Shark Allies did not appear overnight as a shark-saving concept, but rather grew slowly and organically over the years. Before Shark Allies was officially formed, we gathered years of experience working in the field, diving with sharks and introducing thousands of people to sharks through dive experiences on the North Shore of Oahu. During those years we also participated in many research projects and film productions. From this basis, outreach to schools and the public evolved easily, and eventually, it made sense to create a non-profit that would organize the work in a strategic way. The legislative work began in 2010 with the creation of the first shark fin trade ban in the world, which we were privileged to help develop and bring to passage, paving the way for not only shark conservation but also elephant ivory and rhino horn trade ban legislation. This victory propelled us to a new level of work, which has continued to grow and spread across the region, and our accomplishments continued to grow.
Shark Allies is an organization that invites participation and hopes to inspire the public. We thrive on the power and energy that our hard working volunteers bring to the cause. There is no limit to what we can achieve for sharks if we lift the issue out of the shadows and bring it into the light of the public. We couldn’t do what we do without support. It is our task to find the way and shape the strategy, but it is everyone else’s willingness to get involved that will empower the movement.
