Sharktober News October 25, 2015
It has been an interesting Sharktober. Not only did a white shark prey on a seal in front of a group of thrilled 5th graders near Alcatraz Island, the kill was captured and shared to over 1.6 million on the internet. Most of the press and reactions have been favorable, but that didn’t stop some trepidation among my fellow athletes preparing to do the swim from the island a few days later. There are many species of sharks living in the Bay, the white sharks are just visitors. We swim for sharks.
A predation by a white shark on a seal is a natural thing, and we feel it is a symbol that the Bay is becoming healthier. Thanks to groups like BayKeeper, Save the Bay, the Bay Institute and others, the San Francisco Bay is cleaner. Our work supporting healthier habitat and protecting the lesser known sharks and fish in the Bay will continue helping the ecosystem rebound.
(Photo US Coast Guard San Francisco)
Last week we made news commenting on a group of 20 or more white sharks observed by a Coast Guard helicopter patrol off Pacifica and Ocean Beach. The warm waters seem to drawing more younger sharks north than in previous years, but at least one large sharks around 18 feet was also observed 100 yards off the coast. It is Sharktober– so ocean goers are advised to be cautious. We are encouraging swimmers, surfers, divers and ocean-goers to obey the signs and share the #SharkWatch twitter tag with any white shark observations and location, so that others can be alerted more rapidly.
We are Swimming for Sharks
With 25% of shark species facing extinction, Sharks need your help!
With 7 other Night Train Swimmers, we will be swimming for sharks from Angel Island to San Rafael as an awareness and fundraising swim. We have $2000 raised towards our $10,000 goal. There are some great gifts, and all donors receive a chance to win a trip with us to the Devils teeth, home of the white shark. Please Sponsor a Shark Swimmer.
Sharktoberfest
Our Sharktoberfest events this month have exceeded previous years with more participation than ever. Join us for a talk on Sharks of the Bay at the Aquarium of the Bay 10/19 with Bay Area Blue Drinks, and at the Bay Area Science Fair at AT&T park for a Shark’s Eye View of the Bay.
Malaysia Shark Campaign
Another airline victory! Air Malaysia agreed with our petition and letters to stop carrying shark fins and other endangered wildlife products on their aircraft, joining American Airlines, UPS and United Airlines this year. The online series Borneo From Below made press documenting the shark fin and overfishing, countering the government’s public statement to the contrary. Coupled with our National Geographic Ocean Views blog, we are able to document and prove that a problem exists, and there is urgent need to save sharks and rays in the region.
This Sharktober, join Shark Stewards on an expedition to the Devil’s teeth in our Sanctuary, host to ocean wildness. We have witnessed amazing seabirds, whales and many unuusal species of fish this year.
Over one hundred species of sharks are threatened with extinction through overfishing and the shark fin trade. Sharks need our help. Shark Stewards is a leader in shark conservation including sustainable fishing practices, protecting threatened species internationally and protecting essential habitat for sharks locally.
Please visit our website to learn about ongoing shark fin trade ban efforts, and creating shark sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas.
Thank you for fighting for the ocean and sharks!
David McGuire, Director
Want to save sharks and protect ocean health?
Please volunteer, share the message or DONATE to save sharks.
Shark Stewards is a non-profit project of the
Thank you to our SHARKTOBERFEST sponsors and donors