New Year's Resolutions for Shark Enthusiasts

As the sun sets on another year, it’s time to start thinking about resolutions and goals for the new year. For us ocean lovers, that usually means making plans for a year filled with sharks, ocean adventures, and sustainable choices. If you haven’t thought about your New Year’s resolutions yet, we put together a list to guarantee a sharky 2022.

Explore Sharky Dive Sites

Great whites at Guadalupe Island, whale sharks in the Maldives, schooling hammerheads around Cocos Island… our blue planet is full of adventures, especially for those of us who love sharks. This year, add a new sharky dive destination to your bucket list. If you prefer to stay close to home, don’t forget about your own backyard! From leopard sharks in Southern California to basking sharks around the UK, there are places worth exploring everywhere.

Try Out Underwater Photography

While you’re out exploring the sharky dive sites of the world, why not give underwater photography a try? The only thing that makes an incredible underwater encounter even better is a photograph that captures the memory. For some quick tips, check out our Behind the Lens interview series featuring some of our favorite underwater photographers including Carlos Gauna (The Malibu Artist), Jami Feldman, and Dustin Burkhouse.

Live a More Sustainable Life

Keeping the ocean healthy goes hand-in-hand with protecting sharks. In fact, the entire planet depends on the health of our oceans! Something so big may feel out of your control, but there are little things you can do every day that make an impact. 

Ditch single-use plastic:

There are more than 5 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean, and it’s estimated that the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic enters the ocean every minute. Since plastic lasts virtually forever, try to avoid plastic items that are only used for a short period of time. Use a reusable water bottle in place of plastic bottles, bring a canvas tote to the grocery store, wrap your leftovers in beeswax wrap, and bring a bamboo utensil set on picnics.

Mitigate microfiber emissions:

Few people realize that our synthetic clothes actually shed microplastics, which drain directly to the sea when we wash them. The most sustainable textile options are 100% natural materials, like cotton, hemp, or wool. For synthetic materials, avoid washing microfibers down the drain by using a microfiber-catching bag when washing your clothes.

Credit: Guppy Friend

Protect Sharks

If you love sharks, help us protect them! Our nonprofit arm, Shark Allies, is dedicated to the conservation of sharks and the ocean through legislation, advocacy, and education. The organization has been behind seven fin trade bans, including the first shark fin trade ban in the world in Hawaii in 2010. Shark Allies developed Shark Free and Shark Safe labels to help consumers make educated decisions, and also broke the news that shark squalene is a common ingredient in vaccine formulas. 

Stefanie Brendl, founder of Shark Allies

Consider donating to Shark Allies or shopping at Shark Cafe, where 100% of proceeds support Shark Allies’ conservation efforts.