February 1, 2022 — Sharks are some of the most threatened animals on Earth, and while many scientists want to dedicate their research to helping to save sharks, many report that they don’t know how to do this effectively.
A new paper in the journal Conservation Science and Practice, led by Arizona State University Faculty Research Associate David Shiffman, has identified 35 research priorities that scientists can use to shape their research on threatened shark species in the United States.
“Lists of research priorities help scientists, especially early career scientists, to choose a research project that can have a real impact,” Shiffman said. “Instead of having to figure out the complexities of policymaking and management on your own to learn what information managers need, lists of research priorities give scientists a one-stop shop to easily find everything. These scientists know that a question they’re hoping to answer with their work is a research priority because it’s already been identified as one.”
To generate this list of research priorities, the team from ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences surveyed 86 experts from the fields of scientific research, environmental advocacy, natural resource and fisheries management, endangered species conservation and industry from throughout the United States. These experts were asked to reflect on what information we don’t currently know about threatened sharks that we need to know, and to propose research priorities as well as policy priorities.