AfriOceans Conservation Alliance
From top to bottom: Maxine's release, photo Geoff Spiby; Teaching children for Marine Week, photo Lesley Rochat; Rethink the Shark mobile billboard parked at a busy beach, photo Jeff Ayliffe; Shark Encounter signage I produced which is postioned at all Cape Town beaches and beyond, photo: Lesley Rochat
Dee's release, photo Bilbo Baggens; AOCA Shark Protest to raise awareness, photo Richard; Oureach for kidz in partnership with Shark Lady in Gansbaai, photo Jeff Ayliffe; Maxine's release, photo Geoff Spiby GIVEN MY GROWING CONCERN for the ocean environment I founded AfriOceans Conservation Alliance (AOCA) in 2003, a registered non-profit organisation, governed by a highly respected board of directors: Dr Leonard Compagno, Dr Malcolm Smale, Prof Charles Griffiths, Horst Kleinschmidt, and myself. AOCA seeks to align and partner with organisations, scientists and environmentalists that subscribe to policies that promote sustainable marine conservation. AOCA develops education, awareness and scientific research projects; it encourages government and corporate policies and practices that provide meaningful marine conservation, and calls upon all people, particularly the young, to aspire to the long-term conservation of the oceans off the African continent.
AOCA has achieved considerable success during a very short space of time, initially through the Maxine, Science, Education and Awareness Programme (M-Sea). This unique shark conservation campaign, which ran for 5 years, is an AOCA initiative, in collaboration with the Two Oceans Aquarium, and was sponsored by the SOSF. The M-Sea Programme involved the satellite tagging and releasing of captive sharks from the Aquarium, as well as the tagging of wild ragged tooth sharks. This was supported by an aggressive multi-media education and awareness campaign that reached millions of people worldwide.
Other AOCA successes include our Panda Award winning Rethink the shark campaign designed by Saatchi & Saatchi for AOCA, as well as the establishment of the SOS Shark Centre. The Centre was my vision and run by AOCA, funded by the SOS Foundation for 2 years. SOS Foundation and AOCA parted ways in February 2010 when my activism was seen to be in conflict with the SOSF mandate, which is passive education and awareness.
AOCA is well known for its unique campaign work, exciting education and awareness initiatives, and its role in being prepared to speak out for those who cannot. We take pride in our many successes and continue to strive for excellence in all we do, and most of all, to put into ACTION that which will result in lasting change.
To find out more go to www.aoca.org.za