EEA 2024 IN THESSALONIKI
IMPORTANT DATES

This year’s annual EEA conference will be held in Thessaloniki, Greece, from 22nd to 24th of October, by the Environmental Organisation iSea, with the aim to bring together the scientific community and other stakeholders working with sharks, rays and chimaeras around Europe and the Mediterranean.


The EEA 2024 Conference topic is “Stronger collaboration for better conservation” focusing to bring together not only an increased number of experienced scientists and other stakeholders from different fields of shark and ray research and conservation, but also give an advanced role to younger researchers that will have the opportunity to better meet the EEA community and the most recent results of their work. This year’s aim is also focused on increasing the participation and the scientific input from data-poor areas and countries that are not highly represented within the EEA community and thus researchers from the Balkans, Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East will be invited and encouraged to participate.

EEA 2024 and its overall content; panels, workshops and keynote speakers, were built on the common values of diversity, equity and community, that EEA members share.

We look forward to hosting you during the 3-day conference for which the agenda and events aim to scale up elasmobranch conservation through the establishment of stronger collaborations!

REGISTRATION DEADLINE 30TH OF SEPTEMBER 2024

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Following last years’ experience with keynote sessions, this year we expanded the idea and the agenda of the EEA Conference 2024 is built on 5 keynote sessions of panel discussions. Each session will be 40 minutes long and includes 5 speakers, from senior to young scientists, discussing different key topics of sharks, rays and chimaeras conservation amongst them and in interaction with the audience.

Find our keynote speakers and the overall agenda details on the content of each session below.

The list is progressively updated!

KEYNOTE PANEL 1: Biology and ecology of sharks, rays and chimaeras

Panel facilitator: 

Carlotta Mazzoldi

Carlotta Mazzoldi

Italy

Affiliation: University of Padova, Department of Biology (Italy)

Carlotta Mazzoldi is Full Professor at the Department of Biology of the University of Padova (Italy). The scientific background includes behavioural ecology, evolution and conservation of marine species. Specifically, in the last ten years, the research activities have as a major issue the contribution to the conservation of commercial fish species through integration of data on fishery and fish biological traits. This research line is currently focused on elasmobranchs with the goal to assess their catch, evaluate and compare management strategies integrating data on fishery, life history traits, and behavioural traits of commercial and non-commercial species. Main study approaches include the analyses of fishery data, morphological analyses of specimens, conventional tagging and acoustic telemetry.

Keynote speakers:

Yannis P. Papastamatiou

Yannis P. Papastamatiou

USA

Affiliation: Florida International University

 

Yannis P. Papastamatio has a PhD in Zoology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a MSc  in Biology from the California State University at Long Beach and a BSc in Oceanography with Marine Biology from the University of Southampton in the UK. He’s an Associate Professor in the Florida International University since 2016. Some of his peer reviewed publications include 113 publications in Nature, Science, Proceedings of the Royal Society, Ecology Letters, Ecology, Proceedings of the Royal Society, Journal of Animal Ecology etc. He’s also an author of 6 book chapters and an editor in Oecologia and Animal Biotelemetry.

His field skills include SCUBA diving (PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, AAUS Scientific diver, NAUI Closed circuit rebreather mixed-gas diluent, NSS CSD Full cave diver) and First Aid (DAN Diving Medical Technician).

Jenny Bortoluzzi

Jenny Bortoluzzi

Ireland

Affiliation: Trinity College Dublin

 

Jenny Bortoluzzi is a French/British national currently living in Dublin (Ireland) where she completed her PhD at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) in 2023 using an interdisciplinary approach to study the ecology, biology and conservation of blue sharks and porbeagles. She has since gone on to work for the IUCN Shark Specialist Group on the Important Shark and Ray Project, followed by a position as a Teaching and Research Fellow back in the Department of Zoology at TCD. She has been an ambassador for Sharks4Kids since 2019 and is a passionate science communicator. Her research interests lay in using transdisciplinary approaches to identifying critical habitats of elasmobranchs to inform policy, management and conservation.

Claudia Junge

Claudia Junge

Norway

Affiliation: Institute of Marine Research (IMR)

Dr. Claudia Junge is a researcher at the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) working with cartilaginous and demersal fish species.

Since 2015, she is the chair of the Scientific Committee of the European Elasmobranch Association.

