Today we turned our attention from manta rays to sharks, with a special guest Ranny Yueni who is WWF’s Shark Officer and also an alumnus of MIP 2013.

Ranny explains about WWF’s work to tackle shark bycatch

Our class began with a pre-test, and we had to answer several questions about sharks and their management. Ranny then explained about the issue of shark bycatch in Indonesia, and several places where large numbers of sharks are landed, including Indramayu, Muara Angke, Tanjung Luar, and Cilacap. According to a study by WWF and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, 72% of all sharks and rays caught in Indonesia are bycatch!

Next we had a drawing session! Our challenge was to draw the species of shark that are commonly caught in Indonesia, and describe their identification characteristics. We began by listing the species we know, and eliminating those species that are not found in Indonesia. Then we each drew five species and added information about their conservation status, distinguishing features, feeding, behavior, habitat, and distribution. Finally we presented our drawings to the class. The colourful pictures really helped me to understand and remember the characteristics we can use to identify different species of shark.

Willy explains how to identify a thresher shark

After learning about conservation and identification, we also practiced shark handling! Good handling techniques are important if sharks are caught as bycatch, so that they can be released without harm to both humans and the shark.

As we are young marine leaders in Indonesia, Ranny challenged us to discuss our opinions about shark conservation and managed at national and regional levels in Indonesia. This discussion made me think more widely about the challenges and issues associated with managing these species, and the importance of considering both species conservation and the livelihoods of local fishermen.