June 2012 Coverage (Reduced)

Transcription

Media Press & Coverage June 2012 WildAid
Table of Contents
Date
Headline
Publication
June 1, 2012
Shark-‐finning: Clear and present danger
Gulf News
June 1, 2012
Honduras Burns Seized Shark Fins, Condemning Illicit Trade
In Sight
June 1, 2012
Pressure grows to restrict shark-‐fin trade
TVNZ (Television New Zealand)
June 2, 2012
ISS: Tuna Processors Put Shark Finning Ban in Writing Pacific News Center
June 2, 2012
Leonardo DiCaprio Calls for New York Shark Fin Ban June 4, 2012
Circulation*
Page
2,200,000
1
-‐
9
651,400
10
-‐
12
Ecorazzi
37,000
13
Goody Awards To Recognize The Blu with First Eco Goody Award at E3
PR Web
120,000
15
June 5, 2012
Bill to Ban Shark Fin Trade Moves Forward in New York
Oceana
-‐
17
June 6, 2012
Body Glove Helps Celebrate World Oceans Day
TransWorld Business
18,000
18
June 6, 2012
Mississauga debates enforcement options on shark fin ban bylaw
The Star Online
2,100,000
19
June 7, 2012
Gamers Gather To Celebrate The Blu’s Real World Impact -‐ National Digital Entertainment
Examiner
7,200,000
20
June 7, 2012
World Oceans Day Media Advisory/ Ocean Elders, WildAid and theBlu to Host Global Online Celebration
Press King
-‐
23
June 7, 2012
Reasons to Support a World-‐Wide Shark Finning Ban
Greener Ideal
-‐
24
June 8, 2012
World Oceans Day Media Advisory/ Ocean Elders, WildAid and theBlu to Host Global Online Celebration
PR Web
120,000
26
June 12, 2012
Shark Finning: Cruelty in the Ocean
Gsspa
-‐
28
June 12, 2012
Scientists protest against trade in shark fin
Straits Times
352,100
30
June 14, 2012
Coast Guard Service in Costa Rica Apprehends Shark
Fin Poachers
Costa Rica Star
352,100
31
June 14, 2012
Delaware targets sale, possession of shark fins The Republic
352,100
32
June 14, 2012
Honduras Committed to Protecting Marine Treasures Honduras Weekly
-‐
33
June 14, 2012
The fate of Mangerbani
Deccan Herald
200,000
35
June 15, 2012
Delaware targets sale, possession of shark fins
BusinessWeek
4,000,000
37
June 15, 2012
CBS News
7,600,000
38
June 18, 2012
Green Celebrity of the Week: Yao Ming scores for the planet
Kalev Online
-‐
39
June 18, 2012
Richard Branson: Plundering the new
wild west
Business Day
150,000
41
June 18, 2012
One Step Closer to a Fin-‐Free New York
Oceana
-‐
43
June 19, 2012
Committee mulls over Burlington shark-‐fin ban
Inside Halton
-‐
45
June 19, 2012
Sea Shepherd prepared to protect marine parks from poaching, over-‐fishing
The Australian
133,000
47
June 20, 2012
City of Mississauga “Shark Fin By-‐law” in effect June 30, 2012 with Enforcement Action Plan
Mississauga
47,000
48
June 20, 2012
New York Senate Fails to Pass Ban on Shark Fin Trade
Oceana
-‐
49
June 20, 2012
New York Should Say ‘No’ to Shark Fins
Legislative Gazette
13,000
50
June 20, 2012
Venezuela Ends Shark Finning, Creates Protected Area
Shark Defenders
-‐
51
June 20, 2012
Venezuela Ends Shark Finning, Prohibits Commercial Fishing At Los Roques; 'New, Far-‐Reaching Protections'
Underwater Times
-‐
52
June 20, 2012
MarketWatch
3,300,000
54
June 20, 2012
The Pew Charitable Trusts
-‐
55
June 20, 2012
The Sacramento Bee
1,150,000
56
June 20, 2012
Yahoo! News
55,000,000
58
June 20, 2012
PR Newswire
120,000
59
June 20, 2012
War of words brews over shark-‐fin trade
Want China Times
-‐
60
June 21, 2012
Activists call for shark-‐fin ban
Burnaby News Leader
45,000
62
June 21, 2012
City of Vancouver Resolution to Create By-‐law Banning Shark Fin Trade
Care for Chinese Animals
-‐
63
June 21, 2012
Port Moody Becomes First British Columbian Municipality to Pass Ban on Shark Fin Trade
World News Report
-‐
66
June 21, 2012
Venezuela Bans Shark Finning, Establishes Shark Sanctuary
Our Amazing Plant
-‐
67
June 21, 2012
A Nonvote in Albany: Tough Luck, Sharks
New York Times
16,400,000
69
June 21, 2012
Municipalities face legal challenge over shark fin ban
The Star Online
2,100,000
71
June 22, 2012
Municipalities face legal obstacles over shark fin ban
Metro News
200,000
73
June 22, 2012
The West is also killing sharks
Today Online
-‐
76
June 22, 2012
Venezuela Bans Shark Finning
Discovery News
890,000
77
June 22, 2012
Venezuela Shark Finning Ban Announced As Country Establishes Sanctuary
Huffington Post
31,150,000
79
June 24, 2012
City of North Van mulls shark fin soup ban
North Shore News
20,000
80
June 24, 2012
Port Moody bans shark fins from city, challenges other locales to follow suit
The Province
350,000
82
June 25, 2012
Tragedy of the Commons
Fiji Times
-‐
84
June 25, 2012
Shark fin ban going into effect
Mississauga
47,000
88
June 25, 2012
Plundering the seas for a bowl of soup
NY Daily News Online
-‐
89
June 25, 2012
Protecting the Tiger
Virgin (Richard Branson's Blog)
-‐
91
June 25, 2012
Richard Branson Wants You to Help Save Tigers
Ecorazzi
37,000
92
June 25, 2012
Venezuela Establishes Shark Sanctuary and Bans Shark Finning
Ecorazzi
37,000
94
June 26, 2012
New Shark Fin Poaching Arrests Made by Coast Guard in Costa Rica
Costa Rica Star
-‐
96
June 26, 2012
Delaware to Consider Shark Fin Trade Ban
Oceana
-‐
97
June 27, 2012
Four arrested in Costa Rica shark fin poaching operation
The Costa Rica News
-‐
98
June 27, 2012
Burnaby to ban shark fin trade
24 Hours Vancouver
130,000
99
June 27, 2012
Paul Watson's Arrest Bringing New Focus to Costa Rica's Anti-‐Shark Finning Efforts
Tree Hugger
595,000
101
June 28, 2012
Burnaby to consider shark fin ban
Burnaby News Leader
-‐
102
June 28, 2012
Four fishermen arrested for shark finning off southern coast
Tico Times
15,000
103
June 28, 2012
Shark fin ban gains momentum in Metro Cities
Surrey Leader
80,000
104
June 28, 2012
Eat shark-‐fin soup? You're killing oceans
The Salt Late Tribune
680,000
106
June 30, 2012
Shark Fins Burned in Honduras
The Random Fact
-‐
107
* Circulation statistics are based on a per month calculation
gulfnews : Shark-finning: Clear and present danger
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/shark-finning-c...
July 19 2012 | Last updated less than one minute ago
gulfnews.com
UAE | Environment
Shark-finning: Clear
and present danger
loading
Close [x]
Environmental groups warn that some shark
species could be wiped out in only a few years
never to return
By Derek Baldwin, Chief Reporter
Published: 00:00 June 1, 2012
Image Credit: Ahmed
Ramzan/Gulf News
The catch on display at Deira Fish Market.
1 of 8
7/19/12 11:46 AM
1
Dubai The stench wafting in the 42 degrees Celsius
heat at Deira Fish Market is enough to make a stray cat
retch as pools of blood collect beneath a loading island
slathered with hundreds of freshly killed Gulf sharks.
As the sun dips below the Deira Corniche horizon, a
ritual rarely witnessed by outsiders plays itself out as
dozens of pectoral and caudal fins, hacked from blacktipped sharks, are snapped up by buyers hungry for
lucrative trade with dried-seafood brokers in Hong
Kong.
According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation
(FAO), the UAE is the fifth largest exporter of shark fins
to Hong Kong, where the virtually tasteless marine
appendages are a high-end, brothy delicacy in soup
served at luxury social gatherings.
The culinary war on global sharks for their fins has
decimated shark stocks by up to 90 per cent at inshore
reef systems around the globe, say experts, leading to
the deaths of more than 70 million sharks every year.
Article continues below
2 of 8
7/19/12 11:46 AM
2
If the trend continues, environmental groups warn that
some shark species could be wiped out in only a few
years.
“For you, these fins for Dh150 a kilo,” mumbles a ruddy
faced man lording over the butchered shark fins at
market. “Bigger fins? Bigger is Dh200 or Dh300. Tell
me.”
Related Links
Tracking shark numbers in Gulf
Philippines' 'sharks under siege from poachers'
California's proposed shark fin ban in the soup
The man boasts he can handle orders of any size but
points out that the price remains the same for
high-volume fin orders, fresh or dried.
Enter the dark side of the shark fishing industry in the
UAE, where Dubai-bought fins are flipped for a much
higher price in the Far East, with one large fin fetching
up to 1,000 euros (Dh4,689.6). A bowl of shark-fin soup
can command up to 80 euros and is sought-after for its
cartilaginous texture.
The cultural importance of the dish lies within the ability
3 of 8
7/19/12 11:46 AM
3
of hosts of banquets or weddings to show respect to
guests through an expensive broth served for centuries
by the Chinese elite and now by the country’s growing
middle class.
Banned in September 2008 by the UAE Ministry of
Environment and Water, shark-finning is the practice of
hacking off the fins of live sharks caught at sea and
releasing to certain death the predators back into the
deep.
Tonight, however, at the fish market the sale of fins is
legal because the sharks they once belonged to landed
at the market whole and intact. Shark-fishing season is
open from May 1 to December 31 in UAE waters.
In only the first month of the season there seems to be
no end to the legal shark harvest as scores of
refrigerated trucks with Dubai plates deliver their quarry
to market.
Smell of money
How one can withstand the overwhelming odour
blanketing the fish market? One shark trader
overseeing the unloading of his daily catch was glib.
“The smell of money is worse,” he said. “Once you get
used to the smell of money from a good catch, it’s
highly addictive. You can’t stop.”
A final count of his catch yielded 30 black-tipped sharks
which fetched almost Dh25,000 in an on-site auction
surrounded by middle-men operators.
A quick count up and down the loading island, referred
4 of 8
7/19/12 11:46 AM
4
to as the “Gargoor side” at the market, revealed more
gory details. One lot contained 22 sharks, another 11
large sharks, while another double row contained 139
sharks of all sizes and ages. Deep into the night,
trolleys, tendered by registered fish-market workers,
ferried dozens more to waiting traders as reefer trucks
rolled into the parking lot
Shark catch studied
Cambridge University PhD candidate Dareen Almojil
was knee deep in the blood and guts of the maritime
bounty. Wearing plastic gloves, she tagged the sharks
as part of her efforts to estimate the local shark
population. Almojil also collected blood and tissue
samples. The catch of the day rounded up four Gulf
varieties of shark for Dareen to study from the blacktipped and spinner to spot tails and bull sharks.
“The sharks here are from Dubai, Sharjah and Abu
Dhabi, with most coming from Abu Dhabi today,” said
Almojil, a Kuwait native.
Dareen lauded the UAE government’s initiative to ban
finning.
By forcing commercial fishing companies to land whole
sharks, fewer sharks are being taken because
traditional fishing methods take longer. In contrast, the
practice of cutting off fins only and dumping sharks
back into the sea is quicker and can cut through shark
populations with deadly efficiency.
“They have to land these as whole fish,” she told Gulf
News in the thick of the market frenzy. “By taking the
5 of 8
7/19/12 11:46 AM
5
whole body, they really limit the catch. We still need
new regulations, new size limits.”
One of the upsides of procuring fins from governmentregulated shark-fishing facilities is that buyers know the
fins were taken legally using government-approved
methods. “The problem, otherwise, is that when you
buy dried shark fins, you don’t know if the sharks were
finned or not,” she said.
According to media reports, there has been a drop,
globally, in shark-fin prices by up to 20 per cent since
late last year, which some conservation groups attribute
to heavy environmental campaigning during the last
decade.
“I think it’s more about younger people in China now
being more aware of the shark-finning problem,”
Dareen said. “Chinese youth are not serving shark-fin
soup at their weddings like they used to.”
Several vendors at the 180 separate fish stations at
Dubai Fish Market said the prices of sharks in the UAE
have declined. A vendor at the market showed Gulf
News about a dozen baby sharks for sale, noting that
the smallest could be had for Dh25 or Dh50 for a
slightly larger one.
Fin demand growing
Keith Wilson, marine programme director of
Dubai-based Emirates Marine Environmental Group
(EMEG), said prices may have dipped but demand
continues to grow as the gap between the rich and poor
in China — the mainstay market for shark fins —
6 of 8
7/19/12 11:46 AM
6
narrows.
“The market in China is ever increasing because there
are now 300 to 400 million middle-class Chinese,”
Wilson told Gulf News. “Now they can afford it.”
Some experts peg demand for the fins growing by five
per cent annually.
Other new trends in the Far East, he said, such as
“pounding up shark cartilage and using it as an
anti-cancer medicine”, are also depleting shark
populations to the brink of collapse, especially in areas
such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.
As inshore shark populations collapse and inch towards
imminent extinction, relatively healthy inshore shark
populations along Arabian shores face a similar future,
he warned, if more measures are not taken to stop the
killings.
“At the current rate of capture, I can’t see it being
sustainably exploited here,” Wilson said. “It won’t take
long to get through these stocks.”
The concern is not only for the 30 or so shark species
that call Gulf waters home.
Shark-fin demand has led to a surge in the taking of
shark giants such as the six-metre long Great
Hammerhead sharks — the largest of their kind — from
the relative shallows of Oman.
Wilson pointed out that their larger fins are more highly
sought, leading to an influx of the Hammerheads from
Oman into the UAE, from where they are shipped to
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7/19/12 11:46 AM
7
Hong Kong.
“If they’re being caught in Oman, it’s not an offence,” he
said. “They come in from Oman, are traded and
shipped.”
Only three shark varieties — Great White, Basking and
Whale — are not legal to be commercially harvested, in
keeping with Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Oman is one of the very few places left on earth where
there is a healthy population of Great Hammerheads,
Wilson said, a stock that is threatened by over-fishing
as females take years to reach maturity and give birth
only to a small number of pups every year.
“It can’t take this rate of exploitation,” he added.
8 of 8
7/19/12 11:46 AM
8
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US Agent Kills 'Trafficker' in Honduras Anti-Drug
Mission
How Organized Crime Damages the Environment
in LatAm
Honduran authorities burnt over 100 shark fins
Inmates Run Honduras Prison as Micro-State
seized from illegal fishermen in a public ceremony
Honduras, Guatemala Discuss Binational Border
Police
demonstrating their commitment to wiping out this
lucrative illicit trade.
