Shark Advocate, Change Maker: Andre Borell’s Mission to End the Cull

Andre Borell is the founder of the trailblazing NGO Envoy Foundation, dedicated to fighting the outdated and cruel shark control programs utilised by the Australian Government. In 2023, Andre was the winner of the Animals Australia Award for Effective Advocacy. He is the creator of the investigative documentary, Envoy: Shark Cull (available on Netflix), which shines a light on the work he does at the Envoy Foundation.

We sat down with him this World Ocean’s Day to hear about what shaped his path to becoming a champion for sharks and to get his advice on forging ahead in the ocean conservation space. 

What was your background before becoming involved in ocean-related work?
I’ve always owned and run businesses from the moment I finished high school. First, I did a business degree whilst also growing and preparing my dad’s small business for sale, so he could retire. After that I started, grew and sold a few of my own businesses over the next decade or so. Everything I’ve ever done in business has been about identifying a problem or a need in an industry, and delivering an excellent product or service to solve that in a way that customers love. This was a perfect training ground for conservation work, as it is fundamentally the same approach. Identify a problem, then try and facilitate a solution that works for stakeholders.

What inspired you to dedicate your life or career to ocean conservation/exploration?
Despite growing up near the coast, I had no idea about any of the horrible things we do to the ocean, and to animals in general, until about 25 years into my life. At that point I started scuba diving, and slowly became aware of more and more issues through word of mouth, and also through documentaries. Once I started to learn these things, I just felt I couldn’t turn a blind eye. It felt wrong to enjoy the ocean, but do nothing to help it. I started making better personal choices first, but then still felt I had to do much more… it still felt like taking, and giving nothing back. 

How did your education, training, or experiences shape your journey into the ocean world?
I feel like life is a series of thousands and thousands of “sliding doors” moments. The people you meet, the interactions and conversations you have, the media you consume, the documentaries you watch, they all make small changes to the way you see the world and the direction of your life. In my case, many things have slowly nudged me and led me here. Taking up diving led me to have more ocean related conversations. Those conversations led me to more ocean related films and social media pages. Those films and social media pages exposed me to horrible things happening, some in my backyard, that I was entirely unaware of. In the case of my film, Envoy: Shark Cull, and subsequent campaign against shark culling in Australia, it was a single Sea Shepherd post about an eagle ray dying in a shark net that began a series of events that are still playing out. I can still see that image clearly, as if I viewed that post a minute ago. 

What does a typical day look like for you now, and how did you get to this point?
Far too little time in the ocean, and far too much time on a laptop! It’s not very exciting, but trying to change policy - especially on a sensationalised issue like sharks, an issue that is one of media’s favourite culture wars - is hard and slow. I’ve lost count of emails sent, zoom meetings had, phone calls made, actions coordinated. It’s thousands and thousands of hours behind a screen unfortunately. Not what I pictured when I started this, but I will do what’s needed to win this campaign. 

What are the difficulties for you in this environment?
What makes my work extra hard is a terrible combination of media sensationalism, and political cowardice. These two things combined, make change in this space slow and difficult. Most politicians have no spine, and are scared of media backlash if a shark bite happens after they end their outdated and ineffective shark culling programs. Now this fear is in a way misplaced, because people have been getting bitten by sharks during the 87-year long shark cull that Australia still runs, and ending it won’t change that fact. In another way, it is not misplaced, because they fear the media will sensationalise and misrepresent the first shark bite that happens after shark culling is ended - and they are right. It’s a terrible combination that leads to inaction and sticking with the political safety of the status quo. In this instance the status quo is the continuation of an 87-year long shark cull, pushing some species to the brink. 

What advice would you give to someone who is inspired by your story and wants to get involved in ocean conservation or exploration?
Don’t wait around, seeking permission from others, waiting to be invited into a campaign you care about. Just get in there and do something. Add value. Give back. Work hard. Let your actions speak louder than your words, Now I would caveat that by ensuring you are always extremely well versed in any campaign or action you undertake… fact check everything twice, ask experts or people with more knowledge or experience for advice when needed, make sure you’re not putting your foot in your mouth. You can do damage to not only your own reputation, but to the campaign you are trying to help, if you go out there spewing nonsense (even if it’s accidental). It takes a lifetime to build a reputation and a minute to destroy it. But as long as you are mindful of that, just get out there and do it…

How do you think ordinary people can contribute to protecting and preserving the ocean?
To me there are two main ways. The first is relatively easy. We can all make better individual choices in our daily lives. Reduce single use plastic use, consume less “stuff”, stop eating seafood, travel and fly less. The second is that if you have the time and skills, go out there and create ripple effects. Everyone has different skills, and they are all useful. If you’re an artist, use your art. If you're more of a behind the scenes person, or if you’re highly organised, every campaign in the world needs you, trust me! If you’re a good communicator, use that skill! Everyone has something of value to add. Spread the word on issues you care about, advocate for something, lobby politicians, make your voice heard, create change outside of just you and your inner circle. Put your mind to changing something, set a goal, break down the steps to get there… and get ready to work hard. We only get one life, let’s try and leave this place better than we found it.

What’s one thing you wish more people knew or understood about the ocean?
If you take three nice big deep calming breaths, two of those came from the ocean. Not from trees and rainforests, but the ocean. The ocean gives us so much, life is not possible without it, yet we fail to appreciate that fact. Not only that, but every single living thing in the ocean wants to avoid pain, and wants to live. Just like you, your family, your pets. We should treat the ocean, and all of the species that call it home, much better.