She also represents Norway in the ICES working groups on the Application of Genetics for Fisheries and Aquaculture (WGAGFA) and on the Elasmobranch Fishes, as a stock coordinator for spurdog and basking shark. While since 2021, she joined as a national member for Norway in the OSPAR Fish Expert group and ICAAT shark group and panel 4.

Marco Milazzo

Marco Milazzo

Italy

Affiliation: University of Palermo

 

Dr. Marco Milazzo is Professor of Ecology and Head of the Marine Ecology and Conservation Laboratory at the University of Palermo (Italy). He conducts research on fish ecology and conservation, with a focus on the effects of marine protected areas and anthropogenic activities, and a look at environmental change in shallow ecosystems. He combines underwater visual censuses, diver-operated and baited remotely operated underwater video systems, line-mounted cameras, eDNA and fishery landing techniques to achieve his research goals. In recent years, Marco and his fantastic collaborators have pioneered the study of two seasonal aggregations of sandbar sharks and common eagle rays in southern Italy, as well as contributing to achieving conservation and management gains by assessing the interactions of underwater tourism activities, small-scale and pelagic fisheries, with aggregations of endangered elasmobranchs and other megafauna in the Mediterranean region.

KEYNOTE PANEL 2: Bycatch and the socioeconomic importance of shark and ray fisheries

Panel facilitator: 

Ali Hood

Ali Hood

UK

Affiliation: Shark Trust

Ali Hood is the Director of Conservation for the Shark Trust. She has led the Shark Trust conservation programme over the past two decades, with focus on shark and ray policy concerns, supported by effective public campaigning. Ms. Hood advises the UK government with respect to Regional Fishery Management Organization negotiations, Wildlife Treaties and domestic policy. She has a long history of participating as an invited member of several expert working groups at UK and EU levels, and regularly engages with the European Commission and the UK Devolved Administrations with respect to key fishing and trade decisions. Recent focus has seen work on Shortfin Mako, Blue Shark & Oceanic Whitetips in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and angel shark and Guitarfishes in the Mediterranean. She is past president of the European Elasmobranch Association and currently serves as the Association’s Secretary.

Keynote speakers:

Caroline Bousquet

Caroline Bousquet

France

Affiliation: Environment Agency of Corsica & Angel Shark Project Corsica

 

Caroline is a French marine biologist who earned her MSc in Ecology and Biodiversity Management from the University of Montpellier. Choosing a general background in Ecology for her degree, she gained experience in marine sciences through academic exchanges and internships at institutes such as the University College of Cork (Ireland), Macquarie University (Australia) or the Flanders Marine Institute (Belgium). She worked 5 years at the University of Corsica where she worked on small-scale-fisheries and developed projects on sharks and rays, including the Angel Shark Project: Corsica. She now works at the Environment Agency of Corsica and as a consultant with the Angel Shark Project.

Dimitrios K.Moutopoulos

Dimitrios K.Moutopoulos

Greece

Affiliation: Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, University of Patras

 

Professional background for more than 15 years concerns three main areas of interest; scientific research, education and administration. Scientific research associated with fish and fisheries resources, data handling (through statistical analyses and programming) of large database of quantitative and qualitative information of marine and transitional waters, recovering of historical time series of fisheries data, conventional (field studies) and non-conventional (citizen-science techniques, social media, expert judgement) methods for the collection of biological and fisheries-related information and the sustainability of protected and endangered species of top megafauna that interact with fisheries.

Samira Enajjar

Samira Enajjar

Tunisia

Affiliation: Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer

 

Samira Enajjar is a marine biologist in the Marine Biodiversity laboratory of the National ‎Institute of Science and Technology of the Sea (INSTM) in Tunisia. Since ‎‎2000, she conducts research on eco-biology, biodiversity, fishery, mitigation measures, and systematic of ‎elasmobranchs mainly in batoids in the Gulf of Gabès (GSA 14). ‎Her Ph.D interested in systematic, eco-biology and fishery of the Rhinobatids ‎family in the area. ‎She contributed to the elaboration of Vulnerable Marine Vertebrate Training ‎Manuals. She is also a member of the Med-bycatch project as a supervisor and ‎expert on the elasmobranchs group. She is regularly engaged in training courses ‎related to systematic of batoids in many other national and regional projects. ‎She participated in the elaboration of the Regional Action Plan of the ‎Mediterranean Angel Sharks and the SubRegional Action Plan (SubRAP) of the GSA 12, 13 and 14 (Central Mediterranean Sea).

