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including the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, and the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, which protects the site of America’s first ironclad ship. Under a grant from the Ocean Protection Council, Shark Stewards has also helped develop a free online educational series of training modules designed for docents, volunteers, and the engaged public in California Marine Protected Ar- eas. For dive businesses, these efforts provide useful examples. Conservation does not always have to mean creating a large new program from scratch. It can start with staff education, guest briefings, local partnerships, citizen science, or simply pointing customers toward credible organizations doing meaningful work. How Dive Businesses Can Help: Ask your staff and cus- tomers to follow Shark Stewards on social media and learn about current campaigns to protect National Marine Sanctuaries and endangered species such as sharks, rays, turtles, and whales. Consider hosting a shark conservation night at your store or resort. Invite a speaker, show a documentary, or build an event around shark awareness and responsible diving. For retailers, this can bring divers back into the store between trips. For resorts and liveaboards, it can add depth to the guest experience and help guests understand the importance of the marine life they came to see. Dive professionals can also encourage customers to volunteer, support marine protected areas, reduce plastic waste, and choose operators who promote responsible marine wildlife interactions. Finally, donations to groups such as Shark Stewards help support efforts to enforce shark fin trade bans, regulate fisheries, and protect marine habitats. The Bottom Line: David adds, “It’s incumbent that we share the ocean with the next generation. Take your kids diving. Being in the water with sharks is like seeing a god, but they’re the most at-risk group of animals in the world.” That message should resonate with every dive professional. We introduce people to the ocean. We teach them how to move through it safely. We help them understand what they are seeing. And, when we do it well, we create divers who care about protecting it. That is good conservation. It is also good business.
David McGuire’s book, Sharks for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Great Whites, Hammerheads, and Other Sharks in the Sea, is available for young readers.
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