Sean's campaign for Haiti Ocean Project

Our research trip to Haiti in search of juvenile oceanic whitetips has come and gone for 2019.  But the work continues...

Want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money to support local fishermen that are contributing to the survival of juvenile oceanic whitetips in Haiti.

Less than one year ago these same fishermen in Anse-a-Veau and Petite-Riviere-de-Nippes where catching and killing these sharks to put food on their tables.  Since our research trip and with the amazing work of the Haiti Ocean Project, these fishermen have become shark advocates.  They are assisting in our research goals by sampling and releasing these animals back to the wild.  Since I left Haiti in July over 30 juvenile oceanic whitetip sharks have been released alive thanks to the hard work and support of local fishermen and the Haiti Ocean Project.

This comes at considerable cost to these fishermen.  They loose gear and bait to the sharks.  They spent time and fuel keeping the sharks alive while Haiti Ocean Project crews deploy to sample and release them back to the wild.

I am raising money to help support these Haitian fishermen by:

1. Reimburse for lost fishing gear and bait damaged and/or destroyed in the release process.

2. Reimburse for fuel costs in a country who's supply is not always stable.

3. Purchase cell phones and data plans which are provided to fishermen to identify, record and report juvenile oceanic whitetips incidentally captured so that crews can be deployed to sample and release them alive.

4. Creation and/or replacement of Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) used by the fishermen.

All donations are made direct to the Haiti Ocean Project, a 501(c)(3) registered Charitable Organization in the USA.

I am proud of the commitment that these local fishermen have made in contributing to the survival of this species.  To kick off this campaign I am contributing $500.  I hope you will also consider making a donation.  Donations go directly to the Haiti Ocean Project through GoFundMe, and are tax deductible.   They do not go to me.

Thank you,

Sean.

Update 1.  Oceanic Whitetips have just been reassessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).  The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species previously listed whitetips as Globally Vulnerably.   Their new status just released this week has them downgraded to Critically Endangered, highlighting the need to take all steps to preserve this species.