Periklis Kleitou

Periklis Kleitou

Cyprus

Affiliation: Marine and Environmental Research (MER) Lab

Periklis Kleitou earned his BSc in Environmental Biology and Education from the University of Brighton, UK. He later pursued an MSc in Sustainable Aquaculture at the University of St Andrews, UK, and completed his academic studies with a PhD in Marine Science from the University of Plymouth. Throughout his MSc and PhD academic career, he worked actively at the Marine Environmental Research (MER). Periklis specializes in integrating ecological and socio-economic data to inform effective management decisions and policy-making. He maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, including fishers and environmental managers, and actively participates in projects aimed at reducing bycatch of vulnerable species. These projects include training fishers, testing innovative fishing gears, and developing sustainable alternatives. He holds multiple certifications including FDI Free Diver, PADI Advanced Diver, PADI Deep Dive, and boat captain. He is also certified for offshore work (BOSIET including HUET and EBS training, and BOSIET with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System), a certified JNCC Marine Mammal Observer (MMO), and first-aid qualified. Periklis has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles.

KEYNOTE PANEL 3: Working in data-poor areas

Monica Barone

Monica Barone

Italy

Affiliation: Fisheries Resources Consultant

Monica Barone is a shark specialist, passionate about species identification and expert in management and conservation measures. She holds a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Pisa (Italy), and since 2009, she has worked as a fisheries resources consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. In recent years, she has been collaborating with the GFCM Secretariat for a project on non-indigenous species and with the FAO Statistics Team to manage the ASFIS List of Species for Fishery Statistics Purposes.

Keynote speakers:

Ilija Ćetković

Ilija Ćetković

Montenegro

Affiliation: Laboratory of Ichthyology & Marine Fisheries at the Institute of Marine Biology

 

Ilija Ćetković was born on August 11, 1994 in Kotor (Montenegro). He graduated in biology at the Faculty of Science and Mathematics of the University of Montenegro in 2017, and finished his master’s and PhD studies in the same field and university. He has been employed as a research assistant in the Laboratory of Ichthyology and Marine Fisheries at the Institute of Marine Biology (Kotor, Montenegro) since April 2017. Although he participates in various projects and studies related to fisheries management and monitoring, his primary research interest concerns the biology, ecology and by-catch monitoring of elasmobranchs. He is the author or co-author of several research papers related to these vertebrates, which mainly describe their status and occurrence in the waters of Montenegro (Southeastern Adriatic Sea).

Sara Al Mabruk

Sara Al Mabruk

Libya

Affiliation: Marine Biology in Libya Society

 

Sara Al Mabruk, a marine researcher with a master’s degree, focuses on marine conservation in the Southern Mediterranean, specifically the Libyan Sea. As the co-founder of the Marine Biology in Libya Society and project manager of the Angel Shark Project in Libya, Sara’s main interests lie in elasmobranchs. She collaborates with marine biology organizations to raise knowledge and awareness among Libyan citizens about threatened sharks and rays in Libyan waters.

Mahmoud Farrag

Mahmoud Farrag

Egypt

Affiliation: Al-Azhar University

Dr. Mahmoud Farrag has a Ph.D. in Marine Biology, (Biology & Ecology of Fishes, 2015) and has obtained a Post-doctoral at Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin, Germany in 2019. Some of the fields of experience include: Taxonomy, Biodiversity, Fish biology, Population dynamics, Fisheries Management, Marine Ecology, Aquaculture (Fresh and integrated systems),  Aquatic toxicology, Projects management, Society development and Sustainable development.
He’s an environmental consultant for the environment and biodiversity in the Ministry of the Environment in Egypt. He’s also an expert and consultant (Environmental and Water Resources) at the Egyptian Syndicate of Scientific Professions in Egypt.

