Sharkproject Umwelt-Award: SharkGuardian & SharkEnemy of the Year

Shark Award

For a decade and a half, Sharkproject has been giving out environmental awards specifically for sharks. Besides a positive award, the SharkGuardian, there is also a negative award, the SharkEnemy.


History

It was in spring 2003 when during a meeting, the idea of a "Positive Award" and a "Negative Award" was born and never left our minds. As the year went on, the idea took shape, and we proposed candidates for both awards via our former internet forum.

The names still had to be found – a contest helped with this – and so the SharkGuardian and the SharkEnemy were born! As this was not to be a one-off event, but a permanent institution, the "Stop Finning" campaign was launched parallel, which gave the first award a framework.

Until 2019, the award ceremony took place at the "boot" trade fair in Düsseldorf. For pandemic reasons, the awards were suspended in 2020 and 2021.

The award winners at a glance

Below we would like to present an overview of all winners of the respective awards of the individual years.

If you have a suggestion for further nominations for the coming years (whether as Guardian or as Enemy, it is up to you), please send it to us.

© Boot 2010 - Christine Gstöttner

2022

SharkGuardian
Dr. Edgar Mauricio Hoyos-Padilla in recognition of his decades-long commitment to research on sharks and their habitats.  

2020 & 2021

Due to the pandemic situation we didn't award the SharkGuardian and the SharkEnemy in these years.

2019

SharkGuardian
Adi Barash, for her research on shark populations off the coasts of Israel and the fight to preserve the only shark sanctuary in the Mediterranean Sea

SharkEnemy
Mark Quartiano aka "Mark the Shark", for commercial shark "sport" fishing in Florida, exploiting inadequate shark protection regulations to increase his profits and irresponsibly inciting the public against sharks

2018

SharkGuardian
Dr Shelley Clarke, for improvements in fisheries management to reduce unwanted bycatch

SharkEnemy
The Marine Stewardship Council MSC, again after 2012, for continuing to ignore calls to revise certification standards, and for jeopardizing the credibility of the label

2017

SharkGuardian
Cathay Pacific, for its exemplary decision to stop transporting shark fins - Honorary Award to Alex Antoniou for extraordinary personal commitment

SharkEnemy
FedEx, for the current, conscious decision not to impose a transport ban on shark fins

2016

SharkGuardian
California, for consistent law enforcement against finning

SharkEnemy
Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera, President of Costa Rica, for the repeal of the shark protection laws of the predecessor in office

2015

SharkGuardian
Leonardo DiCaprio, for exemplary major donations of more than US$10 million to species and marine conservation.

SharkEnemy
PROPEGAL SL, a fish processing company in Vigo (Spain), for its particularly cynical handling of environmental crimes against sharks.

2014

SharkGuardian (Honorary Award)
as a lifetime achievement award to the diving pioneer, marine researcher and shark conservationist Prof. Hans Hass (1919-2013).


Suspension of the regular awards in 2014 for this occasion

2013

SharkGuardian
Laura Chinchilla, President of Costa Rica, with Sir Richard Branson, for improvements in effective shark conservation in Costa Rica.

SharkEnemy
Colin Barnett, Premier of Western Australia, for the state-sponsored hunting appeal against sharks

2012

SharkGuardian
Mohamed Nasheed, President of the Republic of the Maldives, and the crew and guests of the Royal Evolution, an Egyptian safari boat

SharkEnemy
Marine Stewardship Council MSC

2011

SharkGuardian
Stefanie Brendl (Shark-Allies)

SharkEnemy
John Scanlon, General Secretary of CITES

2010

SharkGuardian
Hannes Jaenicke, actor and presenter

SharkEnemy
Mike Braynen, Director of the Department of Marine Resources/Bahamas

2009

SharkGuardian
Rob Stewart, director of Sharkwater

SharkEnemy
Thomas Bruch, Managing Director Globus Handelshof

2008

SharkGuardian
ex aequo to Dirk Steffens (wildlife filmmaker and presenter) and Achim Steiner, Secretary General of UNEP

SharkEnemy
Joan Clos, Spanish Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade

2007

SharkGuardian
Ali Sodiq, Managing Director and owner of the souvenir shop "COLLECTION DHIVEHI", Maldives

SharkEnemy
Jack Ma, Founder and CEO (Chief Executive Offi cer) of Alibaba.com

2006

SharkGuardian
The Ministry of Fisheries of Egypt (The award was received by representatives of the HEPCA organization)

SharkEnemy
Abel Pacheco, President of Costa Rica

2005

SharkGuardian (Honorary Award)
Andrew (Andy) Cobb for lifetime achievement

SharkEnemy
Spain - in detail the representation within the EU Fisheries Commission

2004

SharkGuardian
The Republic of Palau

SharkEnemy
The Republic of the Maldives