What monsters lurk beneath the waves off Malin head? Sharks is the right answer, but why are they there, how many are they and do they bite? These are some of the questions that ten lucky participants on a new shark themed summer camp will answer during a two week programme of training activities centred at Malin head this July and August.
Ten suitable applicants are now being sought for this exciting new initiative which is aimed at secondary school students in remote coastal communities of Inishowen, Co. Donegal. Building on the 2012 Monster Munch project this programme of activities aims to assist in the development of new skills and knowledge to enable the sustainable management of marine resources by local coastal communities.
The ten successful applicants will discover first hand how their local marine environment works and how sharks, as apex predators utilise the productivity of marine environs surrounding Malin head to survive. Boat trips, shark surveys, video making and community engagement are all key components of the camp which will run during the last week of July and first week of August.
Project coordinator Emmett Johnston, commented,” Using sharks as a medium to engage younger members of those coastal communities dependent on the marine for their lively-hoods has proven very successful for our small group in the past number of years. This year we would like to take things a little further and start developing the skills and knowledge necessary within those communities, for them to promote and manage their marine environment in a more sustainable manor. It’s a real shame that the myriad of changes in fishing practices has resulted in many fishermen not seeing a future for their children at sea. We believe there is a future for many of the youths of Malin head and Glengad in the marine environment, it just may not be the traditional role one see's today”.
So if you have a keen interest in the marine environment, are creative, willing to learn and stay safe then this camp could be for you. The application deadline is the 30thof June. Applicants must hail from the Malin head and Glengad coastal communities on Inishowen, and be of secondary school age. More details can be found on shark camp 2013 page in the ‘Surveys’ section.