Meet Stefanie Brendl of Shark Allies

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stefanie Brendl.

Stefanie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have been working with sharks for the better part of my life. As a diver, photographer, filmmaker, shark diving tour operator, conservation advocate and activist. My last 10-15 years have been dedicated to shark conservation work in the US and the Pacific Islands. During that time I was leading the charge against the trade of shark fins and was able to help in establishing legislation to protect sharks all over the region.

I also owned an operated a shark diving company on the Northshore of Oahu, Hawaii. I relocated to California a few years ago and continue to run the non-profit Shark Allies. Amongst many other projects, I have partnered up with Horizon Charters, based in San Diego, to develop conservation-oriented dive trips.

Our first collaborative adventures will take place on one of their specialized charters to dive with Great white sharks in Guadalupe Island, Mexico. Together, we are introducing the first women-led, women-only trip in September, and will be offering many other themed charters that combine education, conservation, and awesome adventures.

Has it been a smooth road?
My path has never been smooth. At every turn, there have been challenges and struggles. But that’s just a fact of life that comes with doing anything worth doing.

Working as a woman in the dive and film industry, I always had to prove myself just a little more than most men would have to. But I never saw it as a big deal because there were great benefits as well. And my desire to be included in this world made every obstacle seem more like a small bump in the road.

Being an advocate for shark conservation automatically means you always deal with great opposition. Either because of the irrational fear of sharks or because of the economic interests that people see in killing sharks.

Being one of the first shark tour operators in Hawaii also meant I had to break through the initial opposition to shark-related tourism. It was not easily accepted by the community, but it now has turned into an industry everyone benefits from and feels proud of.

Ocean conservation projects do not receive a lot of funding. So the biggest ongoing struggle is always figuring out how to make a living while working on behalf of sharks.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Shark Allies story. Tell us more about the business.
My business has two branches. One is the non-profit Shark Allies that focuses on shark conservation. The other is Tigress Shark LLC, a for-profit company that focuses on expert-guided shark trips, shark masterclasses, conservation consultation services and shark media production.

I specialize in shark conservation-related projects that include policy work, documentary production, dive training, presentations and other media. I am most known for my work as an advocate for shark finning legislation. That is the establishment of strict laws against the trade of shark fins. I was on the forefront of a legendary bill that passed in Hawaii and that subsequently became the model for legislation in California and 10 other US States, as well as many Pacific Island nations.

I am also known for being the Executive producer of Extinction Soup, a documentary about the shark fin industry.

What sets me apart from others is probably the fact that I have such a broad history and practical experience in the field of shark advocacy, and that I have a lot of time under my belt actually working hands-on in all sectors, from diving to policy, to tourism and media.

I am most proud of the having succeeded in areas that broke new ground and that I continue to have the drive to move forward with new ideas. I am proud to have followed my own path.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
There are several trends – one of them is the increase of women that have entered the dive community in general and shark diving specifically. Almost 50% of shark divers are now women. That was not the case just 10 years ago.

There also seems to be a shift in the awareness of conservation issues. It used to be that the majority of people were scared of sharks and hated them on a deep level. Media has been more positive and countless great documentaries have educated the public, (however, there is still a lot of bad shark programming out there.. but that’s another topic)… Generally speaking, more and more people are now willing to talk about the protection of sharks. Shark diving played a big role in creating this new awareness. More divers came back with amazing pictures of sharks and had positive stories to tell of their encounters.

I hope, and believe, that the industry will be shifting more and more away from pitching the adrenalin factor of shark diving and will deliver experiences that are a bit more subtle and layered, providing education and focusing on doing good for sharks, rather than just benefiting from sharks.

Pricing:

• $2795 for the Guadalupe Great White Shark trip with Horizon Charters

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tigressshark.com https://www.sharkallies.com/
• Email: info@tigressshark.com
• Instagram: @GuardiansOTOcean
• Facebook: @TigressShark

Image Credit:
Phil Waller

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