Shark Stewards is a signatory to an appeal to end global plastic pollution through prevention, alternate manufacturing and accountability. The need for urgent negotiation of a new global treaty to […]
Read MoreShark Stewards News and Events February 2022
I’m writing you to thank you for your past engagement in our California community conservation and education, or joining us on our Sharktober Farallon Sanctuary expeditions. In 2021 we resumed […]
Read MoreJoin the Golden Gate MPA Network!
The Golden Gate MPA Collaborative brings together environmental NGOs, agencies, fishermen, scientists, aquaria and vessel captains interested in raising awareness of marine protected areas in Marin and San Francisco counties, including the Farallon Islands.New Statewide Online MPA Training Modules Release
Read MoreThe America COMPETES Act Passes the House: Big Hope for Sharks!
House Act will increase protection for sharks, marine mammals, wildlife trafficking and spread of animal spread disease. Washington, DC—On February 4, 2022 the House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES […]
Read MoreHappy Lunar New Year of the WaterTiger
People born in years of the Tiger are vigorous and ambitious, daring and courageous, enthusiastic and generous, self-confident with a sense of justice and a commitment to help others for the greater good.
Shark Stewards and our partners at ScubaZoo in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia wish everyone an auspicious and healthy new year, one without COVID and a celebration without shark fin soup!
Read MoreLetter to Congress: Support New Pacific Island National Marine Sanctuaries
We strongly support designating parts of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument as a national marine sanctuary to enhance protections and safeguard resources in the marine portions of the Monument. We believe sanctuary designation will complement the efforts of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the state of Hawaii, and other federal agencies to conserve this nationally significant area and its cultural resources and bolster strong and lasting protection for the marine environment.
Read MoreVICTORY! NOAA Bans Deadly Wire Leaders in Hawaiian Fishery
I am in strong support of the new rules prohibiting the use of wire leader within 1 meter of any hook deployed in Hawaiian deep set longline fishery.
Threatened Oceanic whitetip sharks ( Carcharhinus longimanus) and Silky Sharks (Carcharhinus falciformus) are especially impacted by this gear. Under the Endangered species Act, National Marine Fisheries has already committed to zero retention of oceanic whitetip sharks, and tis rule will help achieve that in US waters.
Eliminating this gear will protect sharks, increase safety for fishermen and limit harmful trailing line and ensure a hight survival rate of these threatened sharks.
Read MoreOver 20,000 Shark Fins Seized, Canadian Importer Fined
On September 25, 2017, Hang Hing Herbal Medicine Ltd. imported a shipment containing 22 bags of processed shark fins, declared as fish bone, into Richmond, BC. The Canada Border Services Agency noted that the shipment contained wildlife products and referred it to ECCC Enforcement. Wildlife enforcement officers inspected the shipment and concluded that the products, declared as fish bone, were in fact shark fins. DNA testing was used to determine that the shipment contained two species of shark, one being a CITES Appendix II-listed species, Carcharhinus longimanus (oceanic whitetip shark). An importer must obtain a permit from the country of export before importing an Appendix II species into Canada. No permit to import the 12, 984 Oceanic Whitetip Shark fins had been obtained.
Read MoreBan The Shark Fin Trade
A ban on the shark trade would help keep the ecosystem stable. The low level of sharks
in the oceans has a detrimental effect on the ecosystem as a whole. For instance, the University
of Miami’s organization SRC (Shark Research and Conservation) led by marine biologist Dr
Neil Hammerschlag says that “Our research team found that across reefs where sharks have been
depleted, prey fishes had significantly smaller caudal fins and eyes compared to the reefs with
intact shark populations (up to 40 and 46% relative difference in standardized means).”.
“Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration” announced as theme of World Wildlife Day 2022
According to figures by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, over 8,400 species of wild fauna and flora are critically endangered, while close to 30,000 more are understood to be endangered or vulnerable. Based on these estimates, it is suggested that over a million species are threatened with extinction.
Read More