November 22, 2023

eOceans and Almanustra Join Forces to Spearhead Shark Monitoring and Conservation across Indonesia

[Manado, Indonesia] — International ocean app and analytics company, eOceans, has embarked on a transformative partnership with Indonesian marine science and conservation foundation, Almanustra, to revolutionize shark monitoring and conservation across Indonesia. “eShark—Indonesia” is a visionary collaboration that leverages the eOceans app to unite scuba divers and other ocean explorers, including tourists, dive shops, fishers, and NGOs, to foster real-time collaborations and actionable steps to protect sharks and marine ecosystems in Indonesia.

Indonesia is famous for its breathtaking marine biodiversity, shark diving hotspots, including with the famous walking epaulette sharks, and is a critical area for marine conservation efforts. Sharks play diverse, crucial roles in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems and are an important draw for dive tourists who visit Indonesia from around the world. The eOceans and Almanustra partnership seeks to harness the power of citizen science and technology to gather vital data — not only on sharks, but also their threats, social values, and conservation successes — to make smart, timely, actionable decisions for shark conservation.

"We are excited to partner with Almanustra to drive meaningful change in shark monitoring and restoration," said Dr. Christine Ward-Paige, CEO at eOceans. "By uniting all ocean explorers across Indonesia and around the world using the eOceans app, we can exponentially scale shark monitoring efforts, enabling real-time collaborations and actionable steps towards smart conservation."

Building on the success of the Great Fiji Shark Count, eShark—Thailand, eShark-Global, Shark Sanctuary evaluations, eManta, the “100 million sharks are killed each year” study, and more, this partnership aims to replicate and scale these initiatives throughout Indonesia. The eOceans app provides a platform for ocean enthusiasts to log their observations — like dives, snorkels, beach walks, fishing expeditions, etc. — and seamlessly contributing to a comprehensive dataset on shark populations, threats, values, and behaviors. The information gathered is then analyzed and mapped in real-time by eOceans to create evidence-based strategies for the protection of sharks and their habitats.

"We believe that tourism, marine conservation, technology, and community shark science go hand in hand" said Dr. Stephanus Mandagi, Director at Almanustra. "This partnership aligns with our commitment to environmental stewardship and allows Almanustra and their community to actively engage in marine conservation efforts wherever they are across Indonesia."

Beyond sharks, the eOceans app and analytical tools can be used for any species, issue (e.g., plastic pollution, illegal fishing), value (e.g., tourism, fishing), marine protected areas, fisheries, blue economy, and more.

The collaboration underscores the potential for ecotourism and citizen science to drive impactful change in marine conservation. By uniting ocean explorers and stakeholders in the eOceans app, this partnership seeks to pave the way for a sustainable future for all ocean life and the people who depend on it.

For media inquiries or further information about the paper, please contact:

Dr. Christine Ward-Paige, CEO
eOceans
www.eOceans.app
chris@eOceans.co