| Grantee | Wildlife Conservation Society ↗ |
| Location | Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Haiti, & Cuba |
| Grant Amount | 913,000 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Type of Grant | Core Grant |
Oceanic whitetip sharks (OWT) are now Critically Endangered, with declines of over 90% globally and, without immediate action, extinction is likely within our lifetimes. However, this iconic apex pelagic predator has a lifeline – a relic population has been found and intensively studied in The Bahamas shark sanctuary over the last decade. Even with this lifeline, the species is in continued peril from ongoing targeted and bycatch fisheries mortalities outside of the protected waters of The Bahamas. This project aims to reduced OWT mortality by enhancing protections for the species in the Western Atlantic.