The Shark Trust.

 

Established in 1997, the Shark Trust started life on the corner of a desk in Newbury. Three years later our small team had set up shop in a room designed to be an ice cream parlour based outside the newly-built National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, UK. We even had our own slushy machine!

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Twenty years on we've grown a little in size and a lot in terms of reach and influence. Still based in Plymouth (Britain’s Ocean City), our office now accommodates a team of 8. Plymouth has a rich heritage in fisheries and marine science. From here we work at an international level to safeguard the future of sharks and their close relatives – the skates, rays and chimaera.

In 2006 we became a founding member of the Shark Alliance - a coalition of European partners. Together we advocated for the adoption of a European Community Plan of Action for Sharks (2009) and to close loopholes in the EU Finning Regulations. This led to the strengthened European Finning Ban (2013). A huge win for shark conservation.

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Collaboration is at the heart of our work. We've always worked with the UK Government and an ever-growing network of partners. The UK is now internationally recognised as a champion for shark conservation. And this enables us to influence and create positive change for sharks further afield.

Shark conservation is a global issue needing global solutions. In 2016 we launched a new Global Plan for sharks and rays with a coalition of international partners. We also continue to work on a portfolio of projects and campaigns; from local to global level.

Proudly based in the UK, we represent a membership base from around the world!

 

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