Our Programs:
• Endangered Whale Shark Conservation Program
• Research Expeditions
• Ocean Ecosystem Protection
• Arctic Biodiversity Resilience Program
• Shark Protection
• Eastern Caribbean Endangered Species Program - Conserving Sperm Whale Family Groups
Our Goals:
• Promote marine protected areas as valuable tools for ecosystem and species protection.
• Stop further loss of endangered marine species by building advocacy in the hearts and minds of humans.
• Conserve ecosystems for future generations by providing education, research, forums and scientific information for policy makers and stakeholders.
• Provide scientific study that leads to increased worldwide protection of endangered marine species.
• Protect and empower community livelihoods with sustainability initiatives, climate change resilience planning and technology for wildlife conservation.
• Create awareness for endangered shark species and the threats leading to their extinction.
• Provide citizen science research expeditions to educate and inform policy for the creation of marine protected areas.
• Inspire families and children to become citizen scientists to help protect endangered species and create the future of conservation.
• Stop further loss of endangered marine species by building advocacy in the hearts and minds of humans.
• Conserve ecosystems for future generations by providing education, research, forums and scientific information for policy makers and stakeholders.
• Provide scientific study that leads to increased worldwide protection of endangered marine species.
• Protect and empower community livelihoods with sustainability initiatives, climate change resilience planning and technology for wildlife conservation.
• Create awareness for endangered shark species and the threats leading to their extinction.
• Provide citizen science research expeditions to educate and inform policy for the creation of marine protected areas.
• Inspire families and children to become citizen scientists to help protect endangered species and create the future of conservation.
Some of Our Accomplishments:
• Shark Team One receives funding from The Curtis & Edith Munson Foundation for the
"Underwater Florida - Windows to Hope"™ campaign!
• Shark Team One becomes a Zoo Miami Conservation and Research Fund grantee with the Endangered Whale Shark Conservation Program!
• Selected for Microsoft's AI for Earth program with our "Building Marine Wildlife Corridors for Sharks Using Artificial Intelligence" project!
• Shark Team One becomes a Disney Conservation Fund grantee with the Endangered Whale Shark Conservation Program!
• Angela Smith, founder of Shark Team One selected as a nominee for the Indianapolis Prize! This award recognizes lifetime achievement in conservation!
• Angela Smith selected as a Nominee for the Tallberg SNF Eliasson Global Leadership Prize 2021. This prize recognizes "outstanding leaders who demonstrate the willingness and capacity to address the complexity of 21st-century challenges in innovative, risk-taking, and ethical ways, and whose work is global in aspiration or implication and is rooted in universal values".
• Launch of Arctic Biodiversity Resilience Program.
• Whales of Change our short film about sperm whales and climate change premieres at Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and wins the President's Citation Award!
• "Sperm Whales of Dominica" field notes launched on National Geographic's Open Explorer platform.
• Increased shark protection in Florida waters! Working with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to implement changes to shark fishing regulations. These changes increase survival rates of released sharks and are a big step toward protecting species such as tiger and great hammerhead sharks. We continue to work toward the day when shark fishing practices can be stopped.
• Recipient of research support from the S.E.E. (Science, Exploration, Education) Initiative, supported by National Geographic Partners, OpenROV, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Rolex and Avatar Alliance Foundation.
• Policy, design and local action strategy work over the course of six years to facilitate the passing of Florida House Bill 53 and Senate Bill 232 on March 19th, 2018. Those bills created the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area which is the official designated area for protection and provides state funding for critical coral, shark and ocean ecosystem preservation within the Southeast Florida coastal region.
• Goliath grouper state endangered species protection status successfully maintained in Florida via our campaign and subsequent policy work with FWC. Community and national initiative established to maintain ongoing protection for this critically endangered grouper.
• The IUCN World Conservation Congress and Sylvia Earle announced the Coastal Southeast Florida Hope Spot based on our goals, application and proposed designation for a protected area from Key Biscayne to St. Lucie Inlet adding connectivity to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. This marine protected area proposal was the result of four years of assessments and policy work. Our proposal was submitted to the IUCN World Conservation Congress for review and subsequently approved.
