This is a copy of an email I received from Peter Hughes. I am not telling anyone how they should act, on this, but I know how I am going to act, and the first step is to get this information out to the dive community. So here it is:
Dear Bob,
This is a special "ocean conservation" email from Peter Hughes Diving to inform you of a very recent change (July 30, 2007) in Ecuador law that now allows the legal sale and exportation of shark fins and products. The practice had been banned in all of Ecuador until July 30th.
In short, this change opens the legal door to shark over-fishing and the even more despicable practice of "shark finning" (just cutting off the fins and throwing the body of shark, sometimes still alive, back into the sea to die) in Ecuador.
Ecuador, of course, is also home to one of the world's most unique archipelagoes, Charles Darwin's fabled Galapagos Islands. If you have visited the Galapagos, you have already experienced the thriving populations of Hammerheads, Galapagos Sharks, Whale Sharks, and multiple species of rays, just to name a few.
If you have not visited the Galapagos, you have certainly heard about it, and for many divers the Galapagos is very near or on the top of their "Must Travel" list.
Worldwide, there is almost universal agreement that the Galapagos must be protected for future generations. Above and below water.
But the new government decree in Ecuador will prove absolutely devastating to the sharks and marine population of the Galapagos.
We have included information below to give you a clearer understanding of the situation, and respectfully ask you to review it and write to us with your opinion. We will share those thoughts and opinions with President Rafael Correa, the government, and media of Ecuador.
Once again, we ask for your help to restore a full ban on shark finning and commercial shark fishing in Ecuador, and thank you in advance for your consideration...
Thank You and as always... Be Ocean Minded,
Peter and Bill
Peter Hughes, Peter Hughes Diving, Inc.
Bill Gleason, Editor, PHD DivEmai
Galapagos and Shark Finning: The Facts
Historical: Conservation efforts began in the Galapagos as far back as 1936, and in general have been progressive, if a bit difficult to monitor in a marine park area encompassing more than 50,000 sq. miles, most of it open ocean.
Named a UNESCO World Heritage SIte in 1979, the Galapagos instituted stringent conservation measures, including banning the commercial sale of sharks from the waters of the Galapagos. Subsequent efforts include the formation of the Galapagos Marine Reserve in 1998, and the additional designation by UNESCO as a "Natural Heritage Site" in 2001.
Despite overall progress, illegal fishing has been observed and reported within the National Park, and continues to this day despite strict regulations against it.
Shark Fishing as an industry was banned throughout Ecuador until July 30, 2007.
July 30, 2007: The Government of Ecuador, in an apparent effort to assist local fishermen on the mainland of Ecuador, and directly through the office of President Rafael Correa, repealed Decree 2130.
Decree 2130 specifically banned the exportation and sale of shark meat and fins from all of Ecuador.
With a single stroke of a presidential pen, the sale and exportation of shark meat and fins is now legal from the mainland of Ecuador as long as the fishermen attest the sharks were caught "incidentally" while fishing for other legal species. This is known as "by-catch" in fishing circles.
While shark fishing and finning is still banned in the Galapagos, this legal "loop-hole" in Ecuadoran law opens the door to widespread commercial poaching and illegal shark fishing and finning in the waters of the Galapagos Marine Park.
Why? For the same reason Willie Sutton used to give when asked why he robbed rob banks ("that's where the money is...").
Galapagos is where the sharks are! And that's where the fishermen are going to go to get them.
Recent news reports in one of the largest newspapers in Ecuador and a scientific study published in 2005 by the conservation group WIldaid both report this very, very troubling statistic:
" Up to 80% of all sharks and shark fins landed on the mainland of Ecuador come from the waters of the Galapagos Islands"
Laws don't mean much to a finned shark, and while the situation in Ecuador "on paper" appears to protect the shark population of the Galapagos (it is still banned as an activity there), the very troubling reality is the fishermen are going to go after the sharks and then land them "legally" for sale and exportation on the mainland of Ecuador. Ecuador has a relatively small navy and a very limited government Fisheries department, so enforcement of any regulations is difficult.
With the new legislation, it will be virtually impossible to tell where the sharks (and fins) actually came from, but perfectly legal to sell and export them. That's extremely bad news for the Galapagos.
What Can You Do? Please join us in writing to the government of Ecuador to reverse this action immediately. An ocean disaster is waiting to happen, but if we move quickly, you can help us avert it.
