Project Hiu | Madison Stewart
Years ago, research conducted on fishing communities in Indonesia sought to determine a reason why fishing expeditions should come to a close. The answer becomes clear when speaking with the fishermen themselves…
The fishing communities revealed a sad fact, largely due to the global shark trade, the ocean was changing in a dramatic way. At the beginning of the 21st century, Indonesia was the world’s leading shark producer. Their fins became the prize, their status and the laws protecting them became insignificant hurdles, and their decline became imminent.
‘Project Hiu’, Hiu being the Indonesian word for Shark, is an initiative that aims to provide alternative income to fishermen in one of the largest shark fisheries in Indonesia, and the world. By hiring the shark fishing boats and locals that man them, they sought to engage the fisherman in a very different role. Tourism. A natural, alternative income that simultaneously and effectively protects sharks. Project Hiu is founded on the recognition that the very solution to saving sharks, lay with the men raised to kill them.
“Shark fishermen are the villains of most stories, but the hero’s in ours. These men deserve an income free from the threat of prosecution, and the many dangers they face spending weeks away from their families at sea. They deserve a secure future that doesn’t rely on the fishing of these apex predators. In a rapidly changing ocean, our approach must change too. The goal of Project Hiu is to improve conditions above and below the surface, and enforce the idea that one person, and one shark fishermen, can make a difference.”
“This small village and the fishermen we work with represent far more than a simple project, they represent the preservation of a vast ocean that connects us all, and an opportunity to drive a wedge between the hard-working, often desperate fishermen and the foreign buyers who profit from them. We also address the need for our presence to benefit the entire community. An incentive for a whole village to choose tourism over fishing, we re-invest project capital, which in turn aids community development projects such as waste management, and education programs.”
GLOBAL DEMAND REDUCTION
Accompanying their eco-tourism model, they also aim to address the root cause of this underlining crisis, the poorly regulated shark fin trade and its global demand.
By supporting Project Hiu you will be helping equip a team of filmmakers and scientists to expose and monitor threatened marine species, unethical operations and overfished ecosystems.
Project Hiu aims to address this issue by educating the end consumer on two main issues, the toxicity of shark meat and the profound strain and detriment being inflicted to livelihoods above and below the surface.
What legacy do you hope to leave?
“I could list certain achievements and their impact, but honestly what I want to leave most is not what I have done for sharks, but how I did it. Through compassion and emotional understanding. I would like to see the way we approach our enemies change, not even for their benefit, but because I know how effective this can be.” - Project Hiu Founder Madison Stewart