Using Education to Protect Great White Sharks: A Discussion with Marianne Long
BY TAYLOR IRWIN
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy is a Cape Cod, Massachusetts based non-profit organization with the mission to support scientific research, improve public safety, and educate the community to inspire white shark conservation. Marianne Long is the Education Director at AWSC. She works with the Education team to create and deliver education programs that engage the public. They offer summer programs, participate in outreach events, present school programs, and have an outreach facility for visitors to come and learn about white shark biology and research. We had the opportunity to have a conversation with Marianne about her very important and interesting role in white shark conservation.
Why is education and community engagement so important for protecting great white sharks?
White sharks are apex predators that play a critical role in maintaining a healthy and balanced marine ecosystem. They are also considered a keystone species, meaning they are integral to the ecology they inhabit. But there are a lot of misconceptions about sharks, white sharks especially, and a great deal that we still don’t know about them.
Talking with the public to answer their questions, bring truth to some of the misconceptions, and explain the role sharks play in our ecosystem helps the community to understand why sharks are important and hopefully inspire a respect for the animal. AWSC believes awareness inspires conservation, and we strive to bring that awareness to the community.
White sharks are often being discussed on the news in the summer months here in New England, but the news only provides a 25 second clip or highlight. We want to be here to provide the full picture and explain what it is the news is reporting, so the community gets a full understanding of what is taking place off our coastline.
Why do we need to conserve great white sharks anyway – are they threatened?
White Sharks are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list, and under state and federal legislation they are protected from commercial and recreational fishing.
Sharks, especially great whites, are a fear for so many people - how do you deal with these preconceived fears when trying to promote conservation and awareness through education?
In working with the community, we have had many conversations with folks who explain that movies like Jaws have led to their fear of sharks, especially white sharks. They are wild animals, and they are animals that are often set up to be the villain in a movie or book. When engaging with people who have a fear of sharks we often try to ask questions to understand where their fear comes from. We then use their answers to guide the conversation and generate an educational experience for them, replacing fear with facts. We understand not everyone is going to love or even like sharks, but if people begin to understand their role in the ecosystem, and have a respect for the animal, that can help in conservation.
You mentioned Jaws, this film is based in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the same place AWSC is. Do you find opportunities to educate and reverse the narrative using your location?
We do! The film is often part of the conversations we have, and we have met many folks who have an interest in sharks because of the movie. At our outreach facility, the Shark Center, located in Chatham, we have a replica of Bruce, the mechanical shark used in filming. It is a favorite of visitors and a great educational tool for us to show how much they exaggerated the size of the shark in the movie. We also have the storyboards that were used to pitch the book to be made into a movie. The illustrations are beautiful and have been great to share with visitors to discuss how the author of the book, Peter Benchley, is actually quoted as saying if he could do it all over again, the shark would not be the villain in the plot. He understood that sharks are an important part of our marine ecosystem and he hated to see that his story became the reason so many people feared and disliked sharks. He went on to spend the rest of his life advocating for shark conservation with his wife, Wendy Benchley.
Can you tell me a little bit about the Gills Club?
The Gills Club has been one of my most favorite parts of my job. The Gills Club is AWSC’s STEM based education initiative dedicated to connecting girls with female scientists from around the world, sharing knowledge, and inspiring shark and ocean conservation. It consists of a science team, made up of more than 100 female shark researchers from around the world, who share their knowledge, experiences, and time to inspire the next generation of female shark and ocean stewards. We have regional groups that meet monthly for hands-on learning opportunities (with Covid-19, many of these events have been on hold or held virtually), as well as an app to engage people all around the world. The app is a free download for apple and android devices that provides users to get to know the science team, learn about individual species, and engage with different shark activities. With current times how they are, we are really excited to have this resource to engage learners of all ages.
What is one thing I can do right now to support the conservation of sharks?
Ask questions, learn facts, and then share what you learn with others. People often fear what they don’t understand, so when people take a few minutes to learn about shark biology and understand the role they play in our marine ecosystem, it helps those individuals to respect the animal. By sharing that information with others, you never know how it can change someone’s perspective and get them onboard to help in conservation.
It’s also important to remember how connected our world is, and how the choices you make can have a positive impact in conservation. Saying no to a plastic straw, using a reusable cup at the coffee shop, using paper or reusable bags when shopping- all of these choices are ones that are better for the environment.
What is one piece of advice you can give to an aspiring young shark conservationist/scientist?
Be open to all opportunities. A career in conservation/science isn’t linear, and your experiences can all build off one another, and you never know where they could take you. If you love and have an interest in turtle research, but you have the opportunity to participate in a lobster project- go for it! There are so many ways to help in conservation, and although everyone thinks of science first, it is not the only option. Education, illustration, marketing, business… all of these professions play a role in conservation, so be open to trying any of them.
What is your favorite shark fact?
When you see cartoons or artwork of sharks, you often see them illustrated with 3 or 4 gill slits on either side of their body. By definition, a shark is an animal with at least 5 gills slits on either side of their body. So, when you see a picture of a shark, you can tell if it is accurate or not by counting the number of gill slits on the body. A true shark will have 5-7 on either side of their body.
Does AWSC have any big plans for 2021?
We are expanding our college internship program this upcoming year, which we are very excited about. We host college interns during the summer months (our busiest season), and we look forward to the energy the interns bring and being able to provide them with an enriching experience on Cape Cod.
Editor’s note: The AWSC internships portal is now open! Applications close February 12, 2021. There are multiple positions available in education, research and public outreach. Check it out!