WHAT WE BELIEVE IN

OUR VALUES

Our values guide how ASRA works, collaborates, and makes decisions. They reflect our commitment to science, integrity, respect, inclusion, and environmental stewardship while recognizing the deep connections between sharks, rays, people, and place across Asia. These values shape the way we support our members, engage with communities, and work toward a sustainable future for sharks and rays in the region.

  • We believe science should not only generate knowledge, but also inform action. ASRA promotes rigorous research, innovation, shared learning, and practical solutions that support conservation, management, and the communities connected to sharks and rays.

  • We are committed to decisions and advice guided by the best available scientific evidence. We value transparency, acknowledge uncertainty, and distinguish clearly between evidence and opinion.

  • We recognize the deep relationships between people, marine species, and the places they share. We engage with communities and stakeholders with humility, curiosity, openness, and respect.

  • Trust is central to our work. We aim to communicate honestly, make decisions openly, use resources responsibly, and treat our members, partners, and communities with fairness and respect.

  • Conservation often requires difficult conversations. ASRA encourages honest, respectful dialogue, active listening, and constructive engagement across differing perspectives.

  • We believe the best solutions come from shared knowledge, diverse perspectives, and open collaboration. ASRA seeks to build a culture where resources, opportunities, and ideas are shared generously for collective benefit.

  • Everyone who shares ASRA’s purpose has a place. We welcome people across nationalities, backgrounds, disciplines, career stages, education levels, and lived experiences, and we recognize the importance of working with the communities and industries that interact with sharks and rays.

  • We act with respect for marine life and recognize our responsibility to protect biodiversity, promote sustainable use, and model environmentally responsible practices in our work.

Why ASRA Matters

Sharks, rays, and chimaeras play important roles in marine ecosystems, but many species are increasingly threatened by overfishing, bycatch, habitat loss, trade, and limited management capacity. Across Asia, the need for strong science, locally grounded conservation, and regional collaboration has never been greater.

ASRA exists because no single person, institution, or country can address these challenges alone.

By connecting people and strengthening capacity across the region, ASRA helps build a future where shark and ray conservation is not only scientifically strong, but also inclusive, practical, and rooted in the realities of Asian communities.