A Healthy Ocean, A Powerful Partnership
“Sharks are beautiful animals, and if you’re lucky enough to see lots of them, that means that you’re in a healthy ocean.” – Dr. Sylvia Earle
This evocative insight captures the essence of Sophia Schmalzer’s master’s thesis: a global study of how Tourism-Based Citizen Science (TBCS) initiatives are advancing shark conservation, and the challenges they face in doing so.
The Urgent Need for Marine Data
Oceans – the life supporting system of our planet – are under threat from overfishing, habitat loss, and climate change. Yet, scaling sustainable conservation requires data. TBCS uses tourism as a tool to collect that data, and an innovative way to connect travelers with hands-on conservation, and meaningful marine research. Divers, snorkelers, and marine enthusiasts help science while experiencing marine environments firsthand.
Sophia’s Study at a Glance
Sophia’s research examined TBCS projects operating in different parts of the world, assessing how they work, what challenges they face, and where they could be strengthened.
Conducted through Uppsala University’s Sustainable Destination Development program, her research surveyed 49 shark conservation projects worldwide, followed by in-depth interviews with selected participants. The aim: to explore what role tourism plays in global shark conservation through TBCS initiatives, and explore central challenges TBCS initiatives face in terms of collaboration, coordination, and networking across the TBCS community.
The Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies (BCSS) was one of the many projects included in Sophia’s survey and interview process, contributing perspectives from its ongoing marine research in Mozambique.
As part of Uppsala University’s Sustainable Destination Development program, Sophia:
- Surveyed 49 shark conservation projects (SCPs) across 33 countries and six continents.
- Conducted in-depth interviews to map challenges in collaboration, coordination, and networking.
- Included the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies (BCSS) as one of the many project partners, adding perspective from Mozambique’s marine ecosystem.
Photo by: Megan Hassa
Field Insights: Global Reach, Local Focus
- Spans 49 SCPs across 33 countries on 6 continents – highlighting initiatives from Mexico to Indonesia.
- Most projects are small and regional; few operate cross-border.
- Only about 25% focus exclusively on sharks – many also monitor rays, fish, and coral ecosystems, with hammerhead and whale sharks frequently featured.
How Tourists Help – And How It Happens
- Participants take on contributory roles, collecting data through SCUBA, snorkeling, boating, or freediving.
- they use photo-ID, sighting logs, and underwater surveys to log sightings and behaviors.
What’s Counted – and Why It Matters
- Collected data typically include species ID, distribution, and behavior; shark health is less often tracked.
- Disseminated mainly among research institutions and NGOs; local communities see less access or impact.
- Supports long‑term monitoring, awareness campaigns, and academic publication—but influences on policy or regulation remain minimal.
What Gets Measured – And to What End
- Data typically include species ID, distribution, and behavior – few initiatives track shark health.
- Shared mainly with research institutions and NGOs – local community access and impact remain limited.
- TBCS outputs support long-term monitoring, awareness campaigns, and academic publications – but rarely influence policy or regulation.
Photo by: Megan Hassa
The Dual Edge of TBCS (Key Findings from the Thesis)
- Shark conservation needs to be seen as a collective effort!
- TBCS is a powerful tool aligning research, education and sustainable tourism– making data collection accessible and tourism participatory. Through:
- Public engagement & local awareness
- Data collection & long-term monitoring
- Alternative funding streams
3. Yet, Sophia’s research revealed that while TBCS has strong potential to support shark conservation, its full potential is limited by similar challenges:
- Fragmented networks and underfunded, small-scale initiatives
- Limited impact to drive legislative change
- Coordination gaps between tourism operators and scientific institutions.
- Lack of standardization in data collection, making it harder to compare results across projects.
- Limited networking opportunities that could otherwise improve collaboration.
What Is Needed – Actionable Recommendations
To help TBCS initiatives succeed, Sophia’s findings point to the need for
- Government leadership and institutional coordination
- Diversified funding – from grants, tourism levies to public-private partnerships
- Standardized data protocols for consistency
- Encouraging longer stays – deepening engagement and data quality
- Local partnerships and capacity building
Where to Go Next – Future Research
Opportunities forward include:
- Expanding participants beyond tourists to include local students, residents, and underserved groups
- Broadening conservation focus to more species and ecosystems
- Exploring how TBCS impacts local awareness, behavior, and perceptions, especially in shark-fishing zones
- Developing accessible tools & platforms for low-resource conservation groups
- Conducting destination-specific impact studies to measure ecological and community outcomes
BCSS’s Role in the Study
As a participating project in Sophia’s research, BCSS shared insights from its own citizen science activities in the Bazaruto Archipelago. While Mozambique was not a case study focus of her thesis, BCSS’s experiences added to the global conversation around TBCS.
BCSS’s citizen science work includes:
- Collecting data on shark and ray species through dive observations and photographic identification.
- Sharing findings with international databases and collaborators.
- Partnering with local tourism operators to engage visitors in marine conservation.
This input contributed to Sophia’s broader analysis of how TBCS projects operate and collaborate worldwide.
Photo by: BCSS
What’s Next for Sophia?
Sophia has completed her master’s thesis and graduated from Uppsala University. She’s now embarking on a new Master’s at the University of the Westfjords in Iceland, focusing on Coastal and Marine Management – continuing her journey at the intersection of conservation, research, and sustainable tourism.
For BCSS, being part of this global study was an opportunity to share local experiences and learn from other initiatives tackling similar challenges around the world.
Photo by: Aris Putra
Interested in collaborating on research or citizen science projects?
BCSS is proud to have supported Sophia’s journey — and we’re always looking to connect with student researchers, universities, and academic programs aligned with our mission.
If you’re conducting research or looking for a place to ground your thesis, we’d love to hear from you.
More information:
For questions about this article, please contact:
Ekaterina Kalashnikova, Bazaruto Archipelago – Ocean Observatory Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies ekaterina.kalashnikova@bcssmz.org
To get in touch and collaborate with our research Center , please visit https://bcssmz.org/logistical-support-consultancy/
To learn more about our Scientific Training Program, please see https://bcssmz.org/scientific-training-program/