Earlier in October, Explorer's Club member Aliah Banchik, along with her club, the FINstitute, hosted a massive shark conservation event. The FINstitute, situated at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia, stands as more than just a student-led club; it serves as a beacon of optimism for the realm of ocean conservation. With a straightforward yet profound objective, the FINstitute aims to bolster Australian and Indonesian shark conservation efforts through collaborative scientific endeavors, fostering student research, and facilitating hands-on learning experiences. Despite their relatively brief tenure of two semesters at JCU, this team has already etched an impressive legacy.
Aliah Banchik serves as the co-founder and President of The FINstitute, while also being an active student member within our chapter of the Explorer’s Club. Teaming up with her co-founder and vice-president, Luca Hoffecker, and their committed executive team, they orchestrated the "From Me, to Hiu" fundraising event. The event encompassed two main activities aimed at raising funds: an extensive raffle and a student underwater photography contest adjudicated by a panel of renowned photographers, including Jake Wilton and Brooke Pyke.
Beyond being a mere event, "From Me, to Hiu" represents a significant movement. The primary objective was to generate $4,000 USD to procure a Mini Pat tag for their collaborators in Indonesia, known as Project Hiu. Founded by the esteemed Madison Stewart, a recipient of the Australian Geographic Society prize, Project Hiu is dedicated to shark conservation and the provision of alternative livelihoods for fishermen in Indonesia, which remains one of the largest shark fisheries globally. The Mini Pat tag serves as a minimally intrusive tracking device utilized for studying the movements of these apex predators and identifying crucial habitats in their natural environment. We are so proud to announce that this entirely student-led initiative was beyond successful, raising more than $4,000 USD over the course of the night.
The impact of "From Me, to Hiu" reaches far beyond the realms of a successful event. It encompasses the safeguarding of our oceans, the empowerment of local communities, and the education of passionate young minds invested in marine conservation like Luca and Aliah. With the acquisition of the Mini Pat tag, Project Hiu will mark a significant milestone by tagging some of the first sharks ever documented in the heavily fished waters of Lombok, Indonesia, one of the world’s most extensive markets for shark fishing.
Here is the link to our website: https://thefinstitute.squarespace.com/