Dr. Mahmoud Farrag is a member of ICCAT group of Egypt (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, Madrid, Spain) Credited by AGENCY (LFRPDA) and a committee member at the National Committee of the Oceanography & Fisheries, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) in Egypt. He’s an expert in Water Resources Management in FAO, GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Dr. Farrag is also the general coordinator for the global association of Al-Azhar graduates in Assiut, Egypt. He’s also in the Supervision & Development Department of the Lab. of Marine Products Technology and food analysis an Executive Supervisor in the aquaponic unit, in the Faculty of Science, an ambassador and a supervisor of a fish farm in Al-Azhar University in Assiut, Egypt. He’s participated in many projects in the Mediterranean Sea, lake Nasser, River Nile and aquaculture, biodiversity and stock assessment. He’s also achieved various environmental studies in biodiversity and impact assessment, supervised various Master’s and doctoral theses and participated in many conferences- workshops, meetings – and trainings. Also, he’s a member of various scientific journals and participated in reports of FAO, IUCN et al.,  in three books and published around 75 manuscripts.

He’s cooperated with universities in Egypt, NIOF, World Fish Centre, AGENCY (LFRPDA) in Egypt., OceanCare, GFCM, FAO, SPA/RAC, IUCN, CIESM.

His maritime and marine qualifications include diving, scientific expeditions (scientific and commercial boats), monitoring biodiversity, invasion, elasmobranches, cetaceans and fisheries’ impact on the bycatch.

Adib Ali Saad

Adib Ali Saad

Syria

Affiliation: Director of the Scientific Research and Publishing Department at Al-Manara University, Latakia, Syria, and President of the Syrian Society for Aquatic Environment protection

 

Prof. Adib Ali Saad is the founder and director of the Marine Sciences and Aquatic Environment Laboratory at Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria (1993-2020). Both MSc and Ph.D. degrees (Doctorat d’État Sciences) in Biological sciences from the University of Pierre and Marie Curie (la Sorbonne 6) 1988, Paris, France. He’s obtained his 1st level diploma in Scuba diving. He’s the President of Syrian society for Aquatic environment protection (SSAEP) (NGO) and the President of National Commission for Οceanography since 2010.

Also, he’s a member of Editorial Boards of many scientific journal National and Internationals.

He worked as an associate researcher at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Paris during the period 1986-1988. He’s an expert in the field of fish biology and fish stock assessment in the United Arab Emirates. He’s the Head of the Department of Basic sciences at the Faculty of Agriculture Tishreen University. 

He’s the General Director of General Establishment of Fisheries (GEF) in Syria and the Director of Scientific research and postgraduate studies at Tishreen University. He was also the Dean of High Institute of environmental research of Tishreen University from September 2015 until September 2016.

During 2023, he has participated in the Important Sharks and Rays Areas (ISRA) project to ensure that sharks, rays and chimaeras are taken into account in area-based management initiatives around the world. It is a member of the IUCN Mediterranean Shark Group

He supervised 35 master’s theses and 14 PhD theses, in the field of ichthyology, marine biology, marine and river biodiversity, and cartilaginous fish in Syrian marine waters. He has authored many academic and popular books: including the Atlas of Sharks, Rays, and Chimeras in Syria in 2022 (in Arabic with a summary in English and French). A copy of it is available on the Research Gate website, Atlas of toxic and Harmful Marine Fishes in Syrian Marine Waters (2021). Atlas of marine fish of commercial importance in Syria in 1998, a chapter in a book about marine mammals in Syria, and periodic annual reports about marine turtles in Syria published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). He currently holds the position of Director of the Scientific Research and Publishing Department at Al-Manara University, Latakia, Syria, and President of the Syrian Society for Aquatic Environment protection.

KEYNOTE PANEL 4: Policy framework and emerging tools

Panel facilitator:

Ioannis Giovos

Ioannis Giovos

Greece

Affiliation: iSea

Born in Thessaloniki, Ioannis is a graduate of the Biology Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with a Master’s degree in Fisheries Biology and Management from the same University. Currently, he continues his studies at the University of Patras in collaboration with the University of Padua as a Ph.D. Candidate focusing on shark and ray conservation policies.

With over a decade of experience in Mediterranean apex predators conservation and having served in major organisations such as the Tethys Research Institute, the Institute of Marine Research and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, Ioannis currently coordinates several projects and initiatives related to the conservation of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean. At the same time, he is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Shark Specialist Group, he is the current President of the European Elasmobranch Association. He has more than 50 articles published in scientific journals and more than 60 communications at international and national conferences while he has been involved in the drafting of 3 Action Plans for Endangered Species and participated in the publication of 5 books. He speaks 3 foreign languages, Greek (native) English (C1), Spanish (B2) and is a PADI diving instructor.

