2015-2016 Annual Report
2015-2016 Annual Report
The Global FinPrint Project – the first worldwide shark census – is intended to advance shark conservation efforts with an impact that will be felt for generations to come. Conceptualized by an international team of experts, including the visionary Paul G. Allen of Vulcan Inc., FinPrint will significantly drive shark conservation and measurably improve global ocean health.
The project launched in July 2015 with experts across four institutions led by FIU. It entails conducting surveys of sharks, rays, and other marine life on coral reefs using baited remote underwater video (BRUV), with a goal of filling a critical information gap about the diminishing populations of these species. FinPrint data will improve our understanding of how predators influence coral reef ecosystems and the effect that humans have on these species and their habitats.
"FinPrint allows us to convene experts and build a powerful, collaborative network of institutions, conservations, and citizen scientists to survey the sharks that are left and understand and communicate their role in ocean ecosystems," explains Demian Chapman, Ph.D., Associate Professor in FIU’s School of Environment, Arts and Society, and Global FinPrint Lead Principal Investigator. "We are grateful for the new partnership between FIU, Paul G. Allen, and his team at Vulcan Inc."
An estimated 100 million sharks are killed annually through commercial fishing. Habitat loss and climate change, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, also imperils sharks worldwide. These predators balance the natural food web and are vital to the health of our oceans. Yet they are facing severe population declines, with nearly a quarter of shark, ray, and skate species currently threatened with extinction. Global FinPrint data will be made available to scientists and researchers through a database created by Vulcan’s Technology Development team. It will give researchers, policy makers, governments, fisheries, and others – including students and educators – tangible facts to understand and prioritize areas for shark conservation and help rebuild populations that are in trouble.
Thank you from the Global FinPrint Team!
Jeremy Kiszka, Ph.D., Kirk Gastrich and Elizabeth Whitman
Paul G. Allen granted $3.9 million to FIU to launch the Global FinPrint Project, seeding the initiative’s first three years and enabling the team to sample more than 200 reefs across approximately 50 countries. Mr. Allen seeks to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges through data and technology. An avid SCUBA diver, Mr. Allen was concerned by declining shark populations and asked his team of ocean health experts to identify gaps that needed to be filled. He was directed to foremost subject experts – FIU’s Drs. Demian Chapman and Mike Heithaus. They began talking and quickly realized their visions aligned perfectly – so Global FinPrint was born!
"Paul Allen attacks tough problems first by understanding them, and then finding innovative solutions by leveraging the diverse resources he has created. FinPrint is a good example of this approach by using data and technology to understand an issue better so we can help solve it." – Tony Banbury, Chief Philanthropic Officer at Vulcan Inc.
"Working with Vulcan Inc. has been one of the most unique, productive collaborations in my career. We strategize together and leverage one another’s expertise and resources. We cannot do this alone and, although we have a long way to go, together we will get there!" – Mike Heithaus, Ph.D., Dean, FIU College of Arts, Sciences & Education, and Global FinPrint Co-lead Principal Investigator