• Established a long-term water quality monitoring program and coral reef research fund being facilitated by Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Partners in this initiative are Southeast Florida Coastal Ocean Forum and the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI).
• Issues of shore-based shark fishing placed into agenda of FWC via Shark Team One support and in conjunction with Florida community stakeholder groups. Ongoing support for enactment and protection for both tiger sharks and great hammerhead sharks in Florida waters via this initiative. Direct work with FWC to prohibit great hammerhead tournaments in the state of Florida. Successful campaigns to end sponsorship of shark tournaments in Florida state waters.
• Creation of the globally recognized award-winning conservation documentary short film, Tiger Sharks Fight for Survival which follows Shark Team One’s research at The Bahamas National Shark Sanctuary. Film awards to date span the course of 4 years and have been awarded from national, international festivals and science entities such as Jackson Hole Science Media Summit and Wildlife Conservation Film Festival.
• Supported a multi-NGO campaign to keep the West Indian manatee protected in Florida waters under the Endangered Species Act.
• Successful campaign and subsequent policy change to add barracuda to the prohibited species list in Florida state waters.
• Support of the Endangered Species Act Threatened listing for the oceanic whitetip. This accomplishment used our outreach support, petitions and studies.
• Shark Team One and Angela Smith nominated and elected as Vice-chair NGO for Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI).
"Underwater Florida - Windows to Hope"™ campaign!
• Shark Team One becomes a Zoo Miami Conservation and Research Fund grantee with the Endangered Whale Shark Conservation Program!
• Selected for Microsoft's AI for Earth program with our "Building Marine Wildlife Corridors for Sharks Using Artificial Intelligence" project!
• Shark Team One becomes a Disney Conservation Fund grantee with the Endangered Whale Shark Conservation Program!
• Angela Smith, founder of Shark Team One selected as a nominee for the Indianapolis Prize! This award recognizes lifetime achievement in conservation!
• Angela Smith selected as a Nominee for the Tallberg SNF Eliasson Global Leadership Prize 2021. This prize recognizes "outstanding leaders who demonstrate the willingness and capacity to address the complexity of 21st-century challenges in innovative, risk-taking, and ethical ways, and whose work is global in aspiration or implication and is rooted in universal values".
• Launch of Arctic Biodiversity Resilience Program.
• Whales of Change our short film about sperm whales and climate change premieres at Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and wins the President's Citation Award!
• "Sperm Whales of Dominica" field notes launched on National Geographic's Open Explorer platform.
• Increased shark protection in Florida waters! Working with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to implement changes to shark fishing regulations. These changes increase survival rates of released sharks and are a big step toward protecting species such as tiger and great hammerhead sharks. We continue to work toward the day when shark fishing practices can be stopped.
• Recipient of research support from the S.E.E. (Science, Exploration, Education) Initiative, supported by National Geographic Partners, OpenROV, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Rolex and Avatar Alliance Foundation.
• Policy, design and local action strategy work over the course of six years to facilitate the passing of Florida House Bill 53 and Senate Bill 232 on March 19th, 2018. Those bills created the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area which is the official designated area for protection and provides state funding for critical coral, shark and ocean ecosystem preservation within the Southeast Florida coastal region.
• Goliath grouper state endangered species protection status successfully maintained in Florida via our campaign and subsequent policy work with FWC. Community and national initiative established to maintain ongoing protection for this critically endangered grouper.
• The IUCN World Conservation Congress and Sylvia Earle announced the Coastal Southeast Florida Hope Spot based on our goals, application and proposed designation for a protected area from Key Biscayne to St. Lucie Inlet adding connectivity to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. This marine protected area proposal was the result of four years of assessments and policy work. Our proposal was submitted to the IUCN World Conservation Congress for review and subsequently approved.
• Established a long-term water quality monitoring program and coral reef research fund being facilitated by Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Partners in this initiative are Southeast Florida Coastal Ocean Forum and the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI).