La Tribuna reported that President Porfirio Lobo and a
group of top officials presided over the event, in which 114 fins from 57 sharks were stacked and burnt. Video
footage of the event, available below, shows Lobo igniting the pile of fins with a burning torch.
The shark fins, which are often used in traditional medicine and considered a delicacy in East Asia, were seized
by the Honduran Navy in April. A press release by the Pew Environmental Group claims that they could have
been sold on the black market for as much as $300 per pound.
Lobo said Honduras is committed to stopping shark fishing in its own territory, which has been illegal since the
country was declared a shark sanctuary in June 2011. "These animals play an important role in maintaining
healthy coastal areas, our fisheries are dependent upon them, and they provide revenue by bringing tourists
and divers to Honduras to see sharks. They are worth far more alive than dead," he said, according to the
press release.
Brazil Cracks Down on Animal Trafficking
Honduras' New Human Trafficking Law Faces
Enormous Challenges
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Shark finning, in which the sharks' fins are removed -- often while the fish is still alive -- is a widespread
practice in Central America. Such ceremonies are usually reserved for large drug seizures, and the president's
participation is a sign of the prevalence of this trend.
Scientists estimate that some 70 million sharks are killed each year due to overfishing and the global fin trade.
Because of the popularity of the practice, shark finning constitutes a serious threat to Honduras' impressive
range of shark species. According to La Tribuna, northern Honduras boasts 45 species of shark, while the south
contains 11.
While the level of violence associated with the shark fin trade is minimal, activists attempting to raise awareness
of the practice have been attacked and intimidated.
Tagged under Eco TrafCicking Honduras
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6/27/12 2:32 PM
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Pressure grows to restrict shark-fin trade | Television New Zeala...
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Pressure grows to restrict shark-fin trade
Published: 12:07PM Friday June 01, 2012 Source: ONE News
The Green Party is hoping this is the year the Government moves to crack down on the practice of shark-finning in New Zealand
waters.
Fishermen targeting the lucrative trade in shark fins are allegedly responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of sharks in local
waters.
The fins are considered a delicacy in China and are used to create a thick glutinous soup.
Story continues below...
A group of international scientists have this week written an open letter to the Government calling for action to control the
trade which they say is threatening the species.
"The shark fin trade, as it currently stands, is not sustainable," the letter from the White Shark Conservation Trust says.
"Declines in shark populations have been reported from many locations worldwide.
"The overwhelming body of scientific data supports the urgent need to focus on adequate conservation and management
strategies rather than maintaining unsustainable levels of fishing."
1 of 2
7/18/12 11:59 AM
10
Pressure grows to restrict shark-fin trade | Television New Zeala...
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/pressure-grows-restrict-shark-fin...
Finning is completely banned in Australia, the United States, Mexico and Brazil, but is legal in New Zealand on dead sharks.
Green MP Gareth Hughes has campaigned on the issue for some time and told TV ONE's Breakfast the current system to protect
sharks is not effective.
"Some of the species are covered under the quota management system and that's what the Government says means our finning is
sustainable, but given we've got so little data on sharks and there's virtually no observers I don't have confidence in that system
and other countries are banning it outright." he said.
"Essentially you can spend all day at sea finning and dumping the rest of the 98% of the shark carcass at sea. Literally tens of
thousands of sharks are needlessly dying just for their fins."
Hughes said demand for the fins in China is booming as the country's economy grows and it now represents a billion dollar
industry. The fins are so popular, he said, more sharks are now being caught by tuna fishermen, than actual tuna.
However, he said this year could be important for bringing an end to the practice.
"The exciting thing about this year is the Government is doing a five yearly review of what's called 'The National Plan of Action:
Sharks' - so I'll think you'll see a huge campaign later this year when the Government announces their proposals."
Hughes said he hopes the Government adopts a policy where the sharks have to be caught and brought ashore before their fins
are cut off.
He said this would be easier to monitor and observe the catches fishermen are making.
The report is due to be published in August or September.
Copyright © 2012, Television New Zealand Limited. Breaking and Daily News, Sport & Weather | TV ONE, TV2 | Ondemand
2 of 2
7/18/12 11:59 AM
11
ISS: Tuna Processors Put Shark Finning Ban in Writing
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Wednesday, June 27, 2012
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McLean, Virginia - A conservation measure to prevent shark finning passed by the International Seafood
4
Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Board of Directors is now in effect. The measure, adopted in February of this
tweets
year, requires industry participants to adopt written policies that prohibit shark finning.
Shark finning is the act of removing a sharkʼs fin while discarding the carcass at sea. Shark finning violates the retweet
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nationʼs (FAO) Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries as well as
several other resolutions adopted by the FAO, other international marine organizations and national governments.
“Building sustainable tuna fisheries requires consideration for non-tuna species” said Susan Jackson, President of ISSF.
“This measure calls on the tuna industry as a whole to apply the necessary pressure on vessel owners to end this
practice while we engage RFMO member nations to establish effective enforcement measures.”
By September, processors, traders, importers, transporters and others involved in the seafood industry must refrain from
transactions with vessels that carry out shark finning or with vessel owning companies that do not have a public policy
prohibiting the practice.
For access to company specific policies on shark finning, click here.
About the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF)
The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is a global coalition of scientists, the tuna industry and World
Wildlife Fund (WWF), the worldʼs leading conservation organization, promoting science-based initiatives for the long-term
conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health. To learn more, visit
their website at iss-foundation.org.
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6/27/12 2:33 PM
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Leonardo DiCaprio Calls for New York Shark Fin Ban | Ecorazzi
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Leonardo DiCaprio has been a vocal
Facebook social plugin
part of the movement to ban the shark
fin trade. He penned a letter to the
California Senate in support of the bill
that would ban shark fins in the state;
the bill was passed into law in October.
Now, the actor has called for support of
New York’s pending shark fin bill. He
tweeted, “We did it in Cali.
C’mon ?#NewYork! RT @Oceana. Time
is running out for bill banning trade
of ?#shark? fins. Act now:http://ow.ly/biCvC .” The law would ban the possession, sale
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Leonardo DiCaprio Calls for New York Shark Fin Ban | Ecorazzi
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According to Oceana, the practice of shark finning is not only cruel, but it is driving some
species of sharks to the brink of extinction. Sharks, as top predators of the sea, are vital
- 1,716 views
to the health and balance of the oceans. “Tens of millions of sharks are caught each year
for their fins, and in some places these sharks are finned alive, a brutal practice in which
a shark’s fins are hacked off at sea, and the animal is thrown overboard to die,” the
Twitter Updates
organization writes.
Oceana adds that New York is “the largest importer and exporter of shark fins on the
East Coast.” New York would also be the first state on the East Coast to ban the shark
First 6 months of 2012: Hottest. Six months.
fin trade. Currently, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington are the only U.S. states
EVER. http://t.co/NxFLdxYa
with bans in place. Oceana provides a letter to New York legislators that you can sign in
02:57:31 pm july 11, 2012
support of the state shark fin ban.
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Jennifer is an animal advocate and activist. She is a volunteer coordinator
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E3 2012: Goody Awards To Recognize The Blu with First Eco...
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Thursday, July 19, 2012
E3 2012: Goody Awards To Recognize The Blu with First
Eco Goody Award at E3
The Goody Awards for social good is honored to present the first Eco Goody Award
to The Blu at the Shifted2U E3 Event http://bit.ly/HUCfkf on Wed, June 6th as part
of their World Oceans Month Campaign. This E3 event will be held during the
largest gaming convention of the year at the Crocker Club (Spring and 5th) in
downtown Los Angeles. There will be a red carpet from 8:00-9:30pm, an awards
presentation where Richard Taylor (Tron, Star Trek) will accept the Eco Goody
Award for The Blu, and a display of The Blu’s 3D animated ocean designed by
world class designers and Academy Award winners.
(PRWEB) June 04, 2012
To recognize The Blu for their ocean preservation and
World Oceans Day Celebration, the Goody Awards (http://goodyawards.com) will honor The Blu with the First Eco
Goody Award at the Shifted2U E3 Event on Wed, June 6th as part of their World Oceans Month Campaign.
Throughout June and into July, the Goody Awards will be promoting The Blu and ocean preservation with special
awards, a photo contest on Facebook http://bit.ly/K4rosf, and events. The Blu is the world's first social digital ocean
that users can download, explore and share. The company officially launched with displays in Times Square in May.
For World Oceans Day, John Bates, The Blu, explains The Blu's online celebration in this video: http://youtu.be
/dMo-FyyPXAc. On Friday, June 8th, The Blu, The OceanElders (Sir Richard Branson, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Ted Turner
and others) and WildAid (with celebrity ambassadors, Leonardo DiCaprio, Minnie Driver, Harrison Ford, and others)
will join to support ocean preservation.
The first Eco Goody Award is being presented to The Blu’s Maker Creative Committee of world-class designers,
including Andy Jones, Academy Award Winner/Avatar, Kevin Mack, Academy Award Winner, What Dreams May
Come, Richard Taylor, Tron and Star Trek, and Tahakio Akiyama, Final Fantasy. The award is being presented for
their stunning 3D animated world ocean, interactive education platform, ongoing contributions to preserving oceans,
and for the upcoming World Oceans Day celebration. Nevile Spiteri, CEO and Co-Founder of The Blu, shared, “We’re
honored to receive this Eco Goody Award, and appreciate the support for theBlu and World Oceans Day. Join the
global celebration on June 8th and dive in at theblu.com.”
Tanna Frederick, Actress, Surfer and Founder of Project Save our Surf, will present the award at this E3 event to
Richard Taylor (Tron, Star Trek) from The Blu on June 6th. Tanna is passionate about preserving oceans, and has
already bought 27 fish from The Blu (The Blu is free, but anyone can buy fish, and part of the proceeds goes towards
ocean preservation.) Tanna observed, “What the Blu provides is genius...Here is a group of virtual ecological
masterminds who have combined not only the most entertaining program to literally 'dive' into-with the exacting
simulation of fishes', dolphins, sharks, and whales' movements and migratory habits and behaviors…the Blu gives us
the opportunity to learn to conserve because the programs provided a personal and emotional attachment to a world
which is otherwise unavailable but nonetheless crucial to our human existence. I have never seen such a brilliant and
desperately needed program such as this - and accessible not just to the elite but to everyone- children, adults, it is
memorizing and I dare anyone to try to pull themselves away from it.”
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The Blu
Richard Taylor
Accepting the first Eco
Goody Award for The Blu’s
Maker Creative Committee
of world-class designers
Tanna Frederick
Actor, Surfer, Producer and
Founder, Project Save our
Surf
To support The Blu and World Oceans Month, where many hold events to raise awareness of the need to preserve
oceans that are 72% of the earth’s surface, the Goody Awards also launched a photo contest on June 1st. Users can
upload a photo of “Marine Water” (Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, Streams, Waterfalls), marine life or marine animals
between June 1 - June 30, 2012 via Facebook. Users will vote to decide on the best photo in early July (July 1-12),
and the winner will receive a Sony Tablet S. http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/235316
On World Oceans Day on June 8th, the Big Blu whale, created by Academy Award winner Andy Jones (Avatar), will
be seen for the first time on TheBlu.com. Ambassador Species sponsored by WildAid and the OceanElders will be
available for purchase to support ocean conservation. The OceanElders include Sir Richard Branson, Gigi Brisson,
Jackson Browne, Dr. Rita Colwell, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Graeme Kelleher, Sven Lindblad, Her
Majesty Queen Noor, Nainoa Thompson, Ted Turner, Captain Don Walsh, and Neil Young. The WildAid Celebrity
Ambassadors include Carmelo Anthony, Sir Richard Branson, Jackie Chan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Minnie Driver, Ralph
Fiennes, Harrison Ford, Jane Goodall, Kate Hudson, Ang Lee, and Yao Ming. For more information on The Blu’s
World Oceans Day celebration, visit http://theblu.com/feed
Big thanks to our E3 event sponsor, Shifted2U, which is an online hub for gaming, comics, news, podcasts, sports,
music, movies, fashion, show coverage and more! Their team of journalists is in action all around the world to bring
you all the hot stories, photos and videos. Shifted2u.com has set itself apart from the other typical sites out there by
connecting to the viewers through media/news and also offering content that no other site provides. Shifted2u is also
a frontrunner in assisting the cause of Redefining Disability in the Media, as a tool to reach out to the intranet
generation. Shifted2u LLCs Film Credits include, E!/Style Networks Weddings Gone Wild, VH1s Tool Academy 2 and
WEBNs Work It Out. Shifted's gaming coverage of several game nights has been promoted on many sites including
on Microsofts website (halo.xbox.com). Shout out to JadeUmbrella for the support of our Eco Goody Award, and your
1 of 2
7/19/12 11:53 AM
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E3 2012: Goody Awards To Recognize The Blu with First Eco...
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/6/prweb9556098.htm
continuous environmentalist work.
About the Goody Awards
Goody Awards, based in Santa Monica, CA, were created to empower individuals to recognize social good via social
media. Users can tweet immediate shout outs using #GoodyAwards and the Award Type (#GoodDeedGoody,
#HeroGoody or #TeamGoody, and now #EcoGoody.) In addition to awards that anyone can tweet, the Goody Awards
manages cause marketing campaigns by bringing together a cause, brand sponsors and celebrities to recognize
someone or a team doing social good in the space through Special Awards at events and an Annual Awards Show.
The Goody Awards goal is encourage global thank yous on a regularly basis via social media versus limit awards to
only a few, as seen on CNN Heroes. CEO and Founder, Liz H Kelly, has helped build companies and recognition
programs for Fox Interactive Media/MySpace, the first Sprint PCS / Sprint Spectrum, T. Rowe Price and several
internet start-ups in Los Angeles, CA. Global Media Experts, Actors, Actresses, Producers, Mobile Leaders and
Philanthropists are all part of the Goody Awards Advisory Board. http://goodyawards.com
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NEW YORK – Today, the New York Senate Environmental Conservation Committee voted in favor of a bill (S.6431) that would ban
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shark fin trade ban bills are also pending in Delaware and New Jersey. Oceana’s campaign director Beth Lowell applauded the
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“Today’s crucial vote marks an important step for shark conservation nationwide. New York is the largest hub for imported shark
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Millions of sharks are killed each year through the cruel and wasteful practice of shark finning, when a shark’s fins are sliced off
and its body is thrown back overboard. This practice not only decimates shark populations, but it harms the health of entire marine
ecosystems.
Shark fin trade bans decrease the global incentive for shark finning by reducing the demand for the product. Oceana thanks
Committee Chairman Mark Grisanti for his leadership on this important issue and we urge the New York Legislature to keep the
momentum going on this bill.”
Although shark finning is illegal in the United States, there are no federal laws that address the shark fin trade. Many shark fins are
imported into the U.S. from countries with few or even no shark protections in place.
