Shark Hero Talks: Melissa Cristina Marquez

Melissa Márquez is the founder of the Fins United Initiative, an educational initiative that introduces audiences to the diverse sharks and scientists who study them. She is also the host of the ConCiencia Azul science-based podcast. She has starred on shark week, having an interesting encounter with a crocodile. Melissa has been called the ‘Mother of Sharks’ and has earned the nickname. She is also a contributor to Forbes.com for shark-related stories.

 

Along with being a major advocate for shark research and conservation, Melissa has become one of the leading advocates for women and minorities in the field of shark research. Here is her TEDx talk on the subject.

 

As a human, Melissa is kind, transparent, and cheerful. I had an enjoyable time interviewing her. She has accomplished so much; check it out for yourself on her website!

 

How did you get motivated to save the shark?

 

“I’ve always been really interested in sharks and misunderstood predators. I think the angle of sharks being the most misunderstood predator (in my opinion) really made me want to be a voice for them. They are beautiful and majestic animals that have such an important role in the marine ecosystem.”

 

“To see shark populations dwindling- the IUCN says that it estimates 31% of sharks and rays are endangered with extinction- makes me really really sad. I don’t want my children and the generations after them to only read about sharks in literature. I want them to witness these beautiful animals that have been around for millions of years but are currently being very rapidly decimated.”

 

How do you showcase shark science in a way that makes it appealing to the general public?

 

“I cut the jargon out. There is some jargon that you’re not going to be able to leave out, such as ‘Ampullae de Lorenzizi’ or ‘lateral line,’ but that’s the jargon that you explain so that people are going to understand why you are using it and what it means. Breaking scientific information into easily digestible bits.” 

 

“I like making games too. I have a series on Instagram and on Twitter that I call ‘Name that Shark’ where I take beautiful photos from photographers on Instagram and showcase them to people so they can see these animals through that photographer’s lens, but also then ask them: ‘Alright, what shark species is this? You follow a shark scientist, let’s teach you a little bit of shark knowledge,’ and I make a game out of it that my followers love.”

 

“I also have a series on Instagram and Twitter, where I ask my followers to vote. I give them 3 different options of shark species to choose from for the ‘Shark of the Week’. Then throughout the week, I give them facts about that shark species. On Mondays, I break down papers I’m reading in shark science that is relevant to the world. Unfortunately, academia is still very much closed off from the general public. Therefore, taking shark knowledge and breaking it down into tidbits that people can bite into and figure out ‘okay, this is what kind of research is being done in the shark world right now, let me know more?’ and they can come to me for a link, or I can refer them to the author of the main article. Essentially, it’s making shark science fun and accessible, and that is what I love to do.”

 

 

 

What can you tell me about fins united that I can’t find online?

 

“I mean, I’m pretty transparent and an open book, so basically everything about Fins United is on our site.”

 

“For the people that don’t know: Fins United is a program that started because I did not see a representation of sharks in classrooms that had Sarasota Bay as a background. People knew that Sarasota Bay was their backyard, but they did not know what sharks and rays lived there. It was really important for me to have that ‘coexisting with nature’ mindset and being like, ‘Okay, they have a right to know what kind of animals live there,’ they have a right to know what these animals are like in case they come across one, and to spark fascination in a diversity of animals that you normally don’t see on TV or in the news. The same thing goes for the scientists that I feature there. 

 

“I strongly believe that you can’t be what you can’t see, and so I hope that when people look a the lineup of people that we’ve interviewed that work with sharks, they can see themselves in that lineup and be like ‘if I end up going into this industry, it’s something that I can see myself in because I’ve seen other people excel in it.’”

 

Has there been a significant change in women shark scientists getting the spotlight since 2017?

 

“Yes and No. I want to say yes because I think I am surrounded by people who want to make that a priority, and so they go out of their way to interview women shark scientists or feature them in some sort of way. I also answer no because I still feel that the mainstream media does not feature women shark scientists. That is something we can always work on, to make shark science more diverse and inclusive.” 

 

What did you write your senior thesis about at NCF?

 

“That was on habitat use of great white sharks. I am continuing to study shark habitat use for my Ph.D. I find it really fascinating that we still don’t know much about how sharks use their habitat. I’m really interested in finding out why sharks are where they are. It’s something I’ve always been interested in, but now for my Ph.D. in using tech!”

