We're raising baby sharks (from the dead)
Sharks often cause fear, but they’re actually the ones in danger. In Malta, more than half of all shark species are at risk of extinction, mirroring a global problem. Shark populations worldwide have dropped by over 70% in just 50 years. The main reason: overfishing. While sharks rarely are the intended target, they often end up as bycatch.
The mission
Catsharks are threatened by us, humans. Even when they’re not directly hunted, they often get caught in drift nets. Fortunately, Greg Nowell, founder of Sharklab-Malta, realized that these sharks have a characteristic that might give the species an extra chance for survival: they lay eggs. He discovered that even if the mothers are already dead at the fish market, their fertilized eggs can still be saved and hatched.
After years of experimenting, Greg found a way to grow sharks from unhatched eggs, pioneering a new method of shark conservation. Today, Sharklab-Malta collects shark eggs at fish markets, incubates them, and once hatched, raises the baby sharks until they’re mature enough to live in the wild. Thanks to the Planet Wild community, we were able to fund the much needed upgrade of Sharklab’s aquarium system, as well as one year of community awareness work — to help increase catshark populations and grow the public’s understanding of their importance in the ecosystem.
What we achieved
Ideal outcome
Our Partner
Greg's lifelong passion for the sea and marine life brought him from the UK to Malta in 2007. Immersed in the island’s rich marine environment, he developed a deep interest in sharks and the Maltese Archipelago. After observing a significant lack of research in this field, Greg founded Sharklab-Malta. His mission is to bridge this research gap and improve the understanding and conservation of these vital marine species.
Our Partner
Greg's lifelong passion for the sea and marine life brought him from the UK to Malta in 2007. Immersed in the island’s rich marine environment, he developed a deep interest in sharks and the Maltese Archipelago. After observing a significant lack of research in this field, Greg founded Sharklab-Malta. His mission is to bridge this research gap and improve the understanding and conservation of these vital marine species.