JAWS inspired marine biologist says shark classic should be "celebrated, not apologised for.”
You can catch The Shark Is Broken from 25th July 2023 at the Golden Theater, New York, NYC.
Steven Spielberg’s seminal blockbuster JAWS (1975) put sharks on the public consciousness like no other medium before or since. Apart from being a lesson in perfect storytelling, JAWS solidified the division in public opinion on sharks…. fear or fascination.
I myself fall firmly in the fascination camp. When I’m not writing or posting about JAWS, I take any opportunity I can to learn about sharks and The Daily Jaws affords the opportunity to connect with shark scientists and experts.
While surfing the Facebook waves, I came across a comment from one such expert who said that JAWS inspired him to want to work with sharks and become a marine biologist. And that’s exactly what he did.
Rowan Byrne meeting giant leatherback sea turtles in Dominica
Rowan Byrne is an Irish Marine Biologist & Technical Expert – Marine Sustainability Plastics lead with Mott MacDonald who is responsible for overseeing the Group response to the global plastics crisis and emerging pollutants in our Aquatic environments with 100% focus on solutions and legacy thus leaving the environment in better shape for future generations.
A successful Marine Biologist and Fellow of the Royal society of Biology with over 27 years proven environmental experience in marine conservation species and habitats, climate change mitigation and adaptation and sustainability strategies. As a keen innovator himself, Rowan’s focus is very much on legacy and how we can – and should – all work with a wide range of stakeholders and industry partners/governments to integrate environmental and social considerations into all our activities. Rowan continues to publish papers on solutions to plastic pollution in our waterways and leads on several plastic capture projects across the UK in marine and freshwater riverine and wastewater treatment work environments.
Rochard Dreyfuss as shark scientist ‘Matt Hooper‘ in JAWS
As Founder and Chair of the Mott MacDonald Plastics Working Group, Rowan is constantly collaborating on research projects with key UK stakeholders to identify and mitigate plastics in the environment. His work won him the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment Sustainability Leader of the Year Award in 2020 and his management of the installation of two Seabins at Howth Harbour in Dublin in 2019 has received multiple media accolades. In his spare time, he enjoys drumming, restoring classic cars and antiques and has worked with Johnny Depp on Pirates of the Caribbean in 2006 on both Pirates 2 & 3. Early next year one of Rowans photos of a Leatherback Sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) hatchling will be immortalised on a US Postage stamp in support of these endangered species.
Rowan shares another funny story with Ross from ‘The Daily Jaws’
Rowan took time out from his shark work to speak with me. In a near 60 minute interview, we discuss incredible job titles, why JAWS should be celebrated and not apologised for, the true threats to sharks and what we can do to save them.
Watch full interview below
About Rowan Byrne
Confirmed job title: Marine Biologist & Technical Expert - Marine Plastics Project Lead
Confirmed company/organisation: Mott MacDonald
Website: https://www.mottmac.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rowan-byrne-781a7612/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marinecreatures
Tiktoc @marinecreatures #Marinebiologytiktoc
Rowan Byrne - YouTube
Recent Published Papers and work.
Foreness Point Intertidal Habitat Enhancement Plan (2017) | Water Projects (waterprojectsonline.com)
Swalecliffe Habitat Resilience Plan (2016) | Water Projects (waterprojectsonline.com)
MYEBOOK - Journal Summer 2022
MYEBOOK - Journal Spring 2023