ECO PRO
Shark Stewards: Turning Conservation Into Customer Engagement by Gil Zeimer , ScubaStoryteller.com and Zeimer.com, CA
T HIS SERIES HAS presented “Blue” initiatives that can make your business more sustainable while helping increase your bottom
support them are protected. That creates an opportunity for dive businesses to do more than sell trips or teach courses. It
allows them to educate customers, support conservation, and build a stronger emotional connection to the underwater world. Retailers can use shark conser- vation to create evening programs, customer events, youth education nights, and community partner- ships. Resorts and liveaboards can incorporate shark facts into briefin- gs, promote responsible shark en- counters, and support local marine protected areas. Instructors can help students replace fear-based myths with science-based under- standing. That is how a “Blue” business becomes more than en- vironmentally aware. It becomes more valuable to its customers. Some Threats Identified by Shark Stewards:
line. This month, we look at Shark Stewards, a nonprofit or- ganization that gives dive busi- nesses, instructors, resorts, and liveaboards a meaningful way to connect shark conservation with customer education. David McGuire of Berkeley, California, has spent more than 20 years working to protect sharks. He is the founder and director of Shark Stewards, a nonprofit dedicated to saving endangered sharks from overfishing and the shark fin trade, while protecting critical marine habitats through regulation, education, and public policy. David has also been a diver for
half a century, an ocean swimmer, marine biologist, writer, author, documentary filmmaker, and producer of several award-winning films focused on the world’s most ancient cartilaginous fish species. He also teaches, lectures at universities such as UC Berkeley, and mentors underserved youth through marine science and field experiences. He says, “One-third of all sharks and rays are threatened with extinction. Sharks keep the oceans healthy. We rely on the oceans for over half of our oxygen, and the oceans are a major carbon sink. Saving sharks can keep us breathing, balance ecosystems, and mitigate the impacts caused by climate change.” Why This Matters to Dive Businesses: For dive professionals, sharks are more than marine life. They are part of the story we tell guests, students, and travelers about why healthy oceans matter. A shark encounter can be one of the most memorable moments of a diver’s life. But those moments are only possible when shark populations and the habitats that
According to Shark Stewards: 80 to 100 million sharks and rays are killed each year for ▪ the wildlife trade. 71% of oceanic sharks and rays are gone. ▪ There has been more than a 50% loss of habitat. ▪ 335 species are threatened with extinction. ▪ Those numbers are not just conservation statistics. They affect the future of dive tourism, marine education, underwater photography, and the experiences our industry depends upon. Supporting California MPAs and National Marine Sanc- tuaries: Shark Stewards is an active member of the California Marine Protected Area Collaborative Network. Coordinating its efforts with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Ocean Protection Council, the nonprofit works with important stakeholders in coastal protection. Shark Stewards also helped commemorate the 50th an- niversary of the National Marine Sanctuary System in 2022,
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