Keynote speakers:

Rima Jabado

Rima Jabado

United Arab Emirates

Affiliation: IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) & IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group

 

Dr Rima Jabado is the Deputy Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and Chair of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group. As a scientist and conservationist, she has spent over 20 years developing and working on conservation initiatives globally. Her work focuses on bridging the gap between science and policy to ensure issues such as bycatch, threatened species conservation, and illegal trade are tackled. Her research has been instrumental in influencing decision makers to implement meaningful measures for the protection of species across a range of fisheries. She is now leading the Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) project to ensure sharks, rays, and chimaeras are considered in area-based management initiatives around the world. She is a member of the IUCN Marine Conservation Committee, serves as the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) Appointed Scientific Councilor for Fish, and sits on the Advisory Committee for the CMS Sharks Memorandum of Understanding as the representative of the Asia region. She has also founded the Elasmo Project, a non-profit initiative that encourages and supports work in data-poor areas focused on investigating shark and ray fisheries and trade.

Simone Niedermueller

Simone Niedermueller

Austria

Affiliation: World Wide Fund for Nature, Mediterranean Office

 

Simone Niedermueller is a marine biologist that has been trained at the Universities of Vienna, Lisbon and Queensland. She joined WWF in 2012 working on seafood trade and marine conservation. Before joining WWF Simone worked for the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. With more than a decade of experience working on the conservation of endangered marine species, fisheries and seafood trade including working on the implementation of CITES, she currently leads on the work on shark and ray conservation and management for WWF Mediterranean since 2019.

Lobna Ben Nakhla

Lobna Ben Nakhla

Tunisia

Affiliation: SPA/RAC, The Mediterranean Biodiversity Centre of UN Environment/Mediterranean Action Plan

Lobna Ben Nakhla is a Biologist, working on the marine environment since 2002 in the SPA/RAC, The Mediterranean Biodiversity Centre of UN Environment/Mediterranean Action Plan.

She’s coordinating the vulnerable marine and coastal species programme, which is based on the implementation of regional action plans for the conservation of a species (Monk Seal) or a group of species (cetaceans, sea turtles, birds, cartilaginous fishes). She’s also responsible of the collaboration programmes established every three years since 2006 with the ACCOBAMS Secretariat.

 

Paolo Carpentieri

Paolo Carpentieri

Italy

Affiliation: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

During his academic career, after obtaining a Master’s degree on the presence and distribution of the cetaceans in the Aegean Sea, he got a PhD in “Animal Biology”, focused on the impact of trawl fishing activity on fish demersal assemblage. From 2013 to date, under the general supervision of the Executive Secretary of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). He’s responsible to plan, organize and oversee the implementation of i) discards monitoring programmes, ii) harmonized fisheries independent surveys-at-sea (i.e. both demersal and acoustic-pelagic scientific surveys), and iii) programmes to monitor the interactions between vulnerable species and fishing activities (i.e. incidental catch and dolphin depredation), providing also advise on the identification and test of measures to mitigate both discards and the interactions with vulnerable species (e.g. through the application in commercial gear of selectivity devices such as grids, separation netting, TEDs, etc.)

KEYNOTE PANEL 5: Stimulating public engagement

Panel facilitator:

Eva Meyers

Eva Meyers

Germany

Affiliation: Programme Manager: Angel Shark Project at the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change

Eva Meyers is a conservation biologist from Germany but that was raised in South America. For the past 15 years, she has been involved in various policy, research, and conservation projects across the globe. She has extensive experience as a project manager, field researcher, and founded knowledge in international nature and biodiversity conservation, as well as environmental policy. Eva has worked as a consultant for the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the CMS Sharks Memorandum of Understanding. For the past six years she served as programme management officer for the UN Environment Programme coordinating an intergovernmental platform addressing the conservation and sustainable use of migratory waterbirds.

She co-founded the Angel Shark Project, a collaboration between various institutions including the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, where she is based now, aiming to safeguard the future of Critically Endangered angel sharks. Eva is also a member of the IUCN Species Survival Shark Specialist Group and the German Elasmobranch Association (DEG).

