Project AWARE Foundation, volunteer divers and shark supporters around the world pulled out all the stops for sharks during the “Big Shark Shout Out”,15th to 23rd October. Coinciding with Shark Alliance’s fifth annual European Shark Week and Project AWARE’s Give Sharks a Fighting Chance signature campaign – they were calling on European Union (EU) fisheries ministers and parties to protect sharks from overexploitation.
The Big Shark Shout Out opened with a push for the Unfinished Business petition and a call on EU fisheries ministers to “Make the Push” for a complete ban on removing shark fins at sea, shark and ray catch limits based on scientific advice and the precautionary approach, and EU and national protections for endangered shark and ray species. As a steering group member of the Shark Alliance, Project AWARE together with other conservation organizations and aquaria worldwide are urging policy makers to resist industry pressure and push to protect sharks.
“The EU is a leader in the global catch, consumption and trade of sharks, and every EU Member State has the duty to press for sound shark conservation policies at the EU level as well as in international waters,” says Suzanne Pleydell, Project AWARE Director.
Two years ago, EU Fisheries Ministers endorsed a sound EU Shark Action Plan that led to significant strides toward conservation of theses exceptionally vulnerable species yet, targeted EU shark fisheries continue without limits and many endangered species remain unprotected. The EU Commission’s long-awaited proposal for strengthening the EU finning regulation represents a critical opportunity to close existing loopholes and positively influence finning policies around the world.
Despite the depletion of sharks worldwide, restrictions on international trade are in place for only three shark species - whale shark, great white shark and basking shark. Through the Give Sharks a Fighting Chance petition, Project AWARE divers and activists worldwide are adding their voice in calling on Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Parties, between now and the next CITES Conference in March 2013, to fully protect shark species listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered by the IUCN, work with other countries to prepare and promote shark listing proposals for the next CITES Conference; and improve shark trade data collection by taking national action to list all species proposed at CITES 2010 on Appendix III before the next CITES meeting in 2013.
“AWARE divers worldwide are anxious to support shark protection,” says Pleydell. “And it’s essential that we continue focusing our support on measures that have teeth and result in measurable change.”
By shouting out loud for sharks, we have the power to put pressure on decision makers to ensure the most vulnerable shark species get the management and trade protections they desperately need and that existing regulations, including shark finning bans, are fully and properly enforced. For more information about the two petitions and further opportunities to take action visit www.projectaware.org.