Hammerhead
Contributor
Dear SBers,
The effect of shark-finning has become noticeable to many divers worldwide. This practice is completely unsustainable in terms of the maturity and breeding cycle of the sharks targeted. Oh, and just about all sharks are targeted, indiscriminately.
So much so, in fact that I and many others diving in Asia have noticed the drastic reduction in shark numbers encountered whilst diving. In my case, this has become noticeable in little more than 10 years.
It is perhaps tempting to turn a blind eye to the problem especially if one considers this as an Asian problem. This is sadly no longer the case.
Reports have come in from as far afield as Australia, South Africa, Cocos Islands and Galapagos of finning, even in supposed marine sanctuaries. I'm sure I have missed many others.
There is at present a petition in progress that aims to draw attention to this issue, and you are all invited to add your names to this. Please follow this link: -
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/400108473
For those of you with a few minutes to spare, a synopsis of the issues at stake can be found here: -
http://www.sharkstewards.com/
The goal of this petition is to reach 10,000 signatures (at time of writing they had 2,969). With 70,000 SB members and a significant number of lurkers we should surpass this target easily.
The potential effect of this petition may be minimal, it may on the other hand be part of the start of something huge.
NetDoc has informed me that he is prepared to sticky this post for a week in this forum in order to maximize the number of hits its likely to get.
In return for this, it would be greatly appreciated if we can try to keep this on topic as far as possible. Any hint of racial or nationalistic overtones in posts will lead the quick disappearance of this thread and also of whatever good it was likely to do.
Id like to emphasise that this is not my petition, nor was I even the first person to post it on Scubabboard (thank you, jedah).
It is however an issue close to my and I hope your divers heart.
Thank you all,
The effect of shark-finning has become noticeable to many divers worldwide. This practice is completely unsustainable in terms of the maturity and breeding cycle of the sharks targeted. Oh, and just about all sharks are targeted, indiscriminately.
So much so, in fact that I and many others diving in Asia have noticed the drastic reduction in shark numbers encountered whilst diving. In my case, this has become noticeable in little more than 10 years.
It is perhaps tempting to turn a blind eye to the problem especially if one considers this as an Asian problem. This is sadly no longer the case.
Reports have come in from as far afield as Australia, South Africa, Cocos Islands and Galapagos of finning, even in supposed marine sanctuaries. I'm sure I have missed many others.
There is at present a petition in progress that aims to draw attention to this issue, and you are all invited to add your names to this. Please follow this link: -
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/400108473
For those of you with a few minutes to spare, a synopsis of the issues at stake can be found here: -
http://www.sharkstewards.com/
The goal of this petition is to reach 10,000 signatures (at time of writing they had 2,969). With 70,000 SB members and a significant number of lurkers we should surpass this target easily.
The potential effect of this petition may be minimal, it may on the other hand be part of the start of something huge.
NetDoc has informed me that he is prepared to sticky this post for a week in this forum in order to maximize the number of hits its likely to get.
In return for this, it would be greatly appreciated if we can try to keep this on topic as far as possible. Any hint of racial or nationalistic overtones in posts will lead the quick disappearance of this thread and also of whatever good it was likely to do.
Id like to emphasise that this is not my petition, nor was I even the first person to post it on Scubabboard (thank you, jedah).
It is however an issue close to my and I hope your divers heart.
Thank you all,