Keynote speakers:

Felipe Ravina

Felipe Ravina

Spain

Affiliation: Documentary filmmaker

Felipe Ravina is from Tenerife, Canary Islands. He graduated from Marine Sciences at Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and is currently dedicated to producing underwater documentaries, like Salvar Tenerife, and different communication campaigns aiming to protect marine biodiversity.

Ian Campbell

Ian Campbell

UK

Affiliation: Padi Aware Foundation

Ian’s career in marine conservation has spanned 20 years and has included working in the public, private and non-profit sectors, and started off volunteering at the iconic Shark Lab in Bimini. Ian spent five years living in the South Pacific leading WWF’s global shark and ray conservation efforts as well as working as a technical specialist to the Fijian government as part of their delegations to CITES and CMS leading the proposal to list mobula rays.

As Associate Director of Policy and Campaigns, Ian leads PADI AWARE’s development and implementation of conservation projects and initiatives with a view to influencing policy at the local, national and global levels, and lead the current work to develop a Global Shark and Ray Census citizen science project with the global recreational diving sector.

Michael Scholl

Michael Scholl

Belgium
Affiliation: University of Liège’s Aquarium and Museum of Zoology
Over the course of his extensive career, Michael’s personal passion for sharks and marine conservation has driven him to hold influential positions that have significantly impacted global efforts. As the Executive Director of the University of Liège’s Aquarium and Museum of Zoology, he spearheads initiatives to promote scientific literacy and environmental stewardship. His role involves managing living animal collections and Naturalia exhibits, ensuring their welfare, and educating visitors about biodiversity.
Michael’s career is marked by notable achievements, including his tenure as CEO of the White Shark Trust (WST) and the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF). His leadership in these organisations, which underscored his commitment to shark conservation and marine research, instils confidence in his ability to inspire the next generation of environmentalists. Additionally, he coordinated the Pangaea Young Explorer Program with explorer Mike Horn, further highlighting his dedication. As Chair of the Communication Working Group for the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group (SSG), Michael contributes to global conservation strategies for sharks, rays, and chimaeras. His work in this capacity underscores his expertise in crafting global strategies, forging partnerships, and elevating brand awareness. Beyond his professional endeavours, Michael is passionate about non-profit management, international team leadership, and innovative environmental communication – he created and acted as the Editor-in-Chief of the Save Our Seas and the Shark News magazines. His diverse background, which includes teaching Sciences and Mathematics, enriches his approach to conservation and education.
Michael’s ultimate goal is to inspire a paradigm shift in how society perceives and protects the Oceans and their inhabitants. Through his leadership and vision, he continues to thrive to make significant strides in marine conservation and environmental education.
Isla Hodgson

Isla Hodgson

Scotland, UK

Affiliation: Save Our Seas Foundation and the University of Stirling

Isla Hodgson is a Science Communicator for the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) and a NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the University of Stirling. For the last four years she has worked in the SOSF Communications Team, creating engaging and educational content about sharks and rays for a diverse audience. This includes the production of the World of Sharks podcast and writing factual articles for both the SOSF website and magazine. She is passionate about making science accessible to everyone and has previously enjoyed roles as a marine biologist and wildlife guide for Basking Shark Scotland, Education Officer for Aberdeen Science Centre and as a researcher and producer in factual science for BBC Studios. As a marine social scientist Isla specialises in environmental governance, conservation conflict management and stakeholder engagement, and has worked with and developed advice for a diversity of sectors. She is currently Principle Investigator of the NERC-funded project KE4SEA, which works with fisheries, local communities and government agencies in Scotland to enhance knowledge exchange and build more effective, sustainable and locally-appropriate strategies for marine protection.

Eleonora de Sabata

Eleonora de Sabata

Italy

Affiliation: president of MedSharks; co-coordinator of LIFE European Sharks project