For more information about Oceana’s campaign to protect sharks, please click here.
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the oceans using science-based campaigns. Since 2001, we have protected over 1.2 million square miles of ocean and
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Global in scope, Oceana has offices in North, South and Central America and Europe. To learn more, please visit
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OCEANS DAY
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Body Glove has joined theBlu’s global
online celebration of World Oceans Day on June 8, 2012. The event is meant to unite people, communities, and
organizations across the globe in a shared moment honoring the importance and beauty of the world’s ocean.
TheBlu turns the internet into a globally-connected 3D digital ocean. Your ocean. Every species and habitat is an original
work of art created by a global community of artists, animators and developers, including Academy Award winners Andy
Jones and Kevin Mack. Purchase the Killer Whale Ambassador species in theBlu to make a difference for the world’s
oceans.
Other notable organizations joining the celebration include WildAid and OceanElders. OceanElder members are: Sir
Richard Branson, Jackson Browne, Dr. Rita Colwell, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, Graeme Kelleher, Sven
Lindblad, Her Majesty Queen Noor, Nainoa Thompson, Ted Turner, Captain Don Walsh, Neil Young and founder Gigi
Brisson.
For more information on theBlu and how you can help, please visit: http://theblu.com/cause
CATEGORIZED: News
TAGS: andy jones, body glove, Captain Don Walsh, Dr. Rita Colwell, Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, Gigi Brisson, Graeme Kelleher, Her
Majesty Queen Noor, Jackson Browne, jean-michel cousteau, kevin mack, Nainoa Thompson, Neil Young, OceanElders, Sir
Richard Branson, Sven Lindblad, Ted Turner, theblu, WildAid, world oceans day
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7/18/12 11:40 AM
18
Mississauga debates enforcement options on shark fin ban bylaw...
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1207111--mississauga-deba...
Thursday, July 19, 2012
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Published on Wednesday June 06, 2012
Noor Javed
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The city of Mississauga is set to go ahead with implementation of a shark fin ban at the end
of June — pending council approval of an enforcement plan that was discussed on
Wednesday.
The city passed a bylaw banning the popular food product in October 2011, but earlier this
year decided to take some more time to discuss if the matter was a municipal or federal
responsibility. The city was told the federal government had no plans to enforce a ban
against shark fin products — and it would remain legal to import such products into Canada.
On Wednesday, the focus of the meeting was to discuss how the bylaw could be enforced.
According to the staff report, many of the cities that have imposed the bylaw such as Toronto
and Pickering, do not have enforcement plans in place.
News Video
Staff recommended that enforcement be “reactive, and through a complaint basis only.”
Since October, the city has received two complaints.
Councillor Ron Starr said he felt the problem of using illegal shark fins was minuscule in
Mississauga, and that “staff have better things to do,” than to enforce such a bylaw.
But Councillor George Carlson said implementing and enforcing the bylaw was about
“sending a message back up the supply chain.”
Stephen Chu, a member of Mississauga Chinese Business Association urged the committee
to defer the implementation of the bylaw, citing news that a lawsuit may be filed by the Fair
and Responsible Governance Alliance against the city of Toronto on the shark fin issue.
He said the bylaw was based on emotion and not accurate research, or consultation with the
1 of 3
7/19/12 11:58 AM
19
E3 2012: Gamers Gather To Celebrate The Blu’s Real World I...
http://www.examiner.com/article/e3-2012-gamers-gather-to-cel...
Examiner.com
E3 2012: Gamers Gather To Celebrate The Bluʼs
Real World Impact
E3
JUNE 7, 2012
20
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BY: LIZ KELLY
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14 photos
View the full slideshow »
Gamers celebrated The Bluʼs (http://theblu.com) 3D
RELATED TOPICS
E3
E3 2012
(http://www.examiner.com (http://www.examiner.com
/topic/e3)
/topic/e3-2012-1)
Twisted Pixel
world oceans day
(http://www.examiner.com (http://www.examiner.com
/topic/twisted-
/topic/world-oceans-day)
pixel/articles)
Sir Richard Branson
animated ocean that has real world impact during a
hot E3 2012 (http://www.examiner.com/topic/e3-2012-1)
party at The Crocker Club in downtown Los Angeles
last night hosted by Shifted2U (http://shifted2u.com)
. To bring you the inside scoop, we captured photos
of the Stepboys, Hip Hop Gamer, live bands, and
the First Eco Goody Award presentation
(http://youtu.be/gxXZdYvUvcA) to Richard Taylor
(http://www.examiner.com
1 of 4
7/19/12 11:59 AM
20
(Tron) for The Blu. To support E3
/topic/sir-richard-branson)
(http://www.examiner.com/topic/e3) ʼs 2012 theme to
honor games changing the world, the Goody
Awards chose to recognize this app making a huge difference at this gaming event.
This celebration included gaming professionals, developers, celebrities, and industry VIPS. When we
spoke to the ABDC's StepBoys (http://www.facebook.com/StepboysDanceCrew) , who have a national
TV Show, they did a dance in the street with the HipHopGamer (http://www.facebook.com
/hiphopgamershow) (aka Gerard Williams.) We also captured photos of them on the dance floor with the
80s band, Past Action Heroes, that are both seen in the slideshow of this story.
View slideshow: E3 2012: Gamers Celebrate The Blu Photos (http://www.examiner.com/slideshow
/e3-2012-gamers-celebrate-the-blu-photos)
The red carpet also included professional gamers Robert Paz
(Prod1gy X #1 multi-genre professional gamer in the world) and
Johnathan Wendell (Fatal1ty), Matty Rich (3D expert animator),
John Ratzenberger (Cheers/Star Wars), Taylor Armstrong
(RHBH), Jerimih (Def Jam), Estella Warren (Maximʼs #1 Hot
Babe), David Golshan and GG (Bravoʼs Shahs of Sunset), Adam
Rodriquez (CSI: Miami), Noam Dromi (Dolphin Tale), DJ Scribble,
Bret Lockett (NFL New England Patriot), Kareem Campbell (Pro
Skater), Shon Miller (Pro Snowboarder), Wes Ramsey (The
Guiding Light), Ken Nicholas and Frank Zanca (ITVFest
(http://itvfest.org) / Popcon LA that will in July) and many more.
John Bates, The Blu and Tedx Speaker, did live demonstrations
of The Bluʼs 3D ocean in The Vault at The Crocker Club (which
used to be a bank.) Gamers could check out the “Avatar” like
animation, and get more info about how to download The Blu.
John shared, "TEDx audiences all over have embraced theBlu
because it uses elements of storytelling, gaming and social
media to actually drive change in the real world. We're thrilled the
team has been recognized with this first ever Eco Goody Award!"
Along with checking out The Blu, live music included Christy
Paige, Hip Hop Gamer, Broken Pixels, Past Action Heros,
DBLCROSSD, and DJs Chris Rogers, 5footTin, and 5phero. The
party also had the first time game play from Microsoftʼs Twisted
Pixel (http://www.examiner.com/topic/twisted-pixel/articles) .
After the first band, Richard Taylor (The Blu, Tron and Star Trek)
accepted the first Eco Goody Award rom Actress, Surfer and
2 of 4
7/19/12 11:59 AM
21
Video: E3 2012: Richard Taylor
(Tron) Accepts Eco Goody Award
for The Blu (http://www.examiner.com
/video/e3-2012-richard-taylortron-accepts-eco-goody-awardfor-the-blu)
Founder Save Our Surf, Tana Frederick. In this video
(http://youtu.be/gxXZdYvUvcA) , Liz H Kelly, CEO/Founder of the
Goody Awards captures this presentation with Richard and Tanna
on the Red Carpet. Richard accepted this award for The Bluʼs
Maker Creative Committee of world-class designers, including
Andy Jones, Academy Award Winner, Avatar, Kevin Mack,
Academy Award Winner, What Dreams May Come, Richard
Taylor, Tron and Star Trek, and Tahakio Akiyama, Final Fantasy.
Tanna Frederick presented the award with passion and appreciation, “The Blu is an incredible game,
not only for adults, but for children, and I have already bought 27 fish….Conservation comes through
education, and the Blu has that down better than anyone I have seen. It will addict you, it will hypnotize
you…Thank you to the Blu for reaching into an area that has been untouched, to making science and
the eco system available for children for adults where it may not have been before. For making it
interesting. For making it fascinating. For making it indulgent. Thank you so much for all of your hard
work.”
Richard Taylor, accepted the award with great appreciation for Neville Spiteri (CEO and Co-Founder)
and everyone at The Blu. He added, “The Blu is a really unique online ocean that anybody in the world
can be a participate in…. Itʼs the first worldwide way that we can all communicate about whatʼs going on
in the oceans. Check it out online. Itʼs TheBlu.com. And itʼs just getting going. Itʼs great for kids, adults
and itʼs a great screen saver….Thank you all very much."
Many thanks to our E3 event host, Shifted2U, which is an online hub for gaming, comics, news,
podcasts, sports, music, movies, fashion, show coverage and more! Their team of journalists is in action
all around the world to bring you all the hot stories, photos and videos. Shifted2u.com has set itself
apart from the other typical sites out there by connecting to the viewers through media/news and also
offering content that no other site provides. And big shout out Jade Umbrella for being the engine for
this amazing event!
And donʼt forget to Dive Into TheBlu.com tomorrow, World Oceans Day (http://www.examiner.com/topic
/world-oceans-day) (June 8, 2012,) to see the Big Blu whale, created by Academy Award winner Andy
Jones (Avatar.) Youʼll also see Ambassador Species sponsored by WildAid and the OceanElders, and
when you buy a fish, part of the proceeds goes to ocean conservation. The OceanElders include Sir
Richard Branson (http://www.examiner.com/topic/sir-richard-branson) , Gigi Brisson, Jackson Browne, Dr.
Rita Colwell, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Graeme Kelleher, Sven Lindblad, Her Majesty
Queen Noor, Nainoa Thompson, Ted Turner, Captain Don Walsh, and Neil Young. The WildAid Celebrity
Ambassadors include Carmelo Anthony, Sir Richard Branson, Jackie Chan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Minnie
Driver, Ralph Fiennes, Harrison Ford, Jane Goodall, Kate Hudson, Ang Lee, and Yao Ming. For more
information on The Bluʼs World Oceans Day celebration, visit http://theblu.com/feed
(http://theblu.com/feed )
© Liz H Kelly @LizHKelly (http://twitter.com/lizhkelly) , National Digital Entertainment Column and
3 of 4
7/19/12 11:59 AM
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World Oceans Day Media Advisory: OceanElders, WildAid and...
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Richard Snee, Media Relations
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Press Release - published on 6/7/12
World Oceans Day Media Advisory: OceanElders,
WildAid and theBlu to Host Global Online
Celebration
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Ocean Lovers Unite On World Oceans Day
VENICE, CA--( 06/07/12)- The following is being released by the theBlu.com
What: OceanElders, WildAid, and theBlu.com are holding a global online celebration at theblu.com, in honor of World Oceans Day, June 8,
2012. Entitled, "If You Love The Ocean, Download It!" Interested parties are encouraged to start registering immediately to ensure best
interaction with the celebrities and leading ocean advocates expected to participate.
Who: OceanElders members are: Sir Richard Branson, Jackson Browne, Dr. Rita Colwell, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, Graeme
Kelleher, Sven Lindblad, Her Majesty Queen Noor, Nainoa Thompson, Ted Turner, Captain Don Walsh, Neil Young and founder Gigi Brisson.
The event will unite individuals, communities, and organizations all over the world in a globally shared moment celebrating the beauty and
significance of the world's ocean. On June 8, the "Big Blu" whale, created by Academy Award winner Andy Jones (for Avatar), will be seen
for the first time, and Ambassador Species sponsored by WildAid and OceanElders will be available for purchase. We suggest participants
download now and log in early on June 8th.
When: Friday, June 8, 2012 at theblu.comDetails: theBlu is an easy-to-download app for Mac and PC, available now at theblu.comSocial
Media: Suggested tweet examples for June 8:Celebrating #worldoceansday following Big Blu whale around the world! @intheblu If you love
the ocean, download it! theblu.comIf you love the ocean, download it! theblu.com Connecting with amazing people across the globe
@intheblu. #worldoceansdayIf you love the ocean, download it! theblu.com Buy Ambassador Species to support @WildAid @OceanElders
@intheblu #worldoceansdaySocial media handles and hashtags: @intheblu @WildAid @OceanElders #worldoceansday #thebluWatch theBlu
Video: http://youtu.be/enPlsab8L-8
ABOUT WildAid (www.wildaid.org) WildAid the only organization to focus on reducing the demand for wildlife products with the strong and
simple message: when the buying stops, the killing can, too. WildAid works with Asian and Western celebrities to dissuade people from
purchasing wildlife products via public service announcements and educational initiatives. WildAid's roster of Ambassadors includes
Leonardo DiCaprio, Yao Ming, Jackie Chan, Ralph Fiennes, Minnie Driver, Carmelo Anthony, Lang Lang, and Sir Richard Branson.
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On World Oceans Day theBlu will feature celebrity guests and prizes. [Download]
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4 Reasons to Support a World-Wide Shark Finning Ban
http://www.greenerideal.com/science/0607-shark-finning/
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by Susmita Baral • June 7, 2012 • Animals, Science & Nature • 1 Comment
It’s been almost a year since Honduran President Porfirio Lobo Sosa banned shark fishing in the Honduran Caribbean and
recently, to demonstrate his commitment to his ban, Lobo Sosa set 144 pounds of illegally harvested shark fins on fire that
were confiscated in Western Honduras. His actions, and the steps taken by many governments around the world, have helped
to conserve the apex ocean predators.
Shark fin consumption is most common in East Asia, typically in form of the popular and now, notorious, shark fin soup.
According to marine conservation group WildAid, 95 percent of all shark fin is consumed within China.
The arguments supporting a world-wide shark fin ban are strong and four-fold: Ethical, Animal Endangerment, Consumer
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http://www.greenerideal.com/science/0607-shark-finning/
Health and Environmental.
1. Ethical
There is, without a doubt, an ethical problem with how sharks are being caught and finned. The most popular method of
obtaining shark fins is the act of finning which involves catching a shark, removing its fins and dumping the animal back
into the sea. The fate of the discarded shark is to die from starvation, drown or to be eaten alive by other fish.
2. Animal Endangerment
In addition to the inhumane measures taken to acquire shark fins, sharks are facing extinction as well. According to the
International Union for Conservation of Nature, up to a third of all shark populations (126 of an estimated 460 shark species)
face a threat of extinction. Yet, despite this massive decline, it has been estimated that 70 million sharks are still killed each
year for trade.
3. Consumer Health
The main reason behind finning sharks is for consumer consumption and a recent study conducted at the University of
Miami Brain Endowment Bank found that consuming shark fins may put consumers at risk. The study, published in the
journal Marine Drugs, found that shark fins from Florida waters have a high concentration of a neurotoxin (β-MethylaminoL-alanine) that have been linked to Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s disease.
