Project SIARC – Safeguarding natural and cultural heritage in Wales through an equitable approach to shark, skate and ray conservation (360G-NLHF-HZ-25-00168)

Project SIARC (Sharks Inspiring Action and Research with Communities) envisions that threatened elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays) and diverse coastal communities benefit from inclusive marine conservation and research in Wales. Building on previous successes, we’ve developed a project that embeds learnings and deepens established relationships by moving towards a community-led delivery approach. Our four goals: 1. Communities benefit from their local Special Area of Conservation (SAC) through inclusive, co-developed, bilingual opportunities to discover, learn and participate in shark, skate and ray conservation 2. Key barriers facing local communities, young people (<25) and female fishers are removed through co-designed opportunities to develop skills in elasmobranch conservation. 3. SAC management and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) advice is strengthened through improved understanding of elasmobranch reproductive ecology and associations with protected habitat features. 4. Impact of marine conservation in two SACs is amplified through knowledge exchange, deeper collaboration and embedding equitable approaches.