Opening of the exhibition "In favor of Sharks, a Sea of Hope".

 CRAM Foundation, along with Biodiversidad Foundation, presents an exhibition that is part of a campaign of sensitization for threatened marine biodiversity and aims to change the general perception on sharks: from depredators to victims. This exhibition will travel to four Spanish cities: Barcelona, Sevilla, Bilbao and Madrid.

Also, and thanks to l’Obra Social “la Caixa”,the exhibition is supplemented by the possibility of visiting one of the few sailing vessels dedicated to marine exploration: the Vell Marí ,that will remain moored close to the exhibition.

This exhibition consist of different informative material that cover all areas: audiovisual presentations, life-size figures of different species of sharks, a graphic and textual support with clear and concise messages enriched with the explanation of a biologist that will explain us what we are seeing and will answer any questions by the public. The guided visits will be conducted by professional biologist, formed by the CRAM that will adapt the message and content to the age and profile of the public.

This exhibition pretends to achieve a global approximation of society to the present situation of elasmobranches, allowing the public to get enough information on the problems that affect theses species and the positive actions that can be taken. Four main areas are presented to the public in order to develop their awareness and sensitivity.

1. SHARKS FRAGILITY: Aimed to show the beauty, fragility and ecological importance of sharks in order to change the aggressive image into a real, attractive and balanced one.

2. DEPREDATOR OR VICTIM?: Shows the main threats that sharks are subjected to as well as their importance as fishery resources and their economic importance.

- Habitat loss
- Marine Pollution
- Fisheries Interaction
- Finning (capture just for the fin trade)

3. ACTIONS AGAINST EXTINCTION: Past conservation actions are explained as well as the ones being taken right now and the ones that need to be taken in the future in order to inform and get the public's involvement.

4. CRAM LOCAL ACTIONS: The look in the local action focuses to show the projects of conservation and rescue that has carried out the Foundation CRAM in the past, as well as the actions that it's carrying out at present.

- Sharks and Rays. Contribution to their conservation and classification in fisheries - Done in 2010

- Sharks and Rays. Identification Guide - Done in 2009

During the last 5 years the Foundation has developed different scientific as well as educational projects from the platform of the Vell Mari. With the result of the accomplishment of multiple scientific projects, with more than 30.000 covered nautical miles, with actions of education and sensitization on board and almost 100.000 visitors.

The Route of the Vell Mari 2011 will give support to the itinerant exhibition accompanying it in the different cities where it will be moored, showing the scientific material used in the different scientific campaigns; submarine robot (ROV), devices of bioacoustics (EAR'S and hydrophone), scientific material for diving, etc. During the period of time the exhibition will remain in Madrid, the CRAM team on board the Vell Mari, will carry out the first of the two planned scientific campaigns in the route of 2011. In this case, it is a campaign of great interest based on the migration of the Mediterranean Whale, the Common Rorcual (Balaenoptera physalus) in the Sea of Liguria.

Study of the Mediterranean Whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
This campaign will consist of the location of these cetaceans during their migration through records of audio, photographs and videos of the migration itself, and the beginning of the first atlas of photo-identification of the Rorcual in the sea of Liguria which will let us, done year after year, be able to obtain basic information on the populations and the migration of this species in this particular area of the Mediterranean.

Parallelly, the second scientific campaign will carry out a study of the situation of the elasmobranches in the waters of the Gulf of Vizcaya. This campaign has a great relevance since it will help obtain representative records on this subject and will perfec tly fit in the itinerant exhibition. As a result of the campaign, a technical report will be edited and delivered to the institutions and related entities in Euskadi. Likewise, it is planned to complement the itinerant exhibition with a powerful collection of photographs and video that will illustrate the details of the campaign and the results of it. Once the exhibition finishes in Bilbao, the Vell Marí will initiate its return to Barcelona, stopping in Palma de Mallorca, where it will coincide with the last destination of the exhibition. For the closure of the route Vell Mari 2011, a great event will take place in Palma de Mallorca in which the results of the campaign of identification of the Common Rorcual carried out during the spring will be presented.

Information
The itinerant exhibition will travel to the following cities:

Barcelona: January 20 to March 15, 2011, at the Maritime Museum of Barcelona
Sevilla: April 15 to May 29, at the House Science
Bilbao: June 06 to July 17, in the Bilbao River Maritime Museum
Madrid: July 17 to August 31, in the Real Jardín Botánico of Madrid

Guided visits will take around 45 minutes and the maximum number of people are 30.Please contact 93 342 99 29 or mail: reserves.mmaritim@diba.cat