharks, killer whales & currents 29:58 Galápagos as a shark hotspot 36:49 Shark Highway of the EPO 41:02 Movement variability across species 46:30 Protecting sharks from fishing 52:14 Hermandad & Ecuador’s debt swap 54:20 Sustainable fishing & longline ban 01:01:00 Fisheries & management 01:09:35 Supporting healthy oceans 01:11:48 Shark Count Galapagos App 01:14:19 Outro 📄 Relevant Literature and Publications Migramar – https://migramar.org/ [https://migramar.org/] Dr. Peñaherrera-Palma – https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=A09SYrkAAAAJ [https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=A09SYrkAAAAJ] Dr. Hearn – https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=96n4YGQAAAAJ [https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=96n4YGQAAAAJ] 🐺 Sharks of Darwin & Wolf Salinas-de-Leon 2016 – https://peerj.com/articles/1911/ [https://peerj.com/articles/1911/] Acuna-Marrero 2014 – https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0115946&type=printable [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0115946&type=printable] Hearn 2016 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-016-2991-y [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-016-2991-y] Hearn 2013 – https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-02769-2_2 [https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-02769-2_2] 🐋 Orca–Shark Interactions Terrapon 2024 – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/aje.13342 [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/aje.13342] Towner 2021 – https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2022.2066723 [https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2022.2066723] Ford 2011 – https://www.int-res.com/articles/ab2010/11/b011p213.pdf [https://www.int-res.com/articles/ab2010/11/b011p213.pdf] Pancaldi 2024 – https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1448254 [https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1448254] 📚 Shark Movements & Connectivity (EPO) Hearn 2010 – https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1460-2 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1460-2] Ketchum 2014 – https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-014-2393-y [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-014-2393-y] Nalesso 2019 – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213741 [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213741] Salinas-de-León 2025 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10641-025-01717-4 [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10641-025-01717-4] Klimley 2022 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10641-021-01204-6 [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10641-021-01204-6] Cambra 2021 – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244343 [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244343] McKinley 2025 – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0334164 [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0334164] 🛡️ Important Shark & Ray Areas Peñaherrera-Palma 2018 – https://seaturtles.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Justificacio%CC%81n-Biolo%CC%81gica-Migravi%CC%81a-C-G_web.pdf [https://seaturtles.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Justificacio%CC%81n-Biolo%CC%81gica-Migravi%CC%81a-C-G_web.pdf] Nursery Complex – https://sharkrayareas.org/portfolio-item/galapagos-nursery-complex-isra/ [https://sharkrayareas.org/portfolio-item/galapagos-nursery-complex-isra/] Galapagos Platform – https://sharkrayareas.org/portfolio-item/galapagos-platform-isra/ [https://sharkrayareas.org/portfolio-item/galapagos-platform-isra/] Darwin-Wolf – https://sharkrayareas.org/portfolio-item/darwin-wolf-isra/ [https://sharkrayareas.org/portfolio-item/darwin-wolf-isra/] Paramount Seamount – https://sharkrayareas.org/portfolio-item/paramount-seamount-isra/ [https://sharkrayareas.org/portfolio-item/paramount-seamount-isra/] Cocos–Galápagos Swimway – https://sharkrayareas.org/portfolio-item/cocos-galapagos-swimway-isra/ [https://sharkrayareas.org/portfolio-item/cocos-galapagos-swimway-isra/] ⚠️ Current Threats & Fisheries Pressure Peñaherrera-Palma 2025 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10641-025-01710-x [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10641-025-01710-x] Chinacalle-Martínez 2024 – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282374 [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282374] Peñaherrera-Palma 2018 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.07.004 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.07.004] Hearn & Bucaram 2025 – https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1484989 [https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1484989] Worm 2024 – https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adf8984 [https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adf8984] 🧭 Regional Policy & Sustainable Fisheries Hearn 2008 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2008.06.009 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2008.06.009] Tanner 2021 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104665 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104665] Galapagos Life Fund – https://galapagoslifefund.org.ec/ [https://galapagoslifefund.org.ec/]

Beyond All the Sharks: Sharks Find Refuge in Bahamian Mangroves with Dr. Matt Smukall