4. Environmental
If you think sharks dying off is no big deal, then think again! If sharks were to be gone from the oceans, then ecosystems
could be severely impacted. For instance, sharks help keep their prey population in check and preserve the genetic health of
many fish populations by consuming the sick, injured and weak. And the environmental change is already in effect: In the
North American West Coast, the giant Humboldt squid has changed its territory thanks to overfishing sharks and have
attacked divers. What’s more, on the East Coast of North America, cownose ray populations have proliferated courtesy of
declining shark numbers.
But as with any controversial cause, things are never quite straight forward. Earlier this year, Dr. Giam Choo Hoo, a member
of a United Nations body on endangered species, spoke at a seminar and raised some arguments in defense of shark finning.
According to Giam, 80 percent of sharks caught are accidental and 25 percent of sharks are caught in poor countries (e.g.,
Indonesia and India) by mostly poor fishermen who will consume every part of the shark.
Regardless of how or why sharks are caught, the simple truth is that sharks are on a decline and something must be done. If
sharks are accidentally caught, then more efficient fishing methods must be implemented to ensure they are not captured by
accident.
Photo by Allan Lee
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Tags: animal cruelty, animals, shark fin soup, shark finning, shark fins, sharks
About Susmita Baral
Susmita is a freelance writer and editor in the Greater New York City area with her own blog on natural beauty (Cherry
Stained Lips). In her spare time, Susmita enjoys cooking, traveling, dappling in photography, art history and interior design,
and moonlighting as a therapist for her loved ones.
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World Oceans Day Media Advisory: OceanElders, WildAid and theBlu to Host Global
Online Celebration
Venice, CA, June 08, 2012 --(PR.com)-- What: OceanElders, WildAid,
and theBlu.com are holding a global online celebration at theblu.com, in
honor of World Oceans Day, June 8, 2012. Entitled, "If You Love The
Ocean, Download It!" Interested parties are encouraged to start
registering immediately to ensure best interaction with the celebrities
and leading ocean advocates expected to participate.
Who: OceanElders members are: Sir Richard Branson, Jackson Browne,
Dr. Rita Colwell, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, Graeme
Kelleher, Sven Lindblad, Her Majesty Queen Noor, Nainoa Thompson,
Ted Turner, Captain Don Walsh, Neil Young and founder Gigi Brisson.
The event will unite individuals, communities, and organizations all over the world in a globally shared moment
celebrating the beauty and significance of the world's ocean. On June 8, the "Big Blu" whale, created by Academy
Award winner Andy Jones (for Avatar), will be seen for the first time, and Ambassador Species sponsored by WildAid
and OceanElders will be available for purchase. They suggest participants download now and log in early on June
8th.
When: Friday, June 8, 2012 at theblu.com
Details: theBlu is an easy-to-download app for Mac and PC, available now at theblu.com
Social Media: Suggested tweet examples for June 8:
Celebrating #worldoceansday following Big Blu whale around the world! @intheblu If you love the ocean, download
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If you love the ocean, download it! theblu.com Buy Ambassador Species to support @WildAid @OceanElders
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About theBlu: (www.theblu.com) TheBlu "app" was launched in Times Square on May 4, 2012 with interactive
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Media, an entertainment studio based in Venice, California, and 2012 winner of the SXSW Accelerator Award for
best entertainment start-up. The company was co-founded in 2010 by Neville Spiteri, a media creative executive
formerly at EA, Square and Digital Domain, and Scott Yara, a successful repeat entrepreneur and
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growing community of artists, animators and developers worldwide.
About WildAid: (www.wildaid.org) WildAid the only organization to focus on reducing the demand for wildlife
products with the strong and simple message: when the buying stops, the killing can, too. WildAid works with Asian
and Western celebrities to dissuade people from purchasing wildlife products via public service announcements and
educational initiatives. WildAid's roster of Ambassadors includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Yao Ming, Jackie Chan, Ralph
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It's awesome. Finally some signs of
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So just how does shark finning work? After catching the shark, fishermen amputate a shark’s fins while the
shark is still alive. Then, they toss the mutilated shark back into the ocean, finless and bleeding. The shark
I don't really care.
then slowly dies of suffocation, a slow, torturous process that can last for days (unless the shark is lucky
enough to be eaten alive by other fish first). Up to 99% of the shark is thrown away according to SharkWater,
a 2007 documentary fighting to end the practice of shark finning. The fins from the sharks are then used in
tasteless shark fin soup. Shark specialists estimate that 100 million sharks are killed annually just for their
And so the slippery slope begins...
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7/19/12 12:02 PM
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fins! Humans are driving these magnificent animals to their extinction.
Vote
So how is shark finning affecting sharks? Well, according to Sea Shepherd, since 1972 the number of
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Blacktip Sharks has fallen by 93%; Tiger Sharks by 97%; Bull Sharks, Dusky Sharks and Smooth
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Hammerheads by 99%! Sharks are being caught, finned, and left to die at unbelievable rates. Imagine if the
human population decreased by 99%!
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Shark finning is an international problem, which makes it very difficult to control. Oceanic Defense states
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industry. People say banning shark finning will mess with China’s economy. But the reality is that shark
finning will be stopped eventually, either from banning or from the extinction of sharks. So either
way,Chinawill have to stop shark finning. Hopefully, for the sharks’ sake, the end of the practice will come
about as a result of the former.
And what can one do to help stop this underwater genocide? One can sign petitions, spread awareness
about the atrocities of shark finning, and refuse to eat at restaurants that sell shark fin soup or other shark fin
products. Doing this puts pressure on the restaurants to stop selling shark products in order to get
customers.
But this will only work if everyone works together. Tell everyone to take shark fin soup off the menu! As
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Coast Guard Service in Costa Rica Apprehends Shark Fin Poachers
http://news.co.cr/coast-guard-service-costa-rica-apprehends-sha...
Coast Guard Service in Costa Rica Apprehends Shark
Fin Poachers
Casa Vista Azul
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Posted by Jaime Lopez on June 14, 2012 in Politics
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Earlier this week, officers from the National Coast Guard
Service in Costa Rica boarded a fishing vessel off the
Private Security Costa Rica
Pacific coast and arrested three individuals suspected of
Experienced, Professional, Security Guards
shark fin poaching. According to an official press release
(506) 7010-2391
issued by Sergio Lopez Murillo of the Ministry of Public
contact@security.co.cr
Safety, 58 shark fins were confiscated and will serve as
evidence against the three men who will be charged with
ExpoVino Conference
violations of the Fishing Law in Costa Rica.
Top WIne Conference in Costa Rica
(506) 8997-1651
The Coast Guard patrol boat Juan Mora (SNG 82-3) was
on patrol about 10 nautical miles southeast of Punta Baco,
near Golfito in the province of Puntarenas. The crew of the
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guillermo.rodriguez@eka.net
Source: Ministry of Public Safety
Juan Mora was specifically looking for drug trafficking
activity and irresponsible fishing when they came across the Fishing Vessel Elizabeth X. The crew of the FV
Elizabeth X consisted of three individuals who did not have any objection to the Coast Guard’s request to board.
During the boarding operation, the Coast Guard officers found a suspicious sack in one of the coolers aboard.
Upon closer inspection, they found 58 shark fins mixed in with other aquatic species. The fins had been hacked
off, and there were no sharks to be found aboard the FV Elizabeth X. Since there were no sharks or even shark
parts to be found, the three suspects were arrested on suspicion of violating Law Number 8346. Article 139 of the
law provides sentences between six months and two years in prison, as well as monetary penalties equivalent to
about 5 to 15 median salaries.
The FV Elizabeth X and her crew were detained and escorted to the Coast Guard Station in Golfito, where
prosecutors awaited their arrival.
The National Coast Guard Service in Costa Rica recently celebrated its 12th anniversary with parades,
ceremonies and a special land operation that included the rescue of hundreds of leatherback sea turtle eggs and
the arrest of two poachers/smugglers.
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Important Notice: The views and opinions shared within this news article are those of the writer and do not
necessarily represent those of The Costa Rica Star news network. If you have any feedback or questions
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RANDALL CHASE Associated Press
June 14, 2012 - 6:49 pm EDT
DOVER, Del. — The state House has passed a bill outlawing the
possession, sale, and distribution of shark fins in Delaware.
The bill, which passed unanimously on Thursday, is aimed at helping
end the practice known as shark finning, in which a shark is caught,
its fins cut off and the carcass dumped back in the water.
Supporters note that the practice of shark finning already is
prohibited by federal law and state regulations, but the possession,
sale and distribution of shark fins themselves is not.
Shark fin soup is considered a delicacy and status symbol in some
Asian cultures, but critics say harvesting sharks just for their fins is
both barbaric and leads to overfishing of sharks.
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DO THIS EVERYWHERE! boycott eating in Asian restaurants that serve this!
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Let's the Shak along! plaese
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Honduras Committed to Protecting Marine Treasures
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3. Honduras Committed to Protecting Marine Treasures
Thursday, 14 June 2012 14:38
Shark fin soup, considered a delicacy in China, can cost up to US$750. Although the fins have no nutritional value,
the soup is a culinary tradition that dates back to the Ming dynasty and became popular beginning in the 18th century
among Chinese monarchs, who coveted it because of its rareness.
By Thelma Mejía
Honduras, in the heart of Central America, normally makes headlines for its political
upheavals and violence. But sometimes there is good news, too. It is one of only a few
countries with a shark sanctuary off its coasts, and it has just created a protected area
around a reef of a coral species formerly on the brink of extinction. This month
Honduras is celebrating the first anniversary of the declaration of the Bi-Oceanic
Shark Sanctuary that encompasses its entire exclusive economic zone, some 240,000
sq km spanning both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Its coastal waters are home to numerous shark species, including hammerhead sharks,
bull sharks, nurse sharks, tiger sharks and even six-gill sharks, which can reach
lengths of almost five metres and are found in the Caribbean waters off Roatán, one of Honduras’ Bay Islands.“In the Gulf of
Fonseca (on the Pacific) there are hammerhead sharks, one of the most endangered shark species due to the fact that their fins are
highly sought after in Asia for making soup. There are many young hammerhead sharks in the gulf, where they are protected,”
biologist Stephen Box, who has studied the threats to these creatures in the Honduran sanctuary, told Tierramérica.
Shark fin soup, considered a delicacy in China, can cost up to US$750. Although the fins have no nutritional value, the soup is a
culinary tradition that dates back to the Ming dynasty and became popular beginning in the 18th century among Chinese
monarchs, who coveted it because of its rareness, experts told Tierramérica.
Sharks are highly vulnerable animals. Although they have long life spans, they do not begin to reproduce until they are 18 years
old and they have very few offspring, explained Box, who has lived in Honduras for almost a decade and works for the Center for
Marine Ecology, a Honduran NGO.
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6/27/12 2:59 PM
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http://www.hondurasweekly.com/honduras-committed-to-protec...
A third of shark species are threatened or endangered around the world, said Maximiliano Bello of the Pew Environment Group, a
conservation organisation based in Washington.
These large predators act as controllers that maintain the balance of ecosystems, added Bello, the coordinator in Latin America of
Pew’s Global Shark Conservation Campaign. “They are like the lions of the sea. If the sharks are not there, the system could
collapse,” Bello told Tierramérica.
Between May 31 and June 2, Bello participated in a series of activities organized to celebrate the first anniversary of the shark
sanctuary and the declaration of a protected area encompassing a bank of coral reefs off the Bay Islands.
Together with Honduran President Porfirio Lobo, Bello witnessed the burning of 184 shark fins seized by the authorities from
fishermen. In the waters of the sanctuary, the capture, sale and export of sharks are strictly prohibited.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Rigoberto Cuéllar told Tierramérica that the fact that sharks do not form part of the
national diet has made it easier to protect them in Honduras. They are now working to educate fishing communities about the
importance of sharks for maintaining the balance of ecosystems, he added.
Honduras is sending a message to the world about the need to protect marine species, said the minister, who announced that
neighboring Costa Rica is preparing to join Honduras in the shark sanctuary initiative. “We would like to see it extend to all of
Central America, because sharks are barometers of the health of oceans and coastal ecosystems.”
Alongside the Bahamas, the Maldives, the Marshall Islands, Palau and Tokelau, Honduras is one of the few countries in the world
that have established sanctuaries to protect sharks.
Now, the Honduran authorities have declared the Cordelia Coral Bank off the island of Roatán to be a protected area for wildlife
preservation.
The 17 sq km of reefs encompassed by the Cordelia Bank are home to the Caribbean’s most extensive living colonies of staghorn
coral, a critically endangered species, marine biologist Calina Zepeda of The Nature Conservancy told Tierramérica.
Aside from these recently discovered reefs in Honduras, staghorn coral has become almost extinct in the Caribbean, with its
populations decimated by a rare disease between 1983 and 2000.
In addition, the Cordelia Bank is an important spawning ground for various fish species, including the Nassau grouper
(Epinephelus striatus), an endangered species. It is also home to a significant population of Caribbean reef sharks (Carcharhinus
perezi), which draw tourists to the area for the practice of shark diving.
In July 2011, another seven reefs were discovered in Tela Bay, on the country’s Atlantic coast.
Six of them form the barrier reef of Capiro Bank, located 8 km out to sea from the city of Tela. The seventh, similar to Cordelia, is
off the coast of nearby Punta Sal. The national and local authorities have decided to create a protected area to encompass all of
them.
For Zepeda, Honduras could serve as a sort of coral gene bank for the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, an initiative jointly
undertaken by eight countries -- Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama -- for the
conservation and protection of the region’s immense biodiversity. (6/14/12) (photo of shark fin soup courtesy Internet)
Note: This article was reprinted with permission of the Inter Press Service in New York, New York. Thelma Mejía is an IPS
correspondent. The story was originally published by Latin American newspapers that are part of the Tierramérica network.
Tierramérica is a specialized news service produced by IPS with the backing of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP,
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and the World Bank (WB).
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You are here: Home » Metrolife » The fate of Mangerbani
Horoscope
Neha Das,June 14,2012
Year 2012
LOST RESERVE
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Calendar 2011
Delhi is known to be one of the ‘greenest’ cities in
India. But these green patches are facing a huge
threat by the so-called developers and builders who
want to create their own spaces in terms of
skyscrapers and malls.
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(114.0 Ovs)
A Akmal
40(105)
Scorecard
SL vs PAK
Gangs of Wasseypur is
produced and directed
by Anurag Kashyap.
The film casts Manoj
Bajpai, Naw[...]
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But there is more. Ishani K Dutta, director of The Lost Forest who stumbled into the
idea of making this film says, “While doing my research, I found out about the
importance of this area in terms of maintaining ecological balance.
Realtor to pay up for not allotting plots on time
HC tells cops to protect blind man, daughter
‘Opening match will be very crucial’
This is an important ground water recharge zone, and is also the catchment area
for Dhauj lake which lies in its vicinity. It is extremely important that we protect such
areas since Gurgaon, Faridabad and Delhi are largely dependent on ground water.
