{{Short description|Marine Biologist & Conservationist}}{{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = Dr. | name = Simon J Pierce | image = | image_size = | caption = Marine Biologist Simon Pierce | occupation = Marine Biologist | employer = Marine Megafauna Foundation | known_for = Research and Protection of Whale Sharks, Manta Rays and other large marine animals | awards = | website = https://www.simonjpierce.com/ | module = {{Infobox scientist | embed = yes | fields = Marine Biology, Marine Conservation, Photography | workplaces = Marine Megafauna Foundation | alma_mater = School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland | thesis_title = Biology, demography and conservation of rays in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia | thesis_url = https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:177579 | thesis_year = 2009 | doctoral_advisor = Michael B. Bennett
}} }}
'''Simon J Pierce''' is a marine biologist and conservationist known for discovering, studying, and protecting large marine animals such as whale sharks and manta rays. He is the co-founder and principal scientist of the Marine Megafauna Foundation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=PeerJ |date=2022-05-16 |title=Komodo National Park Is Home to Some of the Largest Manta Ray Aggregations in the World |url=https://scitechdaily.com/komodo-national-park-is-home-to-some-of-the-largest-manta-ray-aggregations-in-the-world/ |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=SciTechDaily |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-08-09 |title=Whale sharks feeding in the western Indian Ocean - in pictures |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2018/aug/09/whale-sharks-feeding-in-the-western-indian-ocean-in-pictures |access-date=2023-01-31 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-05-17 |title=Madagascar emerges as whale shark hotspot |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44151782 |access-date=2023-01-31}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Investigating the Mysterious Whale Sharks of Mafia Island {{!}} National Geographic | date=24 January 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9tpPWK7sag |language=en |access-date=2023-02-05}}</ref>
Pierce has developed several non-invasive research techniques<ref name=":0" /> for endangered species,<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |title=Watch a diver perform the first undersea ultrasound on the world's biggest shark |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2018/11/06/watch-diver-perform-first-undersea-ultrasound-worlds-biggest-shark/ |access-date=2023-02-05 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rohner |first1=Christoph A. |last2=Richardson |first2=Anthony J. |last3=Prebble |first3=Clare E. M. |last4=Marshall |first4=Andrea D. |last5=Bennett |first5=Michael B. |last6=Weeks |first6=Scarla J. |last7=Cliff |first7=Geremy |last8=Wintner |first8=Sabine P. |last9=Pierce |first9=Simon J. |date=2015-04-07 |title=Laser photogrammetry improves size and demographic estimates for whale sharks |journal=PeerJ |language=en |volume=3 |pages=e886 |doi=10.7717/peerj.886 |pmid=25870776 |pmc=4393817 |issn=2167-8359 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yong |first=Ed |date=2016-11-21 |title=The World's Biggest Fish in a Bucket of Water |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/11/the-worlds-biggest-fish-in-a-bucket-of-water/508316/ |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Staff |first=Foreign |title=Scans will reveal how sharks breed |newspaper=The Times |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/scans-will-reveal-how-sharks-breed-8nhg0lr5d |access-date=2023-01-31 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> such as developing photo-identification with computer image analysis and artificial intelligence<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Brooks |first1=K. |last2=Rowat |first2=D. |last3=Pierce |first3=S. J. |last4=Jouannet |first4=D. |last5=Vely |first5=M. |date=2010 |title=Seeing Spots: Photo-identification as a Regional Tool for Whale Shark Identification |url=https://www.ajol.info/index.php/wiojms/article/view/73980 |journal=Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science |language=en |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=185–194 |issn=2683-6416}}</ref> to track populations of whale sharks and other species of marine animal.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Marshall |first1=A. D. |last2=Pierce |first2=S. J. |date=2012-04-12 |title=The use and abuse of photographic identification in sharks and rays |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03244.x |journal=Journal of Fish Biology |language=en |volume=80 |issue=5 |pages=1361–1379 |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03244.x|pmid=22497388 |bibcode=2012JFBio..80.1361M |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
These techniques have been incorporated into Citizen Science<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stacey |first=Adrian |date=2020-05-20 |title=Dive Photos Needed |url=https://www.scubadivermag.com/dive-photos-needed/ |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=Scuba Diver Mag |language=en-GB}}</ref> projects, including Sharkbook,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sharkbook: Wildbook for Sharks |url=https://www.sharkbook.ai/?null |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=Sharkbook: Wildbook for Sharks}}</ref> the global shark monitoring database, as well as other MMF projects such as Manta Matcher.
He led the conservation assessment on whale sharks for the IUCN Red List in 2016,<ref>Pierce, S.J. & Norman, B. 2016. ''Rhincodon typus''. ''The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species'' 2016: e.T19488A2365291. {{doi|10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T19488A2365291.en}}. Accessed on 31 January 2023.</ref> which resulted in the whale shark’s global protection through an Appendix I listing on the UN Convention on Migratory Species in 2017 and then led the first [https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/19488/2365291 IUCN Green Status conservation assessment on whale sharks in 2021].<ref>Pierce, S.J., Grace, M.K. & Araujo, G. 2021. ''Rhincodon typus'' (Green Status assessment). ''The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species'' 2021: e.T19488A1948820221.Accessed on 31 January 2023.</ref>
Pierce is a wildlife photographer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Winners Of The Underwater Photography Awards 2020 Have Been Revealed |url=https://iflscience.com/the-winners-of-the-underwater-photography-awards-2020-have-been-revealed--55145 |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=IFLScience |date=25 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bolt |first=Dan |date=2021 |title=2020 UPY - Underwater Photographer of the Year - Marine Conservation - Highly Commended - Simon J Pierce - 'Net Loss' |url=https://underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com/archive/2020-winners/marine-conservation/6/ |access-date={{today}} |website=Underwater Photographer of the Year}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{cite web |author1-link=National Geographic |title=WATCH: Investigating the Mysterious Whale Sharks of Mafia Island |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9tpPWK7sag |website=youtube.com |publisher=National Geographic |language=en |format=video |date=Jan 24, 2017}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pierce, Simon J}} Category:Marine biologists Category:Marine conservation Category:Underwater photographers Category:New Zealand scientists Category:New Zealand marine biologists Category:University of Queensland alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:21st-century New Zealand biologists