🌍 The Bahamas: A Shark Sanctuary Under Threat Chris and Brendan join their friend and colleague Dr. Matt Smukall, Director of the Bimini Biological Field Station @BiminiSharkLab to discuss all things shark and ray in The Bahamas, including the ongoing battle to save the mangrove forests of North Bimini from unsustainable, short-sighted development. These mangroves provide an outsized benefit to local wildlife, ecotourism, and fisheries in the western Bahamas, and trading them for a golf course or a few condos is a terrible mistake. Thanks to: 📸 @Sharkman_Dan – Filming and Editing 📸 Wyatt Albert @wadewithwyatt - Photo and Video Contributions 🔗 Follow us for more shark science and ocean stories: 📸 Instagram: @shark_docs 🎯 Website: www.sharkdocs.org Relevant Literature & Resources 🏫 Bimini Research Bimini Shark Lab – https://www.biminisharklab.com/ 🦈 Shark Management and Abundance in The Bahamas Kessel et al., 2016 – https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.12987 Hansell et al., 2018 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2017.09.016 Talwar et al., 2020 – https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2020.105683 Smukall et al., 2022 – https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15067 🔬 Species-Specific Research Caribbean reef shark IUCN Red List assessment: Carlson et al., 2019 – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/60217/3093780 Caribbean Reef Shark life history: Talwar et al., 2022 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-022-04044-9 🌊 Shark and Ray Abundance MacNeil et al., 2020 – https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2519-y Clementi et al., 2021 – https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v661/p175-186/ Simpfendorfer et al., 2023 – https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.ade4884 Goetze et al., 2024 – https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-024-02386-9 🌍 Population Declines and Management Ward-Paige et al., 2010 – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011968 Talwar et al., 2022 – https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12675 Pacoureau et al., 2023 – https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2216891120 🌴 North Bimini Mangroves Jennings et al., 2008 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10641-008-9357-3 DiBattista et al., 2011 – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/j.1752-4571.2010.00125.x Jennings et al., 2012 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11852-012-0211-6 Arkema et al., 2017 – https://naturalcapitalproject.stanford.edu/sites/g/files/sbiybj25256/files/media/file/natcap_economicvalueofmarineprotectedareas_0.pdf Beal et al., 2021 – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21004581 Kanno et al., 2023 – https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v724/p167-183/ Kressler et al., 2024 – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X24006964 🌐 Habitat Conservation Resources North Bimini Marine Reserve – https://www.biminisharklab.com/north-bimini-marine-reserve 🌍 Global Habitat Loss Waycott et al., 2009 – https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0905620106 Polidoro et al., 2010 – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010095 Buelow et al., 2022 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.013 💰 Shark Economy Haas et al., 2017 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.01.007 🌊 Ecosystem Values Harborne et al., 2006 – https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2881(05)50002-6 🦈 Shark and Ray Interactions Maljković & Coté, 2011 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2010.11.019 Hammerschlag et al., 2012 – https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2435.2012.01973.x Heim et al., 2021 – https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.628469 Heim et al., 2024 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2024.08.012 🌐 Shark Diving Management Gallagher et al., 2015 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.02.007 Healy et al., 2020 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2020.103964 🐟 Shark Homing Behavior Edrén & Gruber, 2005 – https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-004-2583-4 Feldheim et al., 2014 – https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12583 📚 Internships https://www.biminisharklab.com/internships #AllTheSharks #netflix #wildlife #ocean #conservation #shark #ray

Beyond All the Sharks: From Catsharks to White Sharks with South Africa's Dr. Alison Kock