• Issues of shore-based shark fishing placed into agenda of FWC via Shark Team One support and in conjunction with Florida community stakeholder groups. Ongoing support for enactment and protection for both tiger sharks and great hammerhead sharks in Florida waters via this initiative. Direct work with FWC to prohibit great hammerhead tournaments in the state of Florida. Successful campaigns to end sponsorship of shark tournaments in Florida state waters.
• Creation of the globally recognized award-winning conservation documentary short film, Tiger Sharks Fight for Survival which follows Shark Team One’s research at The Bahamas National Shark Sanctuary. Film awards to date span the course of 4 years and have been awarded from national, international festivals and science entities such as Jackson Hole Science Media Summit and Wildlife Conservation Film Festival.
• Supported a multi-NGO campaign to keep the West Indian manatee protected in Florida waters under the Endangered Species Act.
• Successful campaign and subsequent policy change to add barracuda to the prohibited species list in Florida state waters.
• Support of the Endangered Species Act Threatened listing for the oceanic whitetip. This accomplishment used our outreach support, petitions and studies.
• Shark Team One and Angela Smith nominated and elected as Vice-chair NGO for Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI).
A Few of Our Science Speaker Venues:
• Director Q & A events during Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
• Under Sea Adventurers Dive Club (USA Divers)
• Broward College Science Speaker Series
• TEDx Miami
• Boston Sea Rovers
• Zoo Miami
• Jupiter Drift Divers
• Pura Vida Divers Speaker Series
• Earth Day Series for Broward 100 - Broward County Library Main Branch
• Lockheed Martin Dive Club Series
• South Florida Underwater Photography Society
• South Florida Divers, Inc.
• National Week of the Ocean
• Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center
• Under Sea Adventurers Dive Club (USA Divers)
• Broward College Science Speaker Series
• TEDx Miami
• Boston Sea Rovers
• Zoo Miami
• Jupiter Drift Divers
• Pura Vida Divers Speaker Series
• Earth Day Series for Broward 100 - Broward County Library Main Branch
• Lockheed Martin Dive Club Series
• South Florida Underwater Photography Society
• South Florida Divers, Inc.
• National Week of the Ocean
• Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center
Sample Outreach Events We Have Participated in to Support Local Organizations:
• BLUE Ocean Film Festival, Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, Berlin Flash Film Festival, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, Jackson Hole Science Media Awards, Jackson Hole WILD Living Oceans Film Showcase in partnership with CITES and United Nations Development Program
• Wild Dolphin Project - Wild Ocean Science - Sponsors
• Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center "Shutter Shark" Photography Events
• Museum of Discovery and Science Leonardo Da Vinci Society - Ocean Discovery Event with Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation
• Guy Harvey Outpost Expedition - Expedition leaders
• The International SeaKeepers Society DISCOVERY Yachts Program Annual Founders' Dinner Event
• Coral Restoration Foundation's Plantapalooza
• DIVE IN Lecture Series Events at Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center
• Rock the Ocean Foundation's Conservation Village at Tortuga Music Festival
• REEF.org's REEF Fest Key Largo - Silver Sponsors
Underwater Photography and Gallery Exhibits:
• "Our Oceans: In Perspective" at Broward College
• "Florida Reef & Big Animals" at Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center
• Wild Dolphin Project - Wild Ocean Science - Sponsors
• Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center "Shutter Shark" Photography Events
• Museum of Discovery and Science Leonardo Da Vinci Society - Ocean Discovery Event with Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation
• Guy Harvey Outpost Expedition - Expedition leaders
• The International SeaKeepers Society DISCOVERY Yachts Program Annual Founders' Dinner Event
• Coral Restoration Foundation's Plantapalooza
• DIVE IN Lecture Series Events at Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center
• Rock the Ocean Foundation's Conservation Village at Tortuga Music Festival
• REEF.org's REEF Fest Key Largo - Silver Sponsors
Underwater Photography and Gallery Exhibits:
• "Our Oceans: In Perspective" at Broward College
• "Florida Reef & Big Animals" at Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center