Eleonora de Sabata is an Italian marine science photo-reporter, conservationist and researcher. With her first-hand experience of the seas, passion for research and ability to engage citizens and Institutions, in 35 years she contributed to increasing environmental awareness among the public, improving scientific knowledge as well as inspiring new environmental regulations. Throughout her career, Eleonora has focused and specialised on marine issues. A contributor to all major Italian ocean magazines for decades, she has often featured in international media, including the Financial Times and National Geographic Magazine and collaborated with BBC, Arte, Discovery Channel. She is the author of several books on marine animals; and curated exhibitions on sharks, tunas and marine litter and. A TEDx speaker, she is a regular guest lecturer in events and conferences and often appears on TV as an expert commentator on marine environmental topics. Eleonora worked for several European conservation projects, and she successfully coordinated Clean Sea LIFE – a flagship project of the European Union’s LIFE programme, voted bestenvironmental project in the EU in 2022. She is currently working on the LIFE European Sharks project, an ambitious effort to safeguard Mediterranean sharks and rays. Eleonora’s passion for discovery led her to develop marine citizen science in Italy, harnessing the observational power of ocean communities to advance science. Over 25 years, her ongoing initiative Osservatorio Mediterraneo, the first of its kind in Italy, produced scores of scientific articles and inspired three new research projects on endangered sharks (namely: sandbar sharks and guitarfish in Turkey; basking sharks, nursehound sharks and eagle rays) that she carries out with MedSharks, the Italian NGO she co-founded in 2001. A public figure in the Italian diving community, she regularly involves diving clubs, training agencies and divers in her citizen-science research and conservation projects- In 2021 Eleonora established MedFever, a network of diving centers monitoring climate change and mass mortality events around the Tyrrhenian sea.In collaboration with research groups throughout Europe, she published scientific papers in the fields of marine ecology, geology and oceanography. Two new species of mollusks (Jujubinus eleonorae and Alvania desabatae) were described from samples collected by herself or within Osservatorio Mediterraneo, and named after her. For these activities she has received support from European programmes, including the LIFE programme and Erasmus+, Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco, Project Aware, Save Our Seas Foundation, LUSH and other private sponsors.

WORKSHOPS:
Marine spatial planning and shark conservation in the Mediterranean

Marine spatial planning and shark conservation in the Mediterranean

WWF Med - Simone Niedermuller

This workshop aims to explore how Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) can support shark conservation efforts in the Mediterranean Sea. Participants will learn about the principles of MSP, current shark conservation challenges, and examine case studies showcasing successful integration of MSP and shark conservation.

• Understand the principles and benefits of Marine Spatial Planning.
• Explore the role of MSP in promoting sustainable marine ecosystems.
• Analyze case studies demonstrating successful MSP and shark conservation integration.
• Identify collaboration opportunities and innovative approaches in the Mediterranean context

Innovasea Fish Tracking – New Advancements in Acoustic Telemetry

Innovasea Fish Tracking – New Advancements in Acoustic Telemetry

Innovasea - Dr. Andre Steckenreuter

This workshop will give you a comprehensive overview of what can be achieved regarding spatio-temporal movements of aquatic animals using acoustic telemetry. We will discuss how this ever-advancing technology cannot only answer where and when an animal is but also why (focus on sharks & rays). Thus, we will dive into the advantages of, e.g. transmitter sensor options such as acceleration and predation and our latest receiver model (NexTrak system). Another focus will be on recent advancements in software development and the data analyses capabilities of our Fathom software suite such as fine-scale positioning, range testing, but also mobile data offloads, etc. Finally, you will get a chance to experience Innovasea’s equipment firsthand during live demos!

Amvrakikos Alliance – Working in a critical area for sharks and rays

Amvrakikos Alliance – Working in a critical area for sharks and rays

iSea - Martina Ciprian

Amvrakikos Alliance its a coalition of entities, the first of its kind in Greece, aiming to contribute to the effective management of the Amvrakikos Gulf National Park and assist the work of its responsible Management Agency by creating a long-term partnership among different stakeholders operating in the Amvrakikos Gulf, via a variety of actions that include research, outreach and more. The members of the Alliance meet 3 times per year to discuss all matters regarding Amvrakikos Gulf National Park conservation and management. In 2024 the last meeting of the year will take place in the context of the European Elasmobranch Association Annual Conference and will be open to all delegates, for sharing experiences and ideas from other similar efforts and regions.

 

Find more here: https://isea.com.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Amvrakikos-Gulf-Biodiversity-Threats-Laymans-Report.pdf

Young Conservationists in Chondrichthyan Conservation

Young Conservationists in Chondrichthyan Conservation

iSea - Roxani Naasan Aga Spyridopoulou

This side event aims to connect youth and early career scientists who work or aim to work in Chondrichthyan conservation. During the event the participants will be called to identify challenges in career seeking opportunities and work environments (NGOs, institutes and academia) and suggest solutions by sharing thoughts and exchanging experiences. This event will be an opportunity to get to know other youth and early career scientists and serve as the beginning of a dialogue between Chondrichthyan conservationists and researchers who value equity, diversity, and community.