South Africa is a global hotspot for shark and ray biodiversity — home to over 200 species, including many found nowhere else on Earth. In this episode of Beyond All the Sharks, Chris & Brendan team up with their friend and fellow Shark Doc, Dr. Alison Kock of South African National Parks (SANParks), to dive into the science, conservation, and management of these incredible animals along South Africa’s ~3,000 km coastline. From white sharks in False Bay to endemic catsharks and shysharks, Dr. Kock has dedicated her career to protecting species that play a critical role in ocean ecosystems. Thanks to: 📸 Andy Murch – www.sharksandrays.org | YouTube: @bigfishexpeditions8233 | IG: @bigfishexpeditions 📸 Morne Hardenberg – @mornehardenberg 📸 Mark Van Coller – @AtlanticEdgeFilms 📸 Dr. Alison Kock – @alison_kock Resources & References 🌍 South Africa National Parks SANParks – https://www.sanparks.org/?home 👩‍🔬 Dr. Kock's story Save Our Seas Foundation – https://saveourseas.com/project-leader/alison-kock/ 📊 IUCN Red List Assessment for White Shark Rigby et al., 2022 – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/3855/212629880 📈 Preliminary recovery of White Shark in the NW Atlantic Curtis et al., 2014 – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0099240 🌊 White Shark habitat shift towards Port Elizabeth, South Africa Bowlby et al., 2023 – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23008622 🌐 Biodiversity & conservation of sharks in South Africa Ebert & Van Hees, 2014 – https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2015.1048730 Pollom et al., 2024 – https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0306813 🐠 South African marine biodiversity & environment Griffiths et al., 2010 – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0012008 🐟 Catsharks / Shysharks of South Africa – Population status Natal Shyshark – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161667/124524866 Brown Shyshark – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/39346/124403821 Puffadder Shyshark / Happy Eddie – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/39345/124403633 Dark Shyshark – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161650/124521775 Pyjama Shark – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/39348/124404008 Leopard Catshark – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161515/124498131 🦑 Endemic sharks of South Africa Cliff & Olbers, 2022 – https://sharksunderattackcampaign.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023_01_17_WILDOCEANS-endemic-and-threatened-sharks-species-reports.pdf 🛡️ Marine protected areas & catsharks / shysharks Albano et al., 2021 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109302Cortelezzi et al., 2022 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115691 📖 Select work on White Sharks from Dr. Kock Klimley et al., 2024 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10641-024-01584-5 Bowlby et al., 2023 – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23008622 Towner et al., 2022 – https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2022.2066723 Towner et al., 2022 – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10078210/ Kock et al., 2022 – https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.811985 Kock et al., 2018 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40462-018-0125-5 Hewitt et al., 2017 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10641-017-0679-x 🔄 Effect of White Shark absence on other species / ecological role Dedman et al., 2024 – https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adl2362 👀 Shark Spotters Shark Spotters – https://sharkspotters.org.za/ Engelbrecht et al., 2017 – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185335 ⚖️ Human–shark conflict & conservation Atkins et al., 2023 – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X23002956 Sheridan et al., 2021 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104633 Simpfendorfer et al., 2021 – https://doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2021.692767 📝 South African shark conservation priorities IUCN, 2024 – Global Shark Status Report (South Africa) – https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2024-024-En_part_6.pdf

Beyond All the Sharks: Turtle Cannery to Ray Paradise at Heron Island with Dr. Heather Middleton

In this episode of Beyond All the Sharks, marine ecologists Dr. Chris Malinowski and Dr. Brendan Talwar join fellow Shark Doc Dr. Heather Middleton on Heron Island—a remote research station nestled into Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Together, they explore how this iconic island has evolved from a turtle cannery into a hotspot for shark and ray science and what it teaches us about biodiversity, adaptation, and the urgent need for conservation. From the shallow reef flats to the deep impacts of climate change, this is a deep dive into one of the most vibrant marine ecosystems on the planet. 🦈 In this episode, we cover: – The transformation of Heron Island from turtle cannery to protected Green Zone – Ray and shark mating behavior, olfactory communication, and reproductive strategies – Epaulette sharks and their chemical cues: what pheromones can tell us about courtship – Research at the Heron Island Research Station and its role in global reef science – How climate change is affecting shark movement, mating, and survival – The importance of protected zones in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park 🎧 Whether you're a marine biologist, conservationist, diver, or shark enthusiast, this episode offers fresh perspectives and emerging science from one of the world’s most studied reefs. 🎙️ About our guest: Dr. Heather Middleton is a marine scientist and shark researcher based at the Heron Island Research Station. Her recent work focuses on the chemical ecology of elasmobranchs, including groundbreaking research on pheromones in epaulette sharks. She combines field ecology with behavioral studies to better understand how marine species interact, reproduce, and respond to environmental change. 📸 Special thanks to: Andy Murch – www.sharksandrays.org [http://www.sharksandrays.org] | YouTube: @bigfishexpeditions8233 | Instagram: @bigfishexpeditions; Dr. Heather Middleton, Dr. Lawson (@_alinya), and Dr. Wheeler for their photos and videos; and Dive Spear and Sport – for supporting our dive team at Heron Reef 📚 Further Reading & Resources For full references and links to the scientific literature mentioned in this episode, visit our YouTube channel @SharkDocs 🔗 Follow us for more shark science and conservation: 📸 Instagram: @shark_docs [https://www.instagram.com/shark_docs] ▶️ YouTube: @SharkDocs [https://www.youtube.com/@SharkDocs] 🎯 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/shark_docs 🎧 Available wherever you get your podcasts. #AllTheSharks #SharkPodcast #SharkScience #Elasmobranchs #MarineBiology #OceanConservation #GreatBarrierReef #SharkWeek #ClimateChange #HeronIsland #BeyondAllTheSharks