PLEASE WRITE US AN EMAIL (instructions below), and we'll print them, collate them, and distribute them to President Correa, members of the Ecuadorian government, media, business, and conservation worlds. Just Hit the REPLY button ( phddivemail@waterpath.com), and address the Subject Line of your email to:
Attention: President Rafael Correa, Ecuador
The email should begin with: Dear President Correa, Please remember to "sign" your email with your name, City, State, and Country.
We will delete your email address when we print and distribute the letters as a prevention against SPAM, etc. Your name will appear, but your full email address will not.
Please join us in asking President Correa:
1. To immediately re-institute Decree 2130 and make it again illegal to sell and export shark fins and shark products under any conditions.
2. If possible, strengthen all enforcement activities against illegal shark fishing and shark finning, througout ALL of Ecuador, including the Galapagos Islands.
Some more thoughts for your email are listed below, but please, WRITE TODAY to keep the shark populations in Ecuador and the Galapagos healthy, and to preserve the unique international treasure that is the Galapagos Islands.
Some Tips on Writing To President Rafael Correa and the Government of Ecuador:
1. Ecuador is a sovereign nation, and most of us are not citizens of Ecuador, so please be cordial in requesting President Correa's help to correct this situation NOW before irreversible damage is done. Specifically, re-institute Decree 2130, now.
2. If you have visited the Galapagos, and enjoyed both the wonders of the Galapagos and the warmth of the people of Ecuador, please mention it. The Galapagos Islands are an international treasure and should be protected at any cost.
3. We are urgently requesting President Correa to re-institute the strict laws against shark fishing and the sale and exportation of shark fins in Ecuador. And/or strengthen them even more. Ecuador does not have a large navy or fisheries authority, so policing even strict laws is difficult. There should be no "gray" areas in fishing policy that will encourage illegal activities.
4. Under the new guidelines, we are all very, very concerned that illegal over fishing and shark finning will be conducted in the waters of the Ecuadorian coast AND the Galapagos.
5. The marine resources of Ecuador and the Galapagos are a national and international resource, and should be handed down to future generations intact.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS EMAIL AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO WRITE AS WELL.
_____________________________
Many of us were part of an international group of concerned divers which forced the Disney Corporation to get out of the "shark finning" business two years ago. Your letters and opinions absolutely convinced Disney to stop serving Shark Fin Soup at its Hong Kong Theme Park.
Please, we can do it again in Ecuador with your help.
And, thank you so much for your personal time and consideration,
Peter and Bill
Dear Bob,
This is a special "ocean conservation" email from Peter Hughes Diving to inform you of a very recent change (July 30, 2007) in Ecuador law that now allows the legal sale and exportation of shark fins and products. The practice had been banned in all of Ecuador until July 30th.
In short, this change opens the legal door to shark over-fishing and the even more despicable practice of "shark finning" (just cutting off the fins and throwing the body of shark, sometimes still alive, back into the sea to die) in Ecuador.
Ecuador, of course, is also home to one of the world's most unique archipelagoes, Charles Darwin's fabled Galapagos Islands. If you have visited the Galapagos, you have already experienced the thriving populations of Hammerheads, Galapagos Sharks, Whale Sharks, and multiple species of rays, just to name a few.
If you have not visited the Galapagos, you have certainly heard about it, and for many divers the Galapagos is very near or on the top of their "Must Travel" list.
Worldwide, there is almost universal agreement that the Galapagos must be protected for future generations. Above and below water.
But the new government decree in Ecuador will prove absolutely devastating to the sharks and marine population of the Galapagos.
We have included information below to give you a clearer understanding of the situation, and respectfully ask you to review it and write to us with your opinion. We will share those thoughts and opinions with President Rafael Correa, the government, and media of Ecuador.
Once again, we ask for your help to restore a full ban on shark finning and commercial shark fishing in Ecuador, and thank you in advance for your consideration...
Thank You and as always... Be Ocean Minded,
Peter and Bill
Peter Hughes, Peter Hughes Diving, Inc.
Bill Gleason, Editor, PHD DivEmai
Galapagos and Shark Finning: The Facts
Historical: Conservation efforts began in the Galapagos as far back as 1936, and in general have been progressive, if a bit difficult to monitor in a marine park area encompassing more than 50,000 sq. miles, most of it open ocean.
Named a UNESCO World Heritage SIte in 1979, the Galapagos instituted stringent conservation measures, including banning the commercial sale of sharks from the waters of the Galapagos. Subsequent efforts include the formation of the Galapagos Marine Reserve in 1998, and the additional designation by UNESCO as a "Natural Heritage Site" in 2001.
