Defend the ESA: Submitting Comments

Making your voice heard is easy and takes less than 5 minutes. The most effective way to protect the Endangered Species Act is to submit your comment directly to the official federal record. Draft language to USFWS and Department of the Interior Doug Burgum.

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Good News for Shark Protection at CITES Oceanic Whitetip

The Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus} has been officially uplisted to CITES Appendix I at the 20th Conference of the Parties (CoP20) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.The good news doesn’t stop there. CITES CoP20 saw an unprecedented commitment to marine conservation, with every shark and ray proposal tabled receiving adoption. This comprehensive suite of protections covers over 70 species and is a watershed moment for ocean wildlife.

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Strengthening Global Protection for Critically Endangered Sharks at CITES

Sharks are facing an unprecedented crisis. According to recent studies, more than 37% of shark and ray species are threatened with extinction, with this figure rising to a staggering 70% for species involved in international trade. These statistics underscore the critical importance of strengthening global protections for these vulnerable marine predators.

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Shark Retention Bans Can Save Sharks

A study published in the journal Fish and Fisheries this month revealed that fisheries could reduce shark death by requiring the release of threatened sharks caught as bycatch by at least three times. Known as retention bans, the practice requires that fishermen release certain sharks that are endangered or unwanted rather than retain them for their fins or some other use.

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How Watching JAWS Made Me Feel About Sharks

The first summer blockbuster film Jaws entered sharks into our collective consciousness and sparked both fear of and fascination for sharks. Including mine.
The plight of sharks and our oceans is more critical now than ever before. As we approach the year’s end, your tax-deductible donation to Shark Stewards will play a pivotal role in making a tangible difference in 2024.

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Saving Endangered Sharks Through Science, Art, and Community Action

overfished by fisheries around the world, primarily for the fins. Once abundant, oceanic whitetip (OWT) sharks have been depleted on a global scale. International demand for shark fins is the major force behind OWT shark mortality. The fins are exported from around the globe to Asia, particularly China, for use in shark fin soup. 

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