It would appear now that the documentary has made some babus of the
government do a rethink on this issue. Tykee Malhotra, founder Sanskara
Development Trust and India Chief of Wild Aid, shares that, “The Central
government has directed the Haryana state government to prepare a
geo-reference map which shows the forest area in Faridabad district.
SL
ENG vs AUS
The 500 acre forest is not just a unique ecosystem home to several species of rare
plants and animals but also sacred to its indigenous habitants – the Mangars – a
Rajasthani tribe. However, due to its proximity with Delhi, Gurgaon and Faridabad
as it lies on the borders of all three, it is facing threat from land sharks who want to
give it a new face in terms of ‘developing’ it now, as published in Metrolife earlier.
The fact that the villagers surrounding the Bani have preserved the forest for
thousands of years without any sort of government support, also fascinated me. I
didn’t need to think twice. I knew instantly that this forest needed to be saved, and
since I know and understand films, I used this medium to tell the story.”
1st Test, Jun 22
Sri Lanka won by 209
runs
To show people how important it is to preserve and conserve our green reserve for
the sake of the eco-system, ‘Carrot Films’ dedicated a documentary on
Mangerbani, a sacred forest just off the main Gurgaon-Faridabad highway and part
of the Aravalli hills.
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Currently, the geo-reference map is prepared by the Haryana Forest Department. I
have also interacted with the principle chief conservator of forest in Haryana to
identify the deemed forest areas in the Faridabad district which includes
Mangerbani.”
Mangarbani is considered a sacred grove by the local communities, largely
comprising Gujjars. This small patch of forest is ‘consecrated in the memory of
Gudariya Baba’ - a local holy man, and protected by the superstition that anyone
who breaks a branch or grazes his goats here will suffer grievous harm’. According
to Pradip Krishen, the well-known environmentalist and filmmaker, “One result of
this sacred conservation strategy is that Mangarbani has become a little outdoor
museum of what Delhi’s Ridge might have looked like without biotic pressure….
mainly in the presence of ‘dhau’”.
The Delhi Ridge supports other trees not found in the rest of Delhi like hingot, khair,
kumttha, dhak, phulai and kareel. Two other species have now completely
disappeared, and exist only in Mangarbani – kala siris (Albizia odoratissima) and
the salai or frankincense tree (Boswellia serrata). Observations in Mangerbani have
shown the existence of porcupines, hedgehogs, partridges, peafowl, wild hare,
jackal, mongooses, various species of snakes and birds.
Environmentalists and other concerned individuals are now working overtime to
preserve this sacred grove but its fate lies in uncertain hands
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Delaware targets sale, possession of shark fins - Businessweek
Bloomberg.com
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By Randall Chase on June 15, 2012
DOVER, Del. (AP) — The state House has passed a bill outlawing the possession, sale, and
distribution of shark fins in Delaware.
The bill, which passed unanimously on Thursday, is aimed at helping end the practice known as shark
finning, in which a shark is caught, its fins cut off and the carcass dumped back in the water.
Supporters note that the practice of shark finning already is prohibited by federal law and state
regulations, but the possession, sale and distribution of shark fins themselves is not.
Shark fin soup is considered a delicacy and status symbol in some Asian cultures, but critics say
harvesting sharks just for their fins is both barbaric and leads to overfishing of sharks.
@2012 Bloomberg L.P. All Rights Reserved. Made in NYC Ad Choices
1 of 1
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Delaware targets sale, possession of shark fins - CBS News
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DOVER, Del. — The state House has passed a bill outlawing the possession, sale, and distribution of shark fins in Delaware.
The bill, which passed unanimously on Thursday, is aimed at helping end the practice known as shark finning, in which a
shark is caught, its fins cut off and the carcass dumped back in the water.
Supporters note that the practice of shark finning already is prohibited by federal law and state regulations, but the
possession, sale and distribution of shark fins themselves is not.
Shark fin soup is considered a delicacy and status symbol in some Asian cultures, but critics say harvesting sharks just for
their fins is both barbaric and leads to overfishing of sharks.
© 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or
redistributed.
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Green Celebrity of the Week: Yao Ming scores for the planet |...
http://www.kalev.com/2012/06/18/green-celebrity-of-the-week-...
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Green Celebrity of the Week: Yao Ming scores for the
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Story by Rod Charles
Kalev.com Contributor
In his playing days professional basketball player Yao Ming was the tallest player in the National Basketball
Association, standing 7-foot-6.
The former Houston Rockets’ center may have left the court behind, but he’s still standing tall for the
environment.
2 of 8
7/19/12 1:49 PM
39
Green Celebrity of the Week: Yao Ming scores for the planet |...
http://www.kalev.com/2012/06/18/green-celebrity-of-the-week-...
In 2009, Yao was named the UN Environment Programme‘s first environmental champion. ”In my role as
environmental champion, I will work with governments, the private sector, and the public to promote good
and effective management of our environment so we can preserve the planet for future generations,” Yao
told the Environmental News Service.
In 2010, Yao worked to promote environmental protection for the 2010 World Expo, which was held in his
hometown, Shanghai.
According to Planetgreen.com, Yao teamed up with Wild Aid to urge China to say no to shark fin soup. The
illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth over $10 billion per year and has drastically reduced many
wildlife populations around the world. Wild Aid’s mission “is to end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes
by reducing demand through public awareness campaigns and providing comprehensive marine protection.”
Yao even went so far as to make a public service announcement by appearing in a television commercial to
shame the rich and stop the overfishing of sharks. He also urged the people of China to stop purchasing
illegal wildlife products.
In 2012, China.org reported that Yao helped release six young pandas that were bred in captivity. They were
released as a group of “pioneers” into a controlled wilderness designed to train pandas before sending them
into the wild. It was formally opened to the pandas on Wednesday in Yutang, a town in Dujiangyan.
“A lot of times when we work on the development of a city or village, we should also consider the natural
living environment for the giant panda. It shouldn’t be that we just think of giving them food and lodging
inside a house,” Yao said.
The Yao Ming Foundation was established four years ago in response to the devastating 8.0 earthquake in
Sichuan Province, China on May 12, 2008. An 8.0 earthquake is the equivalent to energy released from 790
nuclear bombs. More than 8,000 schoolrooms and 185 schools were destroyed during the earthquake. “The
Yao Ming Foundation has so far committed to rebuilding five schools in the earthquake region. The new
earthquake-resistant schools will provide top level education for more than 1,000 students, many of whom
will also board at the schools,” the foundation’s website says.
There’s no doubt about it — when it comes to standing up for children, animals and the environment, Yao
Ming is one slam dunk of a great example.
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3 of 8
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40
http://www.businessday.co.za/Articles/Content.aspx?id=174398
Richard Branson. Picture: REUTERS
RICHARD BRANSON: Plundering the new
wild west
If we don’t do something now, whales, dolphins, sharks and coral reefs will become the stuff of
history lessons for our children’s children
RICHARD BRANSON
Published: 2012/06/18 09:29:54 AM
THE oceans are our planet’s new frontier, a huge area only partly explored and little regulated, where
both outlaws and law-abiding citizens are legally plundering the planet’s resources. While 15% to
20% of the earth’s land area is designated as "protected," with status as national parks or conservation
areas, less than 1% of the world’s oceans — which cover 70% of the surface — enjoy the same
protections. This needs to change fast, because our oceans are dying.
At the United Nations (UN) Conference on Sustainable Development that will take place in Brazil on
June 20, the Ocean Elders, a group of global leaders who have teamed up to use their influence to
promote ocean conservation, will be urging heads of state and high-level government envoys to draw
up a mandate that will oblige nations around the world to assume a far higher level of responsibility
for the welfare of our oceans. The conference is known as the Rio+20, recognising that 20 years have
passed since the first Earth Summit in Rio. At this summit, it is time for leaders to push through real
change.
With most of the high seas open to unrestricted fishing, the oceans are being pillaged. One of the
worst techniques is dragnet bottom trawling, which involves dragging large, heavy nets across the
seabed, destroying corals and sponges vital to ecosystems — effectively strip-mining the oceans of
marine life. This indiscriminate trawling is as inefficient as it is destructive: for every kilogram of
targeted fish species captured in such a net, about 10kg of so-called "by-kill" (unwanted fish) is killed.
It is not surprising that studies by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Department showed in 2012 that
1 of 2
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http://www.businessday.co.za/Articles/Content.aspx?id=174398
about a third of fish stocks were overexploited, depleted or recovering.
The more one learns about this marine mayhem, the more terrifying the picture becomes. WildAid
estimates that a gruesome total of 1.5-million sharks are being slaughtered every week, just for their
fins. This trade is flourishing partly because of the strong economy in China, where some people will
pay as much as $100 a bowl for shark-fin soup. According to the International Union for Conservation
of Nature’s Shark Specialist Group, as many as one-third of all shark species are now threatened with
extinction. To its credit, WildAid’s tireless efforts have resulted in bans of shark-product sales in
several cities, but this does not affect the underlying problem.
And over-fishing and the wholesale destruction of marine ecosystems are not the only man-made
threats to our oceans. We usually only pay attention to the garbage we see and recognise, like the
22m-long dock from Japan that recently washed up on an Oregon beach 15 months after the tsunami
there, but it is actually the much smaller flotsam that wreaks the most havoc. Over time, the millions
of tons of discarded plastic that get dumped in our oceans is broken down by wave action and sunlight
to form what becomes a plankton-like plastic soup that fish mistake for food. The fish eat the plastic
and, if they survive that, in some instances we eat the fish.
To attack this problem, Doug Woodring, a Hong Kong resident, has followed up on the successful
Carbon Disclosure Project, which now boasts more than 3,000 corporate participants, by launching
the Plastic Disclosure Project, with the objective of driving greater corporate, community and
individual accountability in the manufacture, use and disposal of plastics.
Organisations such as WildAid and people such as Woodring are valiantly doing their bit to draw
attention to these multiple threats to our oceans, but we must all help by forcing our elected
representatives to take urgent and concrete action. There’s a huge expanse of vulnerable ocean out
there and it’s going to take a lot of well-coordinated policing if we are going to give it the protection it
deserves.
In a report written in 1987, an independent commission reporting to the UN defined sustainable
development as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs." If we can’t figure it out now, whales, dolphins, sharks and coral
reefs will become the stuff of history lessons for our children’s children.
© 2012 Richard Branson. Distributed by The New York Times Syndicate
• Branson is founder of the Virgin Group. He blogs at www.virgin.com/richard-branson/blog. Follow
him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/richardbranson. Send questions to branson@bdfm.co.za and
include your name, country, e-mail address and the publication.
2 of 2
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One Step Closer to a Fin-Free New York
http://oceana.org/en/print/blog/2012/06/one-step-closer-to-a-fin-...
Published on Oceana North America (http://oceana.org)
With your help, we can keep this from happening. ©Oceana/LX
New York state is the largest importer of shark fins on the East Coast, but if a new bill
passes, this fact could be history.
This trade is driven by a demand for shark fin soup, which can sell for hundreds of dollars.
Sadly, shark numbers are dropping worldwide due to relentless fishing for fins, and in
many places sharks have their fins cut off while still alive (a cruel practice called “finning”).
Finning is illegal in the United States, but the demand for fins in New York and elsewhere
in the US add to the pressure. Imported fins can come from countries with less
regulations, and many shark populations in the US are dropping dangerously low, with
some hammerhead populations falling as much as 98%.
But New York is considering a bill that would ban the trade of shark fins within the state,
and we’re so excited to announce that it’s moving forward! After a huge push by Oceana
1 of 2
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43
http://oceana.org/en/print/blog/2012/06/one-step-closer-to-a-fin-...
and other shark supporters, which included thousands of your signatures and personal
pleas from Leonardo DiCaprio and January Jones, both the Senate and Assembly
committees passed the bill. Now it’s up for a vote in the Assembly and Senate. But the
New York legislation session ends this week, which means they have to act soon.
We’re still gathering signatures to send to New York legislatures. Please sign today and
pass the petition along to your friends. The world’s sharks need you.
Source URL: http://oceana.org/en/blog/2012/06/one-step-closer-to-a-fin-free-new-york
2 of 2
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InsideHalton
http://www.insidehalton.com/print/1377512
Committee mulls over Burlington shark-fin ban
Tim Kelly, BURLINGTON POST STAFF
June 19, 2012
The shark-fin soup issue came swimming into
community development committee waters
Monday night riling at least one member who
believes local municipalities are not the place to
deal with it.
A number of GTA municipalities, including
Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville and Newmarket,
have banned shark-fin soup after learning the
shark fins are obtained by removing the fins
and tossing the sharks back into the ocean
where they die.
After Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman
introduced a staff direction to ban the use of
shark-fin products in the city of Burlington,
arising out of a request from the sustainable
development advisory committee, of which he
is the council member, Ward 3 Councillor John
Taylor was ready to pounce.
Committee mulls over Burlington shark-fin ban. Ward 3
Councillor John Taylor is firmly against wading into banning shark-fin
products. He believes it is a federal issue and thinks municipal staff
have enough other issues to worry about.
“I will not be supporting this,” said Taylor.
“We have a new City Manager who has talked about what is important in the city and we just seem to be
wading into staff direction after staff direction… I found out about this at 4:15 this afternoon on the day of a
committee meeting… I’ve had enough of these staff directions. I will be speaking to the clerk and to the general
manager about how we can eliminate these late, walk-on staff directions.”
Taylor wasn’t finished.
“Not only that, but to ask Bruce Krushelnicki (director of planning and building) to deal with this… he wouldn’t
know a shark fin if it came up and bit him. Our legal department has warned us against getting involved with
this type of thing. We are a slow-growth municipality and we have many more things to worry about, so I won’t
support this.”
Sharman apologized for the late notice saying he thought the item would go to Wednesday’s community
services committee meeting, but was informed it had to appear Monday night instead, but reminded Taylor that,
“we do have the power to impose a bylaw.”
Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison said he wondered how much shark-fin soup was served in Burlington and
agreed with Taylor that the issue wasn’t something the committee should be involved with.
Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster said she felt any move by Burlington to ban shark-fin soup would be a
“political statement” and would not be enforceable. But she added, “What they are doing to sharks is quite
brutal,” and she credited Sharman with bringing forth the staff direction.
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7/19/12 12:14 PM
45
InsideHalton
http://www.insidehalton.com/print/1377512
Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward and Mayor Rick Goldring were sympathetic to the intent of the staff
direction but told Sharman they believed it required more study and work by the Sustainable Development
committee. Sharman agreed and withdrew the staff direction. He’ll take it back to the advisory committee but it
will likely return to the community development committee for more consideration in the next cycle of debate
Monday, July 9, at 6:30 p.m.
Tim Kelly can be reached at tkelly@burlingtonpost.com and on Twitter at @bpostnews.
This article is for personal use only courtesy of InsideHalton.com - a division of Metroland Media Group Ltd.
2 of 2
7/19/12 12:14 PM
46
Shepherd prepared to protect marine parks from poaching, ...
