Our History
In 1991, Australia hosted the ‘Sharks Down Under’ international conference, yet there was no Australasian shark society for chondrichthyan researchers to represent their needs. It took a group of motivated postgraduate students and few discussions at conferences for a society to be born.
The Oceania Chondrichthyan Society was officially incorporated in Western Australia on 11 November 2005. The name of the society was chosen to reflect the diversity of chondrichthyan species, and our area of focus – Oceania. A lot of work by the founding members saw the creation of the society mission statement and putting in place the legal arrangements that were needed to establish OCS.
On 10 February 2006, membership was officially opened and publicly announced; within two months the OCS had 54 members. The society released its first newsletter in May 2006.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment for all. We celebrate diversity in all its forms and recognise the importance of equitable access to opportunities in chondrichthyan research. We strive to uplift historically underrepresented voices, especially those of First Nations peoples, LGBTQIA+ individuals, women, early-career researchers, students, and people from diverse cultural and regional backgrounds. Everyone deserves to feel safe, heard, and valued within our society.
