Sharks and Communities: Insights from Honduras and Indonesia with marine scientists Gabriela Ochoa and Rafid Shidqi

WHAT: The New England Aquarium’s Lowell Lecture series presents marine scientists Gabriela Ochoa and Rafid Shidqi to discuss their work protecting sharks in Honduras and Indonesia. Their work is supported in part by the Aquarium’s Marine Conservation Action Fund (MCAF), a small grants and fellowship program that provides support for community-based projects spearheaded by local conservation leaders in low- and middle-income countries around the world.  

Ochoa and Shidqi run nonprofit conservation organizations dedicated to safeguarding sharks in their communities. Ochoa is founder of Ilili, a nonprofit based in Honduras that focuses on marine conservation of large marine wildlife. Shidqi is the co-founder of Thresher Shark Indonesia where he is also working to protect the species while respecting community livelihoods.  

Ochoa and Shidqi partner with a wide range of stakeholders including fishers, policymakers, and citizen scientists in their respective countries to help balance the need to preserve food sources and livelihoods with conserving ocean habitats. In their lecture, they will discuss how they are working with local communities to combine scientific research with regional knowledge, protecting marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them. 

WHEN: Thursday, March 20 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with a cash bar available. 

WHERE: In person at the New England Aquarium’s Simons Theatre, 1 Central Wharf, Boston. The lecture will also be livestreamed via Zoom.  

HOW: Register here for in-person and virtual attendance to the lecture event. Advance registration is required. Virtual registration closes on March 20 at 2:00 p.m. The Lowell Lecture Series at the New England Aquarium is presented free to the public through the generosity of the Lowell Institute. 

WHO:  

Gabriela Ochoa is a marine biologist and conservationist from Honduras. In 2020, she founded Ilili, a nonprofit based in Honduras; it is the first Honduran-led organization focusing on marine conservation of large marine wildlife, such as sharks and rays. She is a project leader with the New England Aquarium’s Marine Conservation Action Fund and is a former fellow of the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program and the Conservation Leadership Programme. Ochoa was recently nominated for the 2025 Future for Nature Award. She has a degree in marine biology from Texas A&M University and a Master of Science in conservation and biodiversity from the University of Exeter in England. She is currently a PhD student at the Predator Ecology and Conservation Lab at Florida International University. 

Rafid Shidqi is the co-founder of Thresher Shark Indonesia and has been an integral part of the organization since its founding in 2018. He is an interdisciplinary scientist with a keen interest in the ecology of sharks and rays and in resolving conflicts between conservation efforts and the livelihoods of coastal communities in Indonesia. He oversees the growth and operations of Thresher Shark Indonesia, fostering and sustaining relationships with partners, communities, donors, and private entities. Shidqi is a fellow with the New England Aquarium’s Marine Conservation Action Fund. He earned a Master of Science in coastal science and policy from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is currently pursuing a PhD in the marine science and conservation program at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Diana McCloy, 978-697-9414; diana@teakmedia.com