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/sea-sheph...
THE AUSTRALIAN
Sea Shepherd prepared to protect marine parks from
poaching, over-fishing
GRAHAM LLOYD THE AUSTRALIAN JUNE 19, 2012 12:00AM
THE radical environmental group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has offered to police the
federal government's proposed Coral Sea Marine Park against poachers using its team of shark-fin
sniffer dogs _ free of charge.
Sea Shepherd, best known for its pursuit of Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean, said it would provide
expertise, vessels and resources to guard the new marine park.
Fishing groups say the federal government's proposed marine reserves would be under-policed and
vulnerable to poachers.
Sea Shepherd said enforcement would be key to the success of the marine parks. Without it, foreign fishing
vessels would continue to exploit the region's fragile ecosystems through poaching, over-fishing, sharkfinning and other illegal activities.
Founder Paul Watson said: "Sea Shepherd is prepared to work with any government or local agency to
protect their waters. We stand ready to put our enforcement expertise to work for Australia's Coral Sea."
Sea Shepherd's Galapagos Islands mission included a team of fin-sniffing patrol dogs to counter illegal
shark fishing.
47
1
7/23/12 2:53 PM
47
Mississauga.ca - City Hall - News Room
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City of Mississauga “Shark Fin By-law” in effect June 30, 2012 with Enforcement
Action Plan
SUBSCRIBE TO NEWS RELEASE
ALERTS
Jun 20, 2012
The City of Mississauga's Shark Fin By-law comes into effect on June 30, 2012, with an
enforcement action plan that was approved at today's meeting of Council.
Be notified by e-mail when the latest City
of Mississauga News Releases are
posted.
Subscribe to Alerts
"Council approved enforcement of the Shark Fin By-law on a reactive basis in response to complaints," said
director of Enforcement Mickey Frost. "The by-law will be investigated and enforced in the same manner as other
similar city by-laws."
Frost explained that upon receiving a complaint, Enforcement staff will investigate the complaint through an
inspection, and if the by-law is being contravened initially seek compliance through education and awareness. Staff
will then re-inspect to see if the by-law is being complied with. If the by-law is not being complied with staff will
attempt to gather evidence to issue a charge for contravening the by-law.
Background:
The by-law was approved by Council in October 2011 to prohibit the possession, sale, trade, distribution of shark
fins or derivative products and direction was given to create a committee of Council to draft an action plan for the
enforcement of the by-law.
The committee included: Ward 2 Councillor Pat Mullin; Ward 9 Councillor Pat Saito; Ward 1 Councillor Jim Tovey;
Ward 6 Councillor Ron Starr; Ward 11 Councillor George Carlson; with representatives from the Mississauga
Chinese Business Association and appropriate staff.
The draft Shark Fin By-law went before General Committee on October 7, 2011 along with a corporate report
providing information on the shark fin issue, actions of other municipalities in Ontario, outcome of staff consultation
with key members of the Chinese Business Associations located in Mississauga, and options to address the shark
fin issue.
Council also moved a motion to request Health Canada to prohibit the import of shark fins and shark fin food
products into Canada and that the City of Mississauga request other municipalities to join the lobbying of the
federal government to take necessary actions for a ban on shark finning.
As Canada's sixth largest city, Mississauga is home to 738,000 residents and 55,000 businesses, including 63
Fortune 500 companies with Canadian head offices or major divisional head offices. A diverse, progressive and
award-winning municipality located on the shores of Lake Ontario in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area,
Mississauga is "Leading Today for Tomorrow" by focussing on delivering services, implementing its Strategic Plan,
delivering value for money and maintaining infrastructure.
-30-
Media Contact:
Catherine Monast
Team Leader Media/External Communications
Phone: 905-615-3200x5046
TTY: 905-896-5151
1 of 2
7/19/12 12:12 PM
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NEW YORK – Oceana, the largest international advocacy group working solely to protect the world’s oceans, was disappointed in
the New York Senate’s failure to pass a bill late yesterday that would have banned the sale, trade, distribution and possession of
shark fins throughout the state. Although the Senate failed to take action, Oceana applauded the New York Assembly for
advancing this shark protection measure.
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“While time ran out this year, the widespread support for banning shark fins in New York shows that sharks are worth more in the
oceans than in a bowl of soup” said Beth Lowell, campaign director at Oceana. “By reducing the demand for their fins in New York,
we could have helped to protect sharks worldwide.”
Donate
The passage of this bill would have marked a significant step forward in shark conservation efforts globally, as New York is the
largest importer of shark fins on the East Coast. If signed into law, New York would have become the first non-Pacific state to join
California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii in the growing national movement to protect sharks. A similar bill in Illinois is awaiting
the Governor’s signature.
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The bill received overwhelmingly broad support, with 60 bipartisan cosponsors and the support of every Chinese-American
legislator in the state. The unsustainable demand for shark fins comes from their use in the Asian delicacy shark fin soup, driving
the practice of shark finning, slicing off a shark’s fins and throwing the body back overboard.
Although shark finning is illegal in the United States, there are no federal laws to stop the trade of these fins that are often
imported from countries with little or no restrictions on finning. Some shark populations have declined by as much as 99 percent,
mostly as a result of unsustainable fishing practices.
Oceana applauds Sen. Mark Grisanti (R-Buffalo), Assembly members Alan Maisel (D-Brooklyn), Grace Meng (D-Flushing) and
Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) for leading the charge to protect sharks in New York.
For more information about Oceana’s campaign to protect sharks, please click here.
-30-
Oceana is the largest international advocacy group working solely to protect the world’s oceans. Oceana wins policy victories for
the oceans using science-based campaigns. Since 2001, we have protected over 1.2 million square miles of ocean and
innumerable sea turtles, sharks, dolphins and other sea creatures. More than 550,000 supporters have already joined Oceana.
Global in scope, Oceana has offices in North, South and Central America and Europe. To learn more, please visit
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Legislators in Albany have an important decision to make in the coming week. They can
either demonstrate New York's leadership in conservation by passing pending legislation that
will ban the trade of shark fins throughout the state, or they can fail to act and continue to
promote the overexploitation of sharks by selling fins for shark fin soup.
Letter Search
The bills currently awaiting approval in the Senate and Assembly would ban the trade, sale,
possession and distribution of shark fins in New York. These fins are commonly used in the
Asian delicacy shark fin soup, but this demand drives a process that is both unnecessary and
cruel. To get their fins, sharks in some countries are dragged onto boats, where the fins are
sliced off and their bodies are thrown back overboard, left to slowly and painfully bleed to
death or drown.
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06 - 27 - 12
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By passing these bills, New York would become a leader in the growing national movement to
ban the trade of shark fins. The entire West Coast, including Hawaii, has already passed bills
to ban the shark fin trade, and New York could be the first non-Pacific state to do the same.
Similar bills are pending in both New Jersey and Delaware, and there's a bill awaiting
Governor Quinn's signature in Illinois.
Search Text
Search
June
S
As the largest importer of shark fins on the East Coast, a ban on these fins in New York would
make a significant impact on conservation efforts worldwide.
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These bills are no-brainers. Both have overwhelming support, with 60 bipartisan cosponsors
between them, as well as the support of every Chinese-American legislator in the state. New
York City Council Member Margaret Chin has drafted a city resolution in support of the bill,
and they have the backing of environmental groups, celebrities and thousands of New York
residents. There is no excuse for New York legislators to play politics and fail to pass this
critical legislation.
Sharks have been swimming in our seas for millions of years, and their survival is crucial to
the health of the oceans. Without sharks, the balance of entire ecosystems is thrown off,
which can have far-reaching environmental and economic impacts. Studies have shown that
tens of millions of sharks die each year as a direct result of shark finning, with some species
declining by as much as 99 percent in recent decades. Sharks are truly fighting for their lives.
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
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But there is a solution—stopping the demand for fins that drives this overexploitation.
Unfortunately, time is running out as the New York legislative session is scheduled to end
Thursday, June 21. New York should say NO to shark fins.
Beth Lowell, Campaign Director at OCEANA, the largest international advocacy group working
solely to protect the world's oceans.
OCEANA campaign director Beth Lowell
June 20, 2012
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Venezuela set forth a series of measures this week to protect sharks within its waters.
Most significantly, commercial shark fishing is now prohibited throughout the 3,730 square
kilometers (1,440 square miles) of the Caribbean Sea that make up the popular Los
Roques and Las Aves archipelagos, whose pristine beaches and coral reefs make it a
diving and fishing attraction.
Scientists have identified Los Roques, located about 128 kilometers (80 miles) off the
Venezuelan coast, as an important breeding ground and nursery for populations of several
species of sharks, including the lemon shark and the Caribbean reef shark.
“Our research has found that newborn sharks in the mangroves and cays of Los Roques
migrate throughout the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean,” said Rafael Tavares, an expert
with Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrícolas (INIA), Venezuela, who has
researched sharks in the region for nearly 20 years. “These new, far-reaching protections
would not be possible without the support of the Los Roques community, especially the
local fishermen.”
The new regulation also prohibits the practice of shark finning (cutting off the fins and
dumping the body overboard at sea) and mandates that all of these animals caught in
Venezuelan waters must be brought to port with their fins naturally attached.
“Venezuela’s decision to prohibit shark finning means that it now joins the rest of the
countries of South America, North America and Central America rest of the Americas in
banning this wasteful practice,” said Jill Hepp, manager of global shark conservation at the
Pew Environment Group. “Combined with the breeding ground safe haven in Los Roques
and Las Aves, this is the latest step in the growing global movement to save these
magnificent animals.”
Sharks are highly susceptible to overfishing because of biological characteristics such as
long life, low birthrate, and few offspring. It is estimated that up to 73 million are killed
1 of 3
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TESTIMONY NEEDED
TO PROTECT SHARKS
IN GUAM
UPDATE: The Guam
shark fin ban was
signed into law on
March 9, 2011. Thank
you for all your support.
TESTIMONY IS NO
LONGER NEEDED.
Ear...
Fijian
Sharks
Holding
Collective
Breath
According
to the Fiji Times, the
7/19/12 12:23 PM
51
UnderwaterTimes.com | Print an Article
http://www.underwatertimes.com/print.php?article_id=146210...
click to print
This is a printer version of an UnderwaterTimes.com article.
To view the article online, visit: http://www.underwatertimes.com
/news.php?article_id=14621037085
Venezuela Ends Shark Finning, Prohibits Commercial Fishing At
Los Roques; 'New, Far-Reaching Protections'
Underwatertimes.com News Service
June 20, 2012 19:13 EST
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Venezuela set forth a
series of measures this week to protect sharks
within its waters. Most significantly, commercial
shark fishing is now prohibited throughout the 2,211
square kilometers (854 square miles) of the
Caribbean Sea that make up the popular Los
Roques Archipelago, whose pristine beaches and
coral reefs make it a diving and fishing attraction.
Scientists have identified Los Roques, located
about 128 kilometers (80 miles) off the Venezuelan
coast, as an important breeding ground and
nursery for populations of several species of
sharks, including the lemon shark and the
Caribbean reef shark.
Rafael Tavares on a research trip, preparing to tag a
juvenile lemon shark in the lagoons of Los Roques.
Credit: Maximiliano Bello
"Our research has found that newborn sharks in the
mangroves and cays of Los Roques migrate
throughout the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean," said Rafael Tavares, an expert with Instituto Nacional
de Investigaciones Agrícolas (INIA), Venezuela, who has researched sharks in the region for nearly
20 years. "These new, far-reaching protections would not be possible without the support of the Los
Roques community, especially the local fishermen."
The new regulation also prohibits the practice of shark finning (cutting off the fins and dumping the
body overboard at sea) and mandates that all of these animals caught in Venezuelan waters must be
brought to port with their fins naturally attached.
"Venezuela's decision to prohibit shark finning means that it now joins the rest of the countries of
South America, North America and Central America in banning this wasteful practice," said Jill Hepp,
1 of 2
7/19/12 12:35 PM
52
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http://www.underwatertimes.com/print.php?article_id=146210...
manager of global shark conservation at the Pew Environment Group. "Combined with the breeding
ground safe haven in Los Roques and Las Aves, this is the latest step in the growing global
movement to save these magnificent animals."
Sharks are highly susceptible to overfishing because of biological characteristics such as long life,
low birthrate, and few offspring. It is estimated that up to 73 million are killed annually for their fins,
primarily due to increased demand for shark fin soup.
Close Window
2 of 2
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Venezuela Ends Shark Finning, Creates Protected
Area
WASHINGTON, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Venezuela set forth a series
of measures this week to protect sharks within its waters. Most significantly, commercial
shark fishing is now prohibited throughout the 3,730 square kilometers (1,440 square miles)
of the Caribbean Sea that make up the popular Los Roques and Las Aves archipelagos,
whose pristine beaches and coral reefs make it a diving and fishing attraction.
Scientists have identified Los Roques, located about 128 kilometers (80 miles) off the
Venezuelan coast, as an important breeding ground and nursery for populations of several
species of sharks, including the lemon shark and the Caribbean reef shark.
"Our research has found that newborn sharks in the mangroves and cays of Los Roques
migrate throughout the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean," said Rafael Tavares, an expert with
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agricolas (INIA), Venezuela, who has researched
sharks in the region for nearly 20 years. "These new, far-reaching protections would not be
possible without the support of the Los Roques community, especially the local fishermen."
The new regulation also prohibits the practice of shark finning (cutting off the fins and
dumping the body overboard at sea) and mandates that all of these animals caught in
"Venezuela's decision to prohibit shark finning means that it now joins the rest of the
countries of South America, North America, and Central America in banning this wasteful
practice," said Jill Hepp, manager of global shark conservation at the Pew Environment
Group. "Combined with the breeding ground safe haven in Los Roques and Las Aves, this
is the latest step in the growing global movement to save these magnificent animals."
Sharks are highly susceptible to overfishing because of biological characteristics such as
long life, low birthrate, and few offspring. It is estimated that up to 73 million are killed
annually for their fins, primarily due to increased demand for shark fin soup.
The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a
nongovernmental organization that works globally to establish pragmatic, science-based
policies that protect our oceans, preserve our wildlands, and promote clean energy. For
more information, visit www.PewEnvironment.org .
Contact: Rachel Brittin, (202) 286-4149, rbrittin@pewtrusts.org Maximiliano Bello, (202)
714-3547, info@maxbello.com (En Espanol)
SOURCE Pew Environment Group
Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
Financial Glossary
Words used in this article:
dumping
1 of 4
6/27/12 3:19 PM
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Venezuela Ends Shark Finning, Creates Protected Area - Pew E...
Home
News Room
Press Release
http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/press-releases/ven...
Jun 20, 2012
Global Shark Conservation
Contact: Rachel Brittin, 202.540.6312
Press Release
City
Washington
Pew applauds action to ban shark fishing in critical breeding habitat
Venezuela set forth a series of measures this week to protect sharks within its waters. Most significantly, commercial shark fishing is now
prohibited throughout the 3,730 square kilometers (1,440 square miles) of the Caribbean Sea that make up the popular Los Roques and
Las Aves archipelagos, whose pristine beaches and coral reefs make it a diving and fishing attraction.
