Mission William.

Why this project is so important:

Illegal fishing as a threat to sharks and the local community

Like most waters worldwide, the coastal waters off Sao Tome are heavily overfished. In addition, the region in and around the Gulf of Guinea as far as St. Helena has been heavily affected by illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing for years. As a result, the approximately 4,500 local fishermen are facing increasingly difficult living conditions.

This also poses a major threat to whale sharks, the largest shark species in the region at up to 21 meters. Whale sharks can be found seasonally in large numbers in this area, yet they are considered to be threatened with extinction. IUU fishing endangers them not only in this region, but also on their migration routes.   

A project with a special name is launched 

In the search for a solution to the problems, among others, the William project was launched by the Over the Swell association. The name of the project is based on a very special story.

Hugues de Kerdrel, from Over the Swell, met a 13-year-old palliative care boy called William. William had developed a great passion for all marine animals and whale sharks in particular. In June 2021, Hugues promised young William that he would name a whale shark after him. Sadly, Willam passed away in January 2023, but his passion for whale sharks and all marine animals lives on and fuels the drive to pass on healthy oceans to future generations.

Ambitious plans for a complex problem

The project is part of a multinational joint project. A total of five countries, more than seven institutions and ten specialized scientists are involved in the project. The scope of the project is very ambitious, which is necessary given the complexity of the problem.  

The aim is to research the movement patterns of whale sharks, generally determine the diversity of species in the region with the involvement of fishermen, carry out educational work with local fishermen, curb shark fishing in the region, create alternatives for the survival of the local population and, last but not least, establish Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).  

Cooperation with local fishermen

One of the keys to the success of the project is cooperation with the local fishing community. A comprehensive education program is designed to raise awareness about sharks and their role in the ecosystem, specifically about whale sharks and the effects of IUU and overfishing.

It is hoped that greater knowledge among the local population will have a positive effect on the protection of the local marine ecosystem. Project manager Hugues de Kerdrel is also building a network with the fishermen so that they can be informed by telephone when whale shark sightings occur. In future, an APP should be used by the fishermen to enter the type of fish (whale shark, other shark species, etc.), coordinates, date and time. 

The role of SHARKPROJECT

The critical situation on the ground, which we have already been able to see for ourselves, did not make us hesitate and so we have been supporting the project since 2023. We try to help as much as we can by financing equipment such as satellite transmitters, but also help in the area of education.