The St. Lawrence Shark Observatory (ORS) is an independent volunteer-run scientific organisation. Because of the volume and diversity of enquiries received, we are unable to respond individually to all messages, requests, or follow-ups. In many cases, information is instead provided through our website, social media, written statements, background documents, or press releases.

The St. Lawrence Shark Observatory does not participate in live, recorded, telephone, or on-camera media interviews. As an independent volunteer-run scientific organisation, we communicate with the media primarily through press releases, written statements, and background documents in order to ensure accuracy, context, and consistency.

Because shark-related subjects can involve public safety, legal liability, and sensitive conservation issues, we favour carefully reviewed written communication over spontaneous interviews or commentary that may be abbreviated, taken out of context, oversimplified, or interpreted in ways that do not accurately reflect our position or the scientific nuance involved.

In some cases, and subject to availability, we may respond to specific media questions in writing when no existing press release or public statement addresses the subject adequately.

We do not comment on shark stories or incidents occurring outside Canada, on matters not directly related to our research in the St. Lawrence, or on traumatic incidents involving sharks.

Our expeditions are infrequent, operationally constrained, and often unpredictable. As a result, available places are reserved for scientists and essential crew. We also produce our own multimedia content, including films, and do not collaborate with external production companies on field expeditions.

Where appropriate, we may provide existing footage or factual guidance for documentary projects that do not require field access, in-person participation, or on-camera interviews.

We welcome relevant scientific collaboration on sharks and related subjects.

The St. Lawrence Shark Observatory welcomes collaboration with fishers and fishing communities to help identify and document species, and to better understand shark behaviour in relation to fishing activities.

If you encounter a shark, alive or dead, or discover any item that may originate from a shark, such as a tooth or other remains, we would be pleased to receive photographs and associated information. Your observation may help document the presence of a rare species or one occurring outside its currently known range in the St. Lawrence.

The St. Lawrence Shark Observatory offers school presentations on sharks, in both French and English, in the Montréal and Centre-du-Québec regions, subject to availability.

The St. Lawrence Shark Observatory receives many questions from schoolchildren and students interested in sharks and marine science. Although we try our best to encourage this interest and answer questions whenever possible, the volume of requests received does not always allow us to respond individually.

For the same reason, we are generally not available for interviews related to school projects, questionnaires, assignments, podcasts, or student media productions. Many answers to common questions can already be found throughout our website and educational material.

The St. Lawrence Shark Observatory is a small organisation with limited resources and is therefore unable to offer internships or respond individually to unsolicited requests for placements, supervision, or volunteer opportunities.

The St. Lawrence Shark Observatory does not accept freelance photographers on its research activities. Volunteer participation is limited to individuals who agree to respect publication rules and expedition embargoes, share credit and ownership of photographs taken during expeditions, and not use expedition images for commercial purposes without prior agreement.

For reasons of safety and legal liability, the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory does not respond to enquiries regarding recreational shark diving, including questions about where, when, or how such activities may be undertaken. In addition, because our vessels are registered exclusively for scientific research, we are not authorised to organise charter-type outings.

Due to the volume of spam received, our email address is written in this format to reduce automated harvesting.

info [at] sharkscience [dot] ca