How to use social media to talk about shark science and conservation, and why you should

How to use social media to talk about shark science and conservation, and why you should

David Shiffman Consulting, INC.- Dr. David Shiffman

It’s never been more important to break out of the ivory tower and engage with the public, and modern communications tools like social media and blogs make it easier than ever before in human history for experts to share their expertise with the interested public. However, the changing social media landscape, including the decline of twitter and the emergence of many competing alternatives, makes this confusing for scientists and conservationists looking to get started. In this workshop, award-winning public science educator Dr. David Shiffman will walk you through basic principles and advanced strategies for how to communicate shark science and conservation to the public and introduce you to some of the leading social media tools for public science engagement. Bring a computer or smartphone, and bring your questions!

 

David Shiffman is the CEO of David Shiffman Consulting, INC., a Washington, DC based consulting firm that helps scientists and conservationists communicate with the public, with journalists, and with policymakers. Clients include UNFAO FIsheries, the IUCN Red List, PADI, the Ocean Conservancy, NOAA, and dozens of universities and small non-profits around the world.
He has obtained a Liber Ero Postdoctoral Fellowship in Conservation Leadership, 2017-2019 and holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, 2016. He’s been awarded as “Simon Fraser University Newsmaker of the Year”,  “Sigma Xi, the International Scientific Honor Society, Full Member” and “Florida Marine Science Educator of the Year, FMSEA”.
Developing an Action Plan for tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus) in the North East Atlantic

Developing an Action Plan for tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus) in the North East Atlantic

Dutch Elasmobranch Society (NEV) - Irene Kingma, Paddy Walker

In 2022 the tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus) was listed on appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) as a species that has a conservation status which would significantly benefit from the international cooperation that could be achieved by international agreement. To aid international cooperation and define management priorities for the North East Atlantic populations of the tope shark, the development of a Single Species Action Plan (SSAP) would be a crucial first step. In this meeting we will explore what the objectives and content of such a plan should be and invite experts and stakeholders to discuss their involvement and the way forward.


ABOUT THE EEA

The European Elasmobranch Association (EEA) is a non-profit umbrella organisation of European organisations dedicated to the study, management and conservation of sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras (cartilaginous fishes or chondrichthyans).

The objectives of the EEA are to coordinate the regional and international activities of its member organisations to advance research, sustainable management, conservation and education on cartilaginous fishes throughout Europe. The EEA was established in 1996 as a share-holding organisation. It is an association of organisations, not individuals and each country is represented by one member.

The EEA is run by a Board of Directors (one EEA delegate from each of its member organisations), which appoints a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and other officers. The board formally meets at the EEA Annual Scientific Meeting and holds the Annual General Meeting (AGM) concurrently. This provides opportunities to discuss business and policy issues and report back on activities over the previous year.

The EEA holds Annual Scientific Meetings, which are attended by international researchers, non-governmental organisation (NGO) representatives, students and interested members of the public, offering high-profile discussions and a presentation forum in the marine science and conservation context. In recent years, both the Annual General Meeting and Annual Scientific Meeting, have been combined and are the highlight of European elasmobranch activities.

ABOUT iSea

iSea is an Environmental Organisation founded in 2016 in Thessaloniki, Greece, with the vision of a healthy Mediterranean Sea supporting sustainable development and resilience of local coastal communities. Its team consists of young, but experienced, people from multidisciplinary backgrounds that share their passion for environmental protection and enthusiastically work based on the common values of collaboration, transparency, scientificity and equity.

"Working together with local communities to preserve and restore the Mediterranean Sea" iSea aims to 1) promote science-based measures and sound policies for the protection of the environment, 2) protect the aquatic ecosystems through raising awareness on current environmental problems and promote good practices to address them and 3) elaborate and promote scientific research, as the basis for sustainable development and resilience with the aim of environmental, social, and economic prosperity of the local communities.

Through scientific research, advocacy, awareness raising, Citizen Science and innovation it implements actions in 4 pillars: 1) Aquatic litter, 2) Human & aquatic ecosystems, 3) Marine Protected Areas and 4) Vulnerable species.


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