Scientists have identified Los Roques, located about 128 kilometers (80 miles) off the Venezuelan coast, as an important breeding ground
and nursery for populations of several species of sharks, including the lemon shark and the Caribbean reef shark.
Resources:
Press photos
Interactive map
Infographic
“Our research has found that newborn sharks in the mangroves and cays of Los Roques migrate throughout the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean,” said Rafael Tavares, an expert with
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrícolas (INIA), Venezuela, who has researched sharks in the region for nearly 20 years. “These new, far-reaching protections would not
be possible without the support of the Los Roques community, especially the local fishermen.”
The new regulation also prohibits the practice of shark finning (cutting off the fins and dumping the body overboard at sea) and mandates that all of these animals caught in
“Venezuelaʼs decision to prohibit shark finning means that it now joins the rest of the countries of South America, North America and Central America in banning this wasteful
practice,” said Jill Hepp, manager of global shark conservation at the Pew Environment Group. “Combined with the breeding ground safe haven in Los Roques and Las Aves, this
is the latest step in the growing global movement to save these magnificent animals.”
Sharks are highly susceptible to overfishing because of biological characteristics such as long life, low birthrate, and few offspring. It is estimated that up to 73 million are killed
annually for their fins, primarily due to increased demand for shark fin soup.
Contact: Rachel Brittin, 202.540.6312
Campaigns: Global Shark Conservation
Topics: Species Conservation
Region: Oceans/Seas
1 of 2
6/27/12 3:19 PM
55
Venezuela Ends Shark Finning, Creates Protected Area - PR N...
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/20/4577197/venezuela-ends-sh...
This section contains unedited press releases distributed by PR Newswire. These releases
reflect the views of the issuing entity and are not reviewed or edited by the Sacramento Bee staff.
More information on PR Newswire can be found on their web site. You can contact the service with
questions or concerns here.
Venezuela Ends Shark
Finning, Creates Protected
Area
By Pew Environment Group
Published: Wednesday, Jun. 20, 2012 - 2:44 pm
WASHINGTON, June 20, 2012 -- Pew applauds action to
ban shark fishing in critical breeding habitat
More on sacbee.com
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WASHINGTON, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswireUSNewswire/ -- Venezuela set forth a series of measures
this week to protect sharks within its waters. Most
significantly, commercial shark fishing is now prohibited throughout the 3,730 square kilometers (1,440
square miles) of the Caribbean Sea that make up the popular Los Roques and Las Aves archipelagos,
Scientists have identified Los Roques, located about 128 kilometers (80 miles) off the Venezuelan
coast, as an important breeding ground and nursery for populations of several species of sharks,
including the lemon shark and the Caribbean reef shark.
"Our research has found that newborn sharks in the mangroves and cays of Los Roques migrate
throughout the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean," said Rafael Tavares, an expert with Instituto Nacional de
Investigaciones Agricolas (INIA), Venezuela, who has researched sharks in the region for nearly 20
years. "These new, far-reaching protections would not be possible without the support of the Los
Roques community, especially the local fishermen."
The new regulation also prohibits the practice of shark finning (cutting off the fins and dumping the
body overboard at sea) and mandates that all of these animals caught in Venezuelan waters must be
brought to port with their fins naturally attached.
"Venezuela's decision to prohibit shark finning means that it now joins the rest of the countries of South
America, North America, and Central America in banning this wasteful practice," said Jill Hepp, manager
of global shark conservation at the Pew Environment Group. "Combined with the breeding ground safe
haven in Los Roques and Las Aves, this is the latest step in the growing global movement to save
these magnificent animals."
1 of 3
6/27/12 3:55 PM
56
Venezuela Ends Shark Finning, Creates Protected Area - PR N...
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/20/4577197/venezuela-ends-sh...
Sharks are highly susceptible to overfishing because of biological characteristics such as long life, low
birthrate, and few offspring. It is estimated that up to 73 million are killed annually for their fins, primarily
due to increased demand for shark fin soup.
The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a nongovernmental
organization that works globally to establish pragmatic, science-based policies that protect our oceans,
preserve our wildlands, and promote clean energy. For more information, visit
www.PewEnvironment.org.
Contact: Rachel Brittin, (202) 286-4149, rbrittin@pewtrusts.org Maximiliano Bello, (202) 714-3547,
info@maxbello.com (En Espanol)
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PR Newswire – Wed, Jun 20, 2012
To: ENVIRONMENTAL, FOREIGN AND NATIONAL EDITORS
Pew applauds action to ban shark fishing in critical breeding habitat
WASHINGTON, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Venezuela set forth a series of measures this week to protect
sharks within its waters. Most significantly, commercial shark fishing is now prohibited throughout the 3,730 square
kilometers (1,440 square miles) of the Caribbean Sea that make up the popular Los Roques and Las Aves archipelagos,
Scientists have identified Los Roques, located about 128 kilometers (80 miles) off the Venezuelan coast, as an important
breeding ground and nursery for populations of several species of sharks, including the lemon shark and the Caribbean reef
shark.
"Our research has found that newborn sharks in the mangroves and cays of Los Roques migrate throughout the Caribbean
and Atlantic Ocean," said Rafael Tavares, an expert with Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agricolas (INIA), Venezuela,
who has researched sharks in the region for nearly 20 years. "These new, far-reaching protections would not be possible
without the support of the Los Roques community, especially the local fishermen."
The new regulation also prohibits the practice of shark finning (cutting off the fins and dumping the body overboard at sea)
and mandates that all of these animals caught in Venezuelan waters must be brought to port with their fins naturally
attached.
"Venezuela's decision to prohibit shark finning means that it now joins the rest of the countries of South America, North
America, and Central America in banning this wasteful practice," said Jill Hepp, manager of global shark conservation at
the Pew Environment Group. "Combined with the breeding ground safe haven in Los Roques and Las Aves, this is the latest
step in the growing global movement to save these magnificent animals."
Sharks are highly susceptible to overfishing because of biological characteristics such as long life, low birthrate, and few
offspring. It is estimated that up to 73 million are killed annually for their fins, primarily due to increased demand for shark
fin soup.
The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a nongovernmental organization that
works globally to establish pragmatic, science-based policies that protect our oceans, preserve our wildlands, and promote
clean energy. For more information, visit www.PewEnvironment.org.
Contact: Rachel Brittin, (202) 286-4149, rbrittin@pewtrusts.org
Maximiliano Bello, (202) 714-3547, info@maxbello.com (En Espanol)
-0-
1 of 2
7/19/12 12:12 PM
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WASHINGTON, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Venezuela set forth a series of measures this week to protect
sharks within its waters. Most significantly, commercial shark fishing is now prohibited throughout the 3,730 square kilometers
(1,440 square miles) of the Caribbean Sea that make up the popular Los Roques and Las Aves archipelagos, whose pristine
beaches and coral reefs make it a diving and fishing attraction.
Honeywell and San Diego
Organizations Explore New Approaches
to Green Instruction for Worldwide
Middle School Teachers
Scientists have identified Los Roques, located about 128 kilometers (80 miles) off the Venezuelan coast, as an important breeding
ground and nursery for populations of several species of sharks, including the lemon shark and the Caribbean reef shark.
Print
"Our research has found that newborn sharks in the mangroves and cays of Los Roques migrate throughout the Caribbean and
Atlantic Ocean," said Rafael Tavares, an expert with Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agricolas (INIA), Venezuela, who has
researched sharks in the region for nearly 20 years. "These new, far-reaching protections would not be possible without the
support of the Los Roques community, especially the local fishermen."
Share it
The new regulation also prohibits the practice of shark finning (cutting off the fins and dumping the body overboard at sea) and
mandates that all of these animals caught in Venezuelan waters must be brought to port with their fins naturally attached.
"Venezuela's decision to prohibit shark finning means that it now joins the rest of the countries of South America, North America,
and Central America in banning this wasteful practice," said Jill Hepp, manager of global shark conservation at the Pew
Environment Group. "Combined with the breeding ground safe haven in Los Roques and Las Aves, this is the latest step in the
growing global movement to save these magnificent animals."
Sharks are highly susceptible to overfishing because of biological characteristics such as long life, low birthrate, and few offspring.
It is estimated that up to 73 million are killed annually for their fins, primarily due to increased demand for shark fin soup.
The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a nongovernmental organization that works
globally to establish pragmatic, science-based policies that protect our oceans, preserve our wildlands, and promote clean energy.
For more information, visit www.PewEnvironment.org.
Contact: Rachel Brittin, (202) 286-4149, rbrittin@pewtrusts.org
Maximiliano Bello, (202) 714-3547, info@maxbello.com (En Espanol)
Email
RSS
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War of words brews over shark-fin trade｜Environment｜Ne...
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Knowing China through Taiwan
Environment
War of words brews over shark-fin trade
Staff Reporter
2012-06-20
08:49 (GMT+8)
Shark-fin traders and environmentalists in Hong Kong and China are in a war of words over the impact
trading in fins has on the survival of shark species, as hoteliers and countries around the world launch
a campaign against the trade.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, about 73 million sharks are killed each year for their fins,
which are considered a delicacy in Chinese societies. Other environmental groups put the figure at
between 26 million and 73 million. Sharks are typically caught and have their fins sliced off before
being dumped back into the water to die.
To combat the hunting of sharks, 60 countries have taken measures to contain the practice. Some
require sharks being brought ashore to be wholly intact, including their fins, and limit the number of
licenses issued to ships for hunting.
A movement against the consumption of shark fins is brewing in China and particularly in Hong Kong,
where an overwhelming majority of the trade in shark fins takes place.
Several hoteliers in Hong Kong have announced a boycott of shark fins. The Peninsula Hotel last
November became the first major hotel chain to stop offering shark fin, while Shangri-La Hotels and
Resorts stopped serving shark fins at all of its locations earlier this year.
112 corporations and organizations in Hong Kong have publicly declared that they will stop consuming
shark fin.
In response, the Hong Kong-based Sustainable Marine Resources Committee of the Marine Products
Association last year called a conference rebutting the attacks launched by environmental groups
against the trade.
Groups supporting the trade dismissed the concerns of conservationists, discounting the links between
shark fin consumption and the depletion of shark numbers. The committee's secretary-general Lin
Dinggui contended that shark fins are a mere byproduct of the hunting of sharks and that shark meat is
a major source of revenue for fishermen.
Citing the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora's
regular discussions on species to be added to its protection list, Lin said the convention stills allows the
hunting of sharks, and that of the more than 400 species of sharks in existence, only four were under
supervision.
Lin also downplayed claims linking shark hunting and the depletion of the fish, saying, "The supply of
sharks should decline if they are endangered, but we have found that the supply is stable."
Environmentalists countered these arguments, citing a dramatic decrease in the number of sharks
1 of 2
7/19/12 12:24 PM
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War of words brews over shark-fin trade｜Environment｜Ne...
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worldwide, with the populations of species such as the oceanic whitetip shark in the Gulf of Mexico and
hammerhead sharks in the Mediterranean Sea shrinking fast.
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Burnaby NewsLeader - Activists call for shark-fin ban
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Activists call for shark-fin ban
By Wanda Chow - Burnaby NewsLeader
Published: June 21, 2012 12:00 PM
Like many people of Chinese heritage, Anthony Marr
ate shark fin soup, a symbol of wealth and prosperity
often served at wedding banquets.
price:
$0.99
value:
discount:
$7.50
87%
save:
$6.51
Then, as a young man, he learned how shark fins are
harvested.
"I was appalled," said Marr, now an animal rights
activist. "I actually saw a video that showed how the
sharks were just baited and hooked, brought on board
... then had the pectoral fins and dorsal fins and the
tail cut off and the rest of the shark thrown back.
"Then there was also footage showing one of the
sharks sinking to the bottom and just trying to gasp
for breath and couldn't move, just kept wriggling the
body until they die. It was horrible."
Marr, a Vancouver resident, will be speaking as a
delegation to Burnaby council on Monday evening on
behalf of the Vancouver Animal Defence League. The
group wants to see the city ban the sale of shark fins
and the serving of shark fin soup.
In recent months, Port Moody and Coquitlam have
already approved such a ban, Marr said, and several
cities in Ontario done so before that.
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The group is now aiming to get such bans in place in
the Lower Mainland cities with the largest
populations of people of Chinese heritage—Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby.
Marr said that, of the more than 400 species of shark, over half are endangered. Shark fishing is mostly carried
out by poachers who "don't give a hoot" what species they're poaching, so half of the shark fins sold are likely
from endangered species.
The largest harvesters of shark fin are in Costa Rica, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Singapore and
Taiwan, he said.
Marr has been involved in campaigns to protect tigers in India and whales and dolphins off the coast of Japan.
For him, the campaign to ban the trade of shark fins is personally significant.
"I also feel if it's a Chinese activist who stood up and led to the banning of it then the Chinese people would
doubly redeem themselves," he said, "by number one, stopping it, number two, stop using it."
Marr and the Vancouver Animal Defence League will hold a demonstration in front of Burnaby city hall at 6
p.m. on Monday, June 25, which he is calling on members of the public to join. That will be followed by Marr's
10-minute presentation to council at 7 p.m. Monday in city hall council chambers. Info: http://bit.ly/Lg0VIu.
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CITY OF NORTH VANCOUVER RESOLUTION TO CREAT...
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CITY OF NORTH VANCOUVER
RESOLUTION TO CREATE BY-LAW
BANNING SHARK FIN TRADE
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Posted on June 21, 2012 by LAAR • Posted in Sharks • 3 Comments
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We applaud the City of North Vancouver, British Columbia, for passing a
recent motion to draft a bylaw to ban the possession, trade, sale and
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a provincial ban on the trade in shark fins and a federal ban on the import of
shark fins into Canada.
“The City of North Vancouver has taken a crucial step forward in opposing the
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cruel and ecologically devastating practice of shark finning,” said Gabriel
Wildgen, campaigner for Humane Society International/Canada. “More and
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more cities across Canada are joining the global movement to stop the trade
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in shark fins, which results in the deaths of tens of millions of sharks each
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“The North Vancouver City Council acted within its legal right by passing a
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motion to draft a bylaw to ban shark fin trade products,” said Darrell
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“After carefully reviewing the ecological threat posed by the practice of shark
fining, the North Vancouver City Council decided a municipal ban was an
important early step in ensuring that shark fin products will be banned
throughout the region and around the country,” said Craig Keating, the
Councillor for the City of North Vancouver who introduced the motion.
In May 2012, Port Moody became the first BC municipality to prohibit shark
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fin trade, and Coquitlam is in the process of introducing similar legislation.
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Prohibitions on shark fin trade have already been passed in the cities of
Toronto, Brantford, Mississauga, Oakville, Newmarket, Pickering and London
in Ontario.
