Gemma’s work focuses on using pelagic BRUVs (Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems) to study threatened sharks, particularly the Critically Endangered tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus), in and around Marine Nature Reserves.

Now, for those who aren’t familiar with BRUVs, imagine underwater GoPros baited with delicious fish snacks, quietly sitting there filming sharks doing sharky things without bothering them. Science can be beautiful sometimes!

The project will involve building three pelagic BRUV systems and carrying out dozens of deployments with the help of local recreational anglers, who’ll become citizen scientists for the cause. That means more data, more community involvement, and more people helping protect sharks instead of fearing them. Which sounds like a pretty good deal to us.

The collected footage will help assess whether current Marine Nature Reserves are actually doing their job protecting threatened shark species, while also creating baseline data for long-term conservation management.

Needless to say we couldn’t possibly say no to a project involving sharks, conservation, underwater cameras, and people willing to spend time at sea helping science, so we were delighted to contribute 1.000 euros towards Gemma’s research efforts.

Go, Gemma, and keep on rockin’! 🦈

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#oops!

Her work tackles a big problem with an even bigger twist. While most studies focus on Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, she decided to dig deeper into something less obvious… what happens when the systems meant to protect marine life don’t actually work well together?

Focusing on coastal communities in Ghana’s Western Region, she explored the interaction between customary practices and statutory regulations. In simple terms: what local communities have always done versus what governments say should be done.

Through interviews with fishers, chief fishers, traders, NGOs, and Fisheries Commission officials, she uncovered a reality that won’t surprise anyone who’s worked in the field… things don’t always line up.

Her findings show that poor coordination, lack of resources, and a disconnect between national policies and local realities create “institutional voids” — gaps where conservation efforts quietly fall apart. Add economic pressure into the mix, and it becomes clear why rules are often ignored.

But here’s the good part.

Her research doesn’t just point out problems — it points to solutions. A more collaborative approach, where local knowledge is integrated into management strategies, could go a long way in protecting marine megafauna.

We also liked the practical recommendations, such as revising the Fisheries Act to clearly define protected species… because vague rules rarely protect anything.

All in all, this is exactly the kind of grounded, real-world research we like to support, so we sent her 300 euros to help move things forward and you may download Josephine’s MPhil thesis here.

Well done Josephine, and keep on rockin’!

The post Research Fund 24/01 :: Josephine Entsie appeared first on Flying Sharks.

Kathryn recently wrapped up her Ph.D., where she used drones (the good kind) to monitor enormous blacktip shark aggregations along the shoreline of Cabo Pulmo National Park, Mexico – sometimes numbering in the thousands. Not a bad office view.

Cabo Pulmo is one of the world’s great marine conservation success stories. After the local community made the bold move from fishing to ecotourism in the 1990s, fish biomass increased by more than 400%, and – surprise, surprise – the big predators came back.

Kathryn’s work has already delivered some jaw-dropping results, including the first documented cases of killer whales preying on sharks inside the park, followed by clear shifts in shark aggregation behaviour. This research has since evolved into Shark Watch (@sharkwatchbaja), a long-term monitoring program that trains and empowers local women to run drone-based shark surveys themselves. We love that part.

All data are shared directly with park authorities, helping guide conservation decisions at a time when Cabo Pulmo is facing growing pressure from nearby coastal development.

We were very happy to chip in 500 euros to help Kathryn take this work to the international stage and join the global shark science conversation.

Well done, Kathryn — and keep up the excellent work!

The post Research Fund 26/01 :: Kathryn Ayres appeared first on Flying Sharks.

Chiara has been working on Mediterranean pelagic sharks, focusing on the ecology, distribution, and population genomics of two absolute icons: the shortfin mako and the great white shark. She was accepted for an oral presentation at Sharks International, the world’s largest scientific conference dedicated entirely to elasmobranchs, which will take place this year in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

By the time the conference rolls around, Chiara will have completed her Ph.D. — which also means institutional funding will no longer be available. Attending this meeting is a key milestone at a critical moment, as she prepares to move into the postdoctoral phase of her career and bring Mediterranean shark research to a truly global audience.

Needless to say, this is exactly the kind of situation our Research Fund exists for, so we happily covered her conference registration by transferring 500 euros.

Go Chiara — and give those makos and white sharks the spotlight they deserve! 

The post Research Fund 26/01 :: Chiara Gambardella appeared first on Flying Sharks.

This year Issah reached out to us once more, as he is currently the team leader of “Ghana’s Elasmo Project”, which is pioneering the conservation of sharks and rays in Ghana. They are currently in the process of scaling up their efforts to execute groundbreaking research and conservation projects in Ghana.

Once Issah reached out to us seeking the support of the Flying Sharks Humanitarian Fund to support their work, we simply couldn’t help ourselves but to transfer Issah 1.500 euros!