Despite overall progress, illegal fishing has been observed and reported within the National Park, and continues to this day despite strict regulations against it.
Shark Fishing as an industry was banned throughout Ecuador until July 30, 2007.
July 30, 2007: The Government of Ecuador, in an apparent effort to assist local fishermen on the mainland of Ecuador, and directly through the office of President Rafael Correa, repealed Decree 2130.
Decree 2130 specifically banned the exportation and sale of shark meat and fins from all of Ecuador.
With a single stroke of a presidential pen, the sale and exportation of shark meat and fins is now legal from the mainland of Ecuador as long as the fishermen attest the sharks were caught "incidentally" while fishing for other legal species. This is known as "by-catch" in fishing circles.
While shark fishing and finning is still banned in the Galapagos, this legal "loop-hole" in Ecuadoran law opens the door to widespread commercial poaching and illegal shark fishing and finning in the waters of the Galapagos Marine Park.
Why? For the same reason Willie Sutton used to give when asked why he robbed rob banks ("that's where the money is...").
Galapagos is where the sharks are! And that's where the fishermen are going to go to get them.
Recent news reports in one of the largest newspapers in Ecuador and a scientific study published in 2005 by the conservation group WIldaid both report this very, very troubling statistic:
" Up to 80% of all sharks and shark fins landed on the mainland of Ecuador come from the waters of the Galapagos Islands"
Laws don't mean much to a finned shark, and while the situation in Ecuador "on paper" appears to protect the shark population of the Galapagos (it is still banned as an activity there), the very troubling reality is the fishermen are going to go after the sharks and then land them "legally" for sale and exportation on the mainland of Ecuador. Ecuador has a relatively small navy and a very limited government Fisheries department, so enforcement of any regulations is difficult.
With the new legislation, it will be virtually impossible to tell where the sharks (and fins) actually came from, but perfectly legal to sell and export them. That's extremely bad news for the Galapagos.
What Can You Do? Please join us in writing to the government of Ecuador to reverse this action immediately. An ocean disaster is waiting to happen, but if we move quickly, you can help us avert it.
PLEASE WRITE US AN EMAIL (instructions below), and we'll print them, collate them, and distribute them to President Correa, members of the Ecuadorian government, media, business, and conservation worlds. Just Hit the REPLY button ( phddivemail@waterpath.com), and address the Subject Line of your email to:
Attention: President Rafael Correa, Ecuador
The email should begin with: Dear President Correa, Please remember to "sign" your email with your name, City, State, and Country.
We will delete your email address when we print and distribute the letters as a prevention against SPAM, etc. Your name will appear, but your full email address will not.
Please join us in asking President Correa:
1. To immediately re-institute Decree 2130 and make it again illegal to sell and export shark fins and shark products under any conditions.
2. If possible, strengthen all enforcement activities against illegal shark fishing and shark finning, througout ALL of Ecuador, including the Galapagos Islands.
Some more thoughts for your email are listed below, but please, WRITE TODAY to keep the shark populations in Ecuador and the Galapagos healthy, and to preserve the unique international treasure that is the Galapagos Islands.
Some Tips on Writing To President Rafael Correa and the Government of Ecuador:
1. Ecuador is a sovereign nation, and most of us are not citizens of Ecuador, so please be cordial in requesting President Correa's help to correct this situation NOW before irreversible damage is done. Specifically, re-institute Decree 2130, now.
2. If you have visited the Galapagos, and enjoyed both the wonders of the Galapagos and the warmth of the people of Ecuador, please mention it. The Galapagos Islands are an international treasure and should be protected at any cost.
3. We are urgently requesting President Correa to re-institute the strict laws against shark fishing and the sale and exportation of shark fins in Ecuador. And/or strengthen them even more. Ecuador does not have a large navy or fisheries authority, so policing even strict laws is difficult. There should be no "gray" areas in fishing policy that will encourage illegal activities.
4. Under the new guidelines, we are all very, very concerned that illegal over fishing and shark finning will be conducted in the waters of the Ecuadorian coast AND the Galapagos.
5. The marine resources of Ecuador and the Galapagos are a national and international resource, and should be handed down to future generations intact.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS EMAIL AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO WRITE AS WELL.
_____________________________
Many of us were part of an international group of concerned divers which forced the Disney Corporation to get out of the "shark finning" business two years ago. Your letters and opinions absolutely convinced Disney to stop serving Shark Fin Soup at its Hong Kong Theme Park.
Please, we can do it again in Ecuador with your help.
And, thank you so much for your personal time and consideration,
Peter and Bill
