Pelagic Shark Research Foundation (PSRF)

About us

The Pelagic Shark Research Foundation (PSRF) was formed as a nonprofit (as a project of Earth Island Institute) research and education group in 1990 to help address the critical lack of data, and contribute to public awareness of the issues involved in shark conservation. The word ´Pelagic´ is an ancient Greek word for the open ocean, high seas, offshore environment, of which most of the Earth´s surface is comprised.

The mission of PSRF is to develop and assist projects that contribute to a better understanding of elasmobranchs (scientific term for the Group of sharks and rays), with an emphasis on those which contribute to their conservation and management.
PSRF has developed a multifaceted approach to dealing with the issues involved consisting of research conducted by PSRF, research projects sponsored or assisted by PSRF, and an educational outreach program. Moreover, PSRF is eliciting the guidance of a broad-based group of institutions and researchers to assist in the continued development of these areas

Activities
• Research - individual and cooperative: PSRF is primarily involved in gathering data on sharks that occur in and around Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay. Besides providing tagging data important for assessing the abundance, distribution and migratory patterns of sharks, PSRF is researching and contributing to research which documents their behavior, biology and ecology. Moreover, PSRF intends to add to the literature regarding the development of less invasive and more effective capture and tagging techniques.
• Education: PSRF has often been called on to give public lectures to school groups or concerned citizen groups. We also have worked often with various news media and press from around the world to highlight timely shark research or conservation related issues. We feel that a broad-based educational approach will be most effective in promoting increased awareness of the problems surrounding shark fisheries, and dispel the myths surrounding these animals. Currently, we are attempting to expand our efforts to include the production of many new elements such as educational brochures, a newsletter, a book on local species of sharks, and even a site for information on the Internet.
• Wildlife Consulting - Naturalist, Guide Service and Task Management: Research and conservation projects and educational film and documentary projects have been carried out by Team Pelagic

Projects
• Año Nuevo Island: White Shark Tracking Study
• Open Water: The Monterey bay/Marine Canyon pelagic shark tagging project
• Elkhorn Slough: Estuarine Elasmobranch Research Project
• Collection/Stranding Response Unit: Specimen Acquisition

Sean Van Sommeran is the Executive Director of the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation (PSRF).

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.