The post Research Fund 25/05 :: Issah Seidu appeared first on Flying Sharks.

Lucy’s Ph.D. focuses on human–shark conflict and involves annual fieldwork at Ascension Island, using acoustic receiver arrays that don’t come cheap. While her project is funded through a NERC studentship, an unexpected rise in equipment costs quickly ate into her research budget, leaving her without enough funds to attend Sharks International, where she has been accepted to give a talk in May 2026.

Missing a major international conference because of logistics is one of those things that simply shouldn’t happen to early-career researchers doing solid, relevant science — so there was really only one possible answer.

We therefore happily transferred 500 euros to Lucy, helping her cover travel and accommodation costs so she can present her work, grow her network, and take part in the global discussion on shark ecology and conservation.

Go Lucy, and knock’em dead at Sharks International! 

The post Research Fund 25/12 :: Lucy Clarke appeared first on Flying Sharks.

Cristiana’s Ph.D. tackles a topic that doesn’t always get the spotlight it deserves: the real-world impact of regulation and legislation on the protection of sharks and rays in Portugal. Her work looks at catch trends from a fisheries management perspective and evaluates conservation measures spanning nearly four decades, all with an eye toward what still needs to be done by 2030.

Attending Sharks International will allow Cristiana to present her preliminary results, exchange ideas with leading experts, and place Portuguese management and conservation efforts into a broader global context. Given the interdisciplinary nature of her research — sitting right at the intersection of data analysis, fisheries management, and conservation policy — this conference is a perfect fit.

There was really no way we could say no, so we transferred 500 euros to help cover part of her travel costs and ensure she could take part in this important discussion.

Go Cristiana — and keep pushing for smarter, stronger protection of sharks and rays! 🌊🦈

The post Research Fund 26/01 :: Cristiana Cunha appeared first on Flying Sharks.

Elena will be presenting the results of the 4th chapter of her Ph.D., where she dives deep (pun intended!) into the ecological effects of reducing bycatch in the western Mediterranean longline fleet under different management and climate change scenarios. She’ll also be joining a workshop on strengthening science-policy links for shark and ray conservation — absolutely up our alley!

Needless to say we couldn’t say no, so we happily transferred her 500 euros to help bring her science to the world stage.

Go Elena, and have a fantastic time in Sri Lanka! 🦈🌊

The post Research Fund 25/12 :: Elena Fernández Corredor appeared first on Flying Sharks.

Shathuki reached out to us because she’s hoping to fly from Sydney to Colombo to attend Sharks International 2026, where she plans to give an oral presentation on her Master’s research: “Sharks on the Menu: An assessment of the Consumption of Elasmobranchs in Sri Lanka.”

Her study explored shark consumption patterns in Sri Lanka and their implications for fisheries management, research she carried out in collaboration with the Blue Resources Trust. As someone who grew up in Sri Lanka and hopes to return to support local science and coastal communities, this work is especially close to her heart.

With long-haul flights being tough on a student stipend, she applied to the Stingray Fund, and we were delighted to step in with 500 euros to help her get there, share her work, and strengthen her connections in both Sri Lanka and the international research community.

Wishing you fair travels and a fantastic conference, Shathuki — keep charting your own course! 🦈🌍

The post Research Fund 25/12 :: Shathuki Perera appeared first on Flying Sharks.

Remember our friend Buddhi Maheshika, who received funding from us twice already and keeps making us proud every single year? Well… she’s back — and with a request we simply couldn’t say no to!

Buddhi co-founded Ocean Rosy, an incredible Sri Lankan initiative fully devoted to protecting sharks, rays, and all the marine critters we adore. Not only that, she’s also one of the Asia Coordinators for MISS – Minorities in Shark Sciences, and is currently leading several collaborative research projects under the MISS ICONIC Oceans Program. Damn, Buddhi… slow down, you’re making the rest of us look bad!

But here’s the plot twist.

Because Buddhi has been collecting biological samples for her research — age and growth of rays, rare species, you name it — her poor freezer reached maximum shark-and-ray capacity. We’re talking “full to the gills”! Things got to a point where she had to start storing samples in the kitchen freezer. (We have seen the photos… and let’s just say we hope nobody was looking for ice cream in there! He! He! He!)

To keep her work running smoothly, Buddhi requested support to purchase a brand-new 277-liter chest freezer — energy efficient, reliable, and capable of storing enough shark and ray samples to make any elasmobranch scientist weep with joy.

Needless to say…

There was absolutely no way we were going to let her continue juggling frozen rays next to the family groceries, so we wired her 440 euros faster than you can say “Chest Freezer Inverter Technology”.

Keep on rockin’, Buddhi, and please send us a photo of that glorious new freezer once it’s filled with your precious samples!

The post Research Fund 25/11 :: Buddhi Maheshika appeared first on Flying Sharks.