 

Can you elaborate on the work you’re doing for your Ph.D.?

 

“I’m using drones and cameras to figure out how sharks use their space and what kind of oceanographic processes influence a sharks habitat use. It is pH, is it the structure of habitat, is it the type of prey available, what is going on that makes an animal choose one area over another even though it looks the same to us.”

 

“I’m also really passionate about looking at the human aspect of what I call the ‘Conservation Equation.’ We are always thinking about how we will manage the animals, but we’re never actually thinking about how we manage ourselves and our relationship with nature. We need to be a part of nature rather than apart from nature, so I think it’s imperative that we foster a ‘co-existing with nature’ mindset.”

 

“ I’m really interested in seeing what kind of factors sway our perception of sharks. Why do some people love sharks while other people hate them? How can we better foster this sense of co-existing with sharks because we’re always going to have positive and negative interactions with predators? It’s important that we find the most effective and sustainable management of these animals, that also allows us to thrive beside them.” 

 

 

Are sharks dangerous?

 

“No, I think that -like any other wild animal- they deserve space and respect. Inherently, sharks are not dangerous. Unfortunately, as more people go to the beach and shark conservation efforts find success, we will possibly see more negative interactions with sharks. It’s one of those things where the phrasing is important, I really hate the term ‘shark-infested waters’ because the ocean is their home, why are we demonizing sharks for being in their own home?”

 

“I don’t think sharks are dangerous. But, I think if we don’t educate people about sharks and the very low risk of a shark bite, people will perceive them as dangerous.”

 

What is your favorite shark species?

 

“Tiger sharks! They’re just so charismatic, and beautiful. I’m obsessed with their teeth structure, and they do not know personal space whatsoever, which I find really endearing.”

 

In which ocean regions could shark populations use more attention?

 

“Can I say all of them? Our oceans don’t have borders, they don’t have walls. So what happens in one part of the ocean will affect other parts of the ocean as a whole. I think in all places we should be looking at the sustainable management of sharks. ”

If you were to obtain a research grant from a university right this second? How would you use it?

 

“If I could have it my way, I would tag all of the sharks I come across with to figure out their local and global movements. I think it’s vital that we know how these animals move and interact with people and each other. Especially with climate change altering what we know about sharks, it impacts their movement so I think it is crucial that we learn about shark movement patterns.

What facts about sharks actually matter when legislation is involved?

 

“I think we really need to focus on the actual threats to sharks. If you go by what the media is saying are the threats to sharks, #1 is shark finning. I do not believe that shark finning is the biggest threat to sharks, overfishing and bycatch are the biggest threats to sharks. The general public is unaware of this because overfishing and bycatch are not reported on as much.”

 

“When you’re looking at policies for sharks you need to think about the actual threats, what science shows are the threats. And think about that before targeting a hot button issue.”

 

In my opinion, shark finning is a form of overfishing, but that’s just my opinion. I agree that the media covers shark finning a lot more than anything else. I want to study bycatch mitigation techniques for shark conservation. I wish more people knew what bycatch even means. But let’s be clear, Melissa (as well as the majority of shark scientists) does not condone shark finning.

 

What is your biggest advice to undergraduate students pursuing careers in conservation?

 

“I think firstly you need to have a good look at if it’s really what you want to do. There is an idea of what a conservation job is and then there’s the reality of it. A lot of people will think that as a shark scientist I’m constantly out in the ocean, but in reality, I’m mostly behind my computer doing a bunch of data analysis or writing things up. Do your research before going into a degree or a job that you’re interested in. 

 

“From there, network. One of the most important things that I have done is network through social media. Social media platforms are great because there are a lot of shark scientists and researchers who use that for their science communication efforts or to promote their work. Now more than ever, you have access to a bunch of experts that you otherwise wouldn’t even know about or read about through books and articles. Take advantage of social media to help you with your career.”

 

“In school, work on your collaboration skills. Don’t be discouraged if you’re bad at math, find someone who is and collaborate with them.” 

 

Follow Melissa on Twitter and Instagram and follow along with the spectacular career she leads!