Flying Sharks Consultoria e Inovação, Lda.

Flying Sharks Consultoria e Inovação, Lda. is a Portuguese company based in Horta, in the Azores, that specialises in the collection and transport of live marine animals for public aquaria and research institutions. Established in September 2006 and incorporated on 30 September 2008 as "Flying Sharks - consultoria e inovação, Lda.", the firm has built its reputation on flying live marine animals to aquaria around the world, from Japan to the USA, Turkey to Dubai, Singapore to Saudi Arabia, across Europe and to Russia. Its operations range from supplying ornamental fish and invertebrates in boxes to moving large quantities of animals in shipping containers by sea, road or air. The company describes its mission as promoting a sustainable use of the oceans by providing consultancy and quality marine animals to institutions focused on education and research on the marine environment. It emphasises that all animals are collected by its own staff, often in cooperation with commercial fishermen, and that none of the collection methods involve environmentally destructive techniques such as trawling, drift gill-netting or chemicals. The vast majority of animals are hand-collected individually, while some swim passively into traps or are caught with barbless, easily removable hooks. Flying Sharks is also known for its scientific orientation. It maintains a predominantly scientific team and supports research through its in-house work and the "Flying Sharks Research Fund". Results are published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated at scientific meetings worldwide. The company operates a marine animal recovery and holding facility, the Aquário do Porto Pim / Estação de Peixes Vivos in Horta, Azores, which has served as an active recovery centre for sea turtles, receiving 170 rescued animals to date and preparing them for release back to sea. Regulatory records show the company is a registered commercial broker/operator and receptor with the Portuguese Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary Affairs (DGAV) under number V90054B, with commercial operator numbers PT 03 124 OC (Peniche) and PT 07 074 OC (Horta). It is registered with the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) under number 12PT0075/T. It holds transporter authorisations valid until 2031, including road and sea transport authorisations and container approval certificates, as well as a certificate of welfare of animals during transport and a United Kingdom Animal Transporter Authorization. The company is supervised by ESTM (since 28 October 2010). Leadership includes founder and general manager João Correia (PhD), co-founder and partner Telmo Morato (PhD), head of Azores collections and operations Rui Guedes (BSc), and head of science, conservation and species Nuno Vasco Rodrigues (MSc). The company's correspondence address is in Lisbon, while its official residence is in Horta, Azores.

Flying Sharks was established in September 2006 and incorporated on 30 September 2008 as "Flying Sharks - consultoria e inovação, Lda." From its base in Horta, in the Azores, the company developed a specialised niche: the collection and long-distance transport of live marine animals for public aquaria and research institutions. Its early operations focused on flying live marine animals to destinations around the world, from Japan to the USA, Turkey to Dubai, Singapore to Saudi Arabia, across European countries and to Russia. Over time it expanded its logistics to include regular shipments of ornamental fish and invertebrates in boxes and the movement of large quantities of animals in shipping containers by sea, road or air. The company built its identity around sustainable collection. It states that all animals are collected by its own staff, often in cooperation with commercial fishermen, and that none of the collection methods involve environmentally destructive techniques such as trawling, drift gill-netting or chemicals. Most animals are hand-collected individually, while some swim passively into traps or are caught with barbless, easily removable hooks. This approach, combined with a predominantly scientific team, positioned Flying Sharks as a supplier to institutions focused on education and research. Scientific engagement became a core part of the business. Flying Sharks supports research conducted in-house and by recipients of the "Flying Sharks Research Fund", publishes results in peer-reviewed journals, and disseminates them at scientific meetings worldwide. The company also operates the Aquário do Porto Pim / Estação de Peixes Vivos in Horta, which has become an active recovery centre for sea turtles. By the time of its September 2026 news update, the facility had received 170 rescued turtles, both locally and from other countries, and prepared them for release back to sea. Regulatory milestones include supervision by ESTM from 28 October 2010. The company is registered with DGAV as a commercial broker/operator and receptor under number V90054B, with commercial operator numbers PT 03 124 OC (Peniche) and PT 07 074 OC (Horta), and with ICNF under number 12PT0075/T. It holds transporter authorisations valid until 14 July 2031, including road and sea transport authorisations and container approval certificates, a certificate of welfare of animals during transport dated 29 November 2022, and a United Kingdom Animal Transporter Authorization dated 8 February 2024. Its correspondence address is in Lisbon, while its official residence is in Horta, Azores.

• Flying Sharks established.

• Incorporated as "Flying Sharks - consultoria e inovação, Lda."

• Supervision by ESTM begins.

• Certificate of welfare of animals during transport issued.

• United Kingdom Animal Transporter Authorization issued.

• News update reports 170 rescued sea turtles received at the Aquário do Porto Pim / Estação de Peixes Vivos.

Specialist, science-driven supplier of sustainably collected live marine animals and transport services to aquaria and research institutions worldwide.

• Live marine animals for public aquaria

  Collected by Flying Sharks staff, often with commercial fishermen, using non-destructive methods.

• Ornamental fish and invertebrates

  Regularly supplied in boxes.

• Large-volume animal transport

  Movement of large amounts of animals in shipping containers by sea, road or air.

• Consultancy on sustainable marine collection

  Advisory services promoting sustainable use of the oceans.

1. 1Flying Sharksflyingsharks.eu
2. 2About Us - Flying Sharksflyingsharks.eu
3. 3Flying Sharks Consultoria e Inovação (Portugal) - Wikidatawikidata.org