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 (ORS) does not normally participate in media interviews, whether live or prerecorded, by telephone, video or in person. As an independent, volunteer-run scientific organisation, we communicate primarily through press releases, written statements and background documents.

This approach allows us to present complex or evolving scientific information with the necessary context and nuance, while providing the media with dated, verifiable sources that can be quoted accurately. It is particularly important when communicating about white sharks and public safety, as wording and context can significantly influence how risk is understood.

Exceptions may be considered when a subject is scientifically significant, genuinely new or urgent, and when our availability permits.

When a subject is not already addressed in a press release or public statement, journalists may submit specific questions in writing. ORS may respond when its workload permits. Submitting an enquiry does not guarantee a response or an interview.

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

Our expeditions are infrequent, subject to significant operational constraints and often unpredictable. Any available places are therefore reserved for researchers and essential team members. We also produce our own multimedia content, including films, and do not collaborate with external production companies during field expeditions.

When appropriate and when our availability permits, we may provide existing footage or offer written scientific and factual support for documentary projects that do not require field access, in-person participation or an on-camera interview.

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.

All media enquiries, including written questions and requests for information, comments or interviews, should be submitted through the official ORS email address below.

Telephone calls, text messages and requests sent through the personal accounts or private communication platforms of ORS members are not official media enquiries and may not receive a response.

Using a single official channel helps us handle requests consistently and provide information that accurately reflects the institutional position of ORS. When no existing publication adequately addresses a subject, ORS may respond to specific written questions when its workload permits. Submitting an enquiry does not guarantee a response or an interview.

To reduce automated harvesting and spam, our email address is written in the following format:

info [at] sharkscience [dot] ca