Shark Week seeks to highlight the importance of Sabah in shark conservation

Scuba Junkie, the award-winning dive operator based in Sabah, is running a ‘Shark Week’ - a fun-filled week of activities to raise awareness of shark conservation in Sabah waters and worldwide.

 ‘Shark Week’ will run from 30 August – 5 September  in Kota Kinabalu, Semporna and at the Mabul Beach Resort on Pulau Mabul  - hosted by SEAS (Shark Education Awareness Survival), the conservation arm of Scuba Junkie. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend – events will be suitable for all ages and walks of life.

The week will focus on responsible, reliable information about sharks and rays and their conservation issues and efforts worldwide, particularly the work of the Sabah Shark Alliance. The week will also promote the importance of Sabah’s marine ecosystems and the conservation efforts to protect them, by both the Malaysian Government and environmental NGOs.

“We need to move away from the highly sensationalized ‘shark attack!!’ perception of sharks, fuelled by the generation of irresponsible information.” says Ric Owen, Director of Scuba Junkie. “Our Shark Week will focus on amazing, yet responsible information about sharks – which are incredible creatures, their lives needing no negative embellishments. Sadly, up to one third of all shark species are being pushed toward extinction in the very near future. SEAS Shark Week will bring attention to the global threats to shark populations, and examine what Sabah is doing and can do to alleviate these problems”

Sabah has an amazing wealth of marine biodiversity, not least the number of sharks and rays seen in this area. There are an estimated 63 species of sharks and 68 species of ray in Malaysia, and Sabah in particular is one of the world’s best places to dive and snorkel with sharks - boasting species  from the extremely rare and elusive Borneo shark to the largest fish in the sea, the graceful whale shark. Sabah is also one of the last population strongholds for endangered species such as the scalloped hammerhead, which has seen global population declines of up to 90% in the last 50 years.  “This is an incredible range of species of sharks in one area, and any efforts to protect them, or to raise awareness of how unique Sabah is, are to be applauded” said David McGuire, Director of Shark Stewards.

Dave McCann, Environmental Officer for SEAS, said, “Sabah is a vitally important area for marine species and conservation, we want to provide a source for everyone – tourists and locals alike -  to learn about the shark species and marine life in this incredibly diverse area, which is proud to boast many species of sharks and rays. We also want to highlight the ongoing work of the Sabah Shark Alliance and the calls for more protection for sharks in the waters of Sabah.”

Dave continued: “In addition to their importance in the marine environment, it is estimated that dive tourism brings in US$34 million to the Semporna region, of which US$7.8million can be attributed to sharks alone – 26% of the total revenue. From an economic and environmental point of view, we really need to highlight the importance of these amazing animals to the livelihood of Sabah.”

The line up for the week includes lectures from shark experts, documentary screenings and information from shark and ray conservation organisations, Scubazoo and Project Aware, as well as other environmental efforts such as reef and beach cleans, community engagement and information on the Sabah Shark Alliance. Fun activities for the week include movie nights and pub quizzes and a beach party.

Events during the week will be suitable for all ages and everyone is encouraged to get involved –sandcastle building for families, through to pub quizzes, documentary nights – there is something to suit all tastes and ages! All this is on top of the world-class diving Scuba Junkie offers at Sipadan and Mabul, as well as surrounding islands.

Steve Ashby, Manager at Mabul Beach Resort, said, “I am really looking forward to Shark Week, last year exceeded expectations. This year, with more groups working together – especially with Green Semporna and Shark Stewards getting involved, it should make even more of an impact! We are looking forward to meeting every one and bringing together like-minded individuals for the benefit of sharks in both Sabah and worldwide.”

For more information please contact [email protected]

Scuba Junkie has won numerous awards for environmental and conservation efforts in the Sabah region, most notably winning the WildAsia Responsible Tourism Award in both 2012 and 2013.