The Shark Research & Conservation Program (SRC) at the University of Miami conducts conservation-relevant shark research while inspiring scientific literacy and environmental engagement in youth through hands-on field research experiences.

Every year, SRC brings hundreds of people, mostly school-children, out on our research vessels to survey, sample, tag and study sharks. We especially try to serve communities that have been historically (and often currently) excluded from STEM opportunities. Students onboard will take an active role in real scientific projects, learn about the scientific method, and gather data that helps us understand and conserve sharks and rays.

Each participant (Youth & Adult), must complete the following waivers:

• https://waiver.smartwaiver.com/w/fuin2a5rfqgpe7ckczcb8s/web/
• If participants are under 18, their guardians are required to fill out the Florida Addendum Notice for them. https://waiver.smartwaiver.com/w/ck3tq7clrhkjn1wdsujxde/web/.
• UM Skate Research Waiver - Send PDF copies of the Participant Release waivers to UMSharkResearch@miami.edu by Monday, September 11th.

CANCELLATION POLICY: You can cancel your scheduled trip two weeks prior to the date of departure without penalty. You are responsible for 50% of the fee when canceling inside two weeks, and 100% of the fee inside one week. If the UM or the boat vendors cancel a scheduled trip due to weather or mechanical issues, we will reschedule your trip without penalty. In terms of weather, we do not cancel for rain or wind, only lightning.

DAY OF YOUR TRIP INFORMATION

LOCATION AND TIMING:

Date: Sept 14, 2023

Time: 8:30am - 3pm. Please arrive at the marina at 8:30am and gather in front of the dive shop for check-in and pre-departure briefing.

Location: Crandon Marina, 4000 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

*After entering the marina, take your first right and follow this road to Diver's Paradise dive shop. 

Things you need to know:

• Cost is per participant.
• Our trip is limited to 18 participant in total.
• Recommended age for participants is 10 years old and up.
• Bring sunscreen and ample water, though a cooler of water will also be onboard
• Bring a lunch and snacks.
• We are not able to administer medications. If you are prone to seasickness, we recommend taking appropriate medications ahead of time. There will also be seasickness medications available for purchase at the dive shop.
• Closed toe shoes are required, and we recommend avoiding shoes with black soles as they mark up the deck of the boat. Absolutely no sandals are allowed.
• Please don't bring any cameras; we'll have a photographer the day of your trip. A batch of hi-resolution photos will be emailed to all participants after the trip.
• Help us create a phone-free environment. We instruct participants to send a text to loved ones to let them know that the boat is pushing off and that they will stow their phones to enjoy the experience.
• Do you guarantee that I’ll see a shark? The simple fact is that we sometimes don’t find any sharks – but this is rare. We typically catch several sharks per trip, and consider ourselves lucky when we do! While one of our research goals is to better understand the movements of shark species, we can’t always predict where they will be. Moreover, as you are probably aware by now, many shark species worldwide have experienced declines in their populations. In short, we’re studying animals with declining populations that move over great distances in a vast ocean. We hope you’re there with us when we collect important data from the sharks we do get to encounter!