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Shark fin products are primarily served in a soup broth at
Chinese banquets, such as weddings. The demand for this
LAAR FOR CHINA
dish, coupled with unsustainable fishing methods, have led
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some shark populations to decline by as much as 99 percent
in recent decades.
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Facts:
In November 2011, Fin Donnelly, Member of Parliament, introduced
Private Member’s Bill C-380, which would prohibit the import of shark
fins to Canada. Members of Parliament will vote on the bill in either late
2012 or early 2013 .
Sharks are apex predators whose survival affects all other marine
species and entire ocean ecosystems.
The fins from as many as 73 million sharks are used to feed the
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growing demand for shark fin products each year.
Shark fins are often harvested through a practice known as “shark
finning,” which involves cutting off the fins of sharks and then throwing
the sharks back into the ocean, often while still alive, leaving the
animals to die a slow death.
Unlike other fish species, sharks produce very few young and mature
slowly and, consequently, overexploited populations can take years or
even decades to recover.
Several states in the United States and the territories of Guam and the
Northern Mariana Islands have banned the possession, sale, trade and
distribution of shark fins.
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Port Moody Becomes First British Columbian Municipality to P...
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Humane Society International/Canada, WildAid and other leading animal protection groups applaud the recent decision
by the Port Moody, British Columbia City Council to ban the possession, trade, sale and distribution of shark fin products
in the municipality. Port Moody is the first municipality in British Columbia to adopt such a prohibition. Similar prohibitions
have already been passed in the cities of Toronto, Brantford, Mississauga, Oakville, Newmarket, Pickering and London
in Ontario.
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Begins in the US on June ... [27 Jun 2012]
Marketwire
"The City of Port Moody has shown tremendous leadership in taking a stand against the cruel and wasteful practice of
shark finning," said Gabriel Wildgen, campaigner for Humane Society International/Canada. "Every year tens of millions
of sharks are finned and tossed in the ocean, dead or dying, to feed the global demand for shark fins each year."
Red Mile Minerals Announces Election of
Directors and Officers [27 Jun 2012] Marketwire
"We're thrilled to see British Columbia's first municipality join four million other Canadians and dozens of jurisdictions
around the world in acting to end this unsustainable practice" said Rob Sinclair, executive director of WildAid Canada.
He added, "I have no doubt that other municipalities in British Columbia will follow suit."
Black Iron Reports Three Additional Infill Drill
Holes at Shymanivske ... [27 Jun 2012]
Marketwire
"We are seeing a growing number of consumers - including wedding couples - that are going Fin Free. Businesses will
begin to realize that taking a stance for conservation will give them a competitive advantage - one that's good for their
social and financial bottom line," said Claudia Li, executive director of Shark Truth.
Madison Pacific Properties Inc. Announces
Resignation of CEO [27 Jun 2012] Marketwire
The ban passed by unanimous vote. The new bylaw includes a fine of $500 and potential revoking of business licenses
for violations of the ban.
Pete Hamilton Selected to Lead Audi of America
Southern Region [27 Jun 2012] Marketwire
Shark fin products are primarily served in a soup broth at Chinese banquets, such as weddings. The demand for this
dish, coupled with unsustainable fishing methods have led some shark populations to decline by as much as 99 percent
in recent decades.
Facts:
Sharks are apex predators whose survival affects all other marine species and entire ocean ecosystems.
The fins from as many as 73 million sharks are used to feed the growing demand for shark fin products each year.
Zenprise Founder and CTO to Participate at TiE
Event Highlighting ... [27 Jun 2012] Marketwire
Hire Experiences Steady Growth in Direct
Placement Business [27 Jun 2012] Marketwire
Curlew Lake Announces Appointment of New
CFO [27 Jun 2012] Marketwire
The profitable market of shark fins is also threatening many species of sharks and rays with extinction.
Shark fins are often harvested through a practice known as "shark finning," which involves cutting off the fins of
sharks and then throwing the sharks back into the ocean, often while still alive, leaving the animals to die a slow
Equus Announces Results of Annual Shareholder
Meeting [27 Jun 2012] Marketwire
death.
Media Advisory: The Harper Government Takes
Positive Step to Reduce ... [27 Jun 2012]
Marketwire
Unlike other fish species, sharks produce very few young and mature slowly and, consequently, overexploited
populations can take years or even decades to recover.
In the United States, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington - and the territories of Guam and Northern Mariana
Islands have banned the possession, sale, trade, and distribution of shark fins.
Humane Society International/Canada is a leading force for animal protection, representing tens of thousands of
members and constituents across the country. HSI/Canada has active programs in companion animals, wildlife and
habitat protection, marine mammal preservation and farm animal welfare. HSI/Canada is proud to be a part of Humane
Society International-one of the largest animal protection organizations in the world, with more than eleven million
members and constituents globally-on the Web at hsicanada.ca
Since 2008, WildAid Canada has been active in building partnerships with business, educators, and governments
throughout the country. We are pursuing a variety of initiatives designed to counter the multi-billion dollar illegal
international trade in wildlife products and to implement national programs to reduce the human threat to wildlife.
Shark Truth is a grassroots nonprofit with the mission to protect sharks by promoting awareness and action around shark
fin issues. Through its unique and effective campaigns, we have successfully diverted 28,000 bowls of shark fin from
consumption - saving approximately 2,780 sharks from being consumed. Join us at sharktruth.com
+ World News Report = Unlimited access to real-time news
Create your EIN News account now.
dpogas@hsi.org
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6/27/12 3:26 PM
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Venezuela Bans Shark Finning, Establishes Shark Sanctuary | S...
http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/3072-venezuela-bans-shark-...
OurAmazingPlanet
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Venezuela Bans Shark Finning, Establishes Shark
Sanctuary
Douglas Main, OurAmazingPlanet Staff Writer - Jun 21, 2012 12:54 PM ET
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Some much-needed good news for sharks has come
from Venezuela this week: The South American
country announced it is banning shark finning in its
waters and has established a new shark sanctuary.
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The country became the last in the Americas to outlaw the practice of
cutting off the fins of live sharks and tossing the animals back into the
ocean to slowly die.
Venezuela has banned shark finning in its waters
this week, making it the last country in the
Americas to outlaw the practice, which involves
cutting the fins off of a live animal and tossing its
carcass back into the ocean to slowly die.
CREDIT: Federico Cabello
View full size image
The country also has created a sanctuary where several important
shark species breed, outlawing commercial shark fishing there. The
sanctuary consists of 1,440 square miles (3,730 square kilometers) of
the Caribbean Sea surrounding the Los Roques Archipelago, a
popular tourist destination with pristine beaches and coral reefs,
according to a statement from the Pew Environment group.
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The new set of measures was decreed this week by Venezuela's minister of land and agriculture, according to Pew's senior
adviser on global shark conservation, Max Bello.
"It's a very important step to help protect sharks in the area in the near and long term," Bello told OurAmazingPlanet. [Images
of the protected sharks]
Shark conservation key
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7/19/12 11:25 AM
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Venezuela Bans Shark Finning, Establishes Shark Sanctuary | S...
http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/3072-venezuela-bans-shark-...
Protecting their nurseries is important for conserving sharks, said David Shiffman, a University of Miami doctoral student who
studies sharks. Sharks spend their first few years of life in these shallow, near-shore waters, where there's plenty of food and
few predators. But it's also the point in their lives where they are closest to people and most likely to be caught, Shiffman said.
Sharks are highly susceptible to overfishing because they are long-lived, reproduce infrequently and have few offspring.
Scientists estimate that up to 73 million are killed annually for their fins, primarily due to increased demand for shark fin soup,
particularly in China and Southeast Asia.
"Scientists and fisheries managers universally agree that shark finning is incredibly wasteful and unsustainable," Shiffman told
OurAmazingPlanet. "It also makes the job of fisheries managers harder because they don't know what shark the fins come
from."
Shark fins unsafe
Various studies have shown that shark fins are unsafe to eat, containing high levels of mercury and a neurotoxin implicated in
neurodegenerative conditions called BMAA, or Beta-methylamino-L-alanine.
While Venezuela still permits shark fishing outside the sanctuary, the new rules state that sharks must be landed with fins
attached — or, stated another way, any fins brought back must be attached to the rest of the animal.
Scientists have identified Los Roques, located about 80 miles (128 km) off the Venezuelan coast, as an important breeding
ground and nursery for several species, including the lemon shark and the Caribbean reef shark, according to Bello. These
young sharks grow up to populate the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean, he said, so measures enacted there can have wide-ranging
effects.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to note the correct size of the shark sanctuary, which is 1,440 square miles (3,730
square kilometers).
Reach Douglas Main at dmain@techmedianetwork.com. Follow him on Twitter @Douglas_Main. Follow OurAmazingPlanet
for the latest in Earth science and exploration news on Twitter @OAPlanet. We're also on Facebook and Google+.
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Gallery: Creatures from the Census of Marine Life
Ten Species Success Stories
Image Gallery: Great White Sharks
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7/19/12 11:25 AM
68
A Nonvote in Albany: Tough Luck, Sharks - NYTimes.com
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/22/a-vote-in-albany-to...
June 22, 2012, 4:45 pm 7 Comments
A Nonvote in Albany: Tough Luck, Sharks
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
Marcus YamShark fins at a food
market in Chinatown in Manhattan. The cost ranges from $100 to more than $500 a pound, depending on type.
California’s done it. Oregon’s done it. Illinois is expected to do it this summer. But New York State won’t be
banning the trade in shark fins – at least not this year. On Thursday, the New York State Senate did not act on a
bill that would have banned the distribution, sales and possession of the fins before it adjourned.
The bill, which had already passed the State Assembly, will have to be reintroduced next year.
Shark fins are used to make a pricey soup that is popular at traditional Chinese banquets. The demand for this
delicacy results in the killing of tens of millions of sharks a year – some of them endangered — and has depleted
shark populations globally. Often the fin is cut off while the shark is still alive, and its body is flung back into the
water.
Under pressure from environmental groups, there have been scattered efforts to renounce shark fin soup – a
concoction associated in traditional Chinese culture with health and prosperity although its flavor results mostly
from other ingredients like vegetables, meat and seasonings.
In China, the basketball star Yao Ming has joined with the group Wild Aid in urging diners and restaurants to
abstain from eating or offering it. California, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii enacted bans last year, and the
Illinois legislature passed one recently that is awaiting the governor’s signature.
But a New York ban is, so to speak, the big fish for environmental groups because of the state’s huge ethnic
Asian population. The New York bill to ban shark fins had the support of Asian-American legislators, however:
Representative Grace Meng, a Democrat from Queens and one of the bill’s co-sponsors, has remarked that the
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A Nonvote in Albany: Tough Luck, Sharks - NYTimes.com
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/22/a-vote-in-albany-to...
delicacy is less important to a younger generation that is more concerned about protecting the environment.
The bill never got to the floor for a vote after lobbying by the commercial fishing industry, said Beth Lowell,
campaign director for the environmental group Oceana, which has pushed hard for such legislation.
“We were very disappointed this bill didn’t make it over the finish line,” she said. “We’ll have to start from
square one in the process, but we’ll work to get it done in next year’s session.”
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Print Article
http://www.thestar.com/printarticle/1215372
Back to Article
Municipalities face legal challenge over shark fin
ban
Valerie Hauch
Staff Reporter
Some think it’s a fishy situation. Do municipalities,
like Mississauga whose ban on shark fin products
goes into effect at the end of the month, have the
right to outlaw a product that Canadian law allows?
“We do have that right,’’ says Mississauga Councillor
Pat Mullin, a driving force behind the ban,
acknowledging a staff report last year suggested the
opposite.
Nevertheless, Mississauga council concluded it
could ban the possession, sale and consumption of
shark fin products by virtue of the “powers and
authorities that are afforded to municipalities’’ under
the Municipal Act, Mullin said.
The Mississauga bylaw imposes fines of not more
than $15,000 for a first conviction and up to $30,000
for subsequent ones.
“You can be challenged on anything. It’s very simple.
It’s the right thing to do,’’ said Mullin.
Boxes of shark fins on sale last year at Chung Chou City. Inc, a dried seafood shop in San Francisco's Chinatown.
Cities across North America have begun banning the product, arguing it is cruel in inhumane.
LIPO CHING/MCT
Certainly, other municipalities feel the same way about the use of shark fins which are highly prized in Asian dishes, like shark fin soup.
Brantford was the first Ontario municipality to outlaw shark fin products, in the spring of 2011. Toronto passed a similar bylaw which takes effect
Sept. 1, and Pickering’s shark fin ban begins in November. London, Oakville and Newmarket have also approved the bans.
But the legality of the bylaws may soon be tested.
A Toronto group called the Fair and Responsible Governance Alliance has retained a law firm to launch a legal challenge to Toronto’s shark fin
bylaw (which would affect other municipalities).
However, before the action is launched, the group has asked to meet with city councilors, staff and the mayor, said Ben Leung, co-chair of the
non-profit group which includes people from the Chinese business community as well as members of other ethnic groups and backgrounds.
“We want them to sit with us and talk and investigate,’’ said Leung, who hopes for a meeting before the bylaw takes effect. No firm meeting has
been set up yet, he said.
Canada’s Fisheries Act prohibits fishermen from engaging in finning, cutting the fins from sharks which are then thrown back into the ocean to die.
Canada allows the import of shark fins (except from endangered species) and although it supports the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization’s ban on international finning, there is no way to know how imported shark fins are harvested.
The Fair and Responsible Governance Alliance agrees with the ban against finning. “That’s not acceptable,’’ said Leung, who hasn’t eaten shark
fin soup in a long time. “But there’s no need to have a bylaw against something legally available in Canada.’’
Stephen Chu, past-president of the Mississauga Chinese Business Association, said his group had asked the municipality to hold off on enforcing
its bylaw in light of the pending legal action.
“But they said they had to go ahead with it,’’ he said.
Chu said he isn’t sure why Mississauga is so concerned about the issue because the majority of shark fin products are consumed in Richmond
Hill, Markham and Toronto. “In Mississauga, it’s less than 1,000 pounds or maybe even a few hundred pounds’’ annually, said Chu, who sat on a
committee which consulted with councillors on the issue. “I told them you are wasting a whole lot of effort and time on these few hundred pounds.’’
1 of 2
7/19/12 2:28 PM
71
Print Article
http://www.thestar.com/printarticle/1215372
Canada imports about 77,000 kilograms of shark fins annually, said Fin Donnelly, a British Columbia NDP member of Parliament who has
introduced a private member’s bill to ban the import.
“Most of them are illegally caught,’’ he said, although “it’s impossible to verify. We’re losing sharks at an alarming rate.’’
According to National Geographic, 40 million sharks are killed annually by finning around the world. The ocean conservation group, Oceana, says
50 of the 307 shark species in the world are vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered but only three — the white, whale and basking
sharks — are protected internationally.
2 of 2
7/19/12 2:28 PM
72
Municipalities face legal obstacles over shark fin ban | Metro
June 22, 2012
http://metronews.ca/food/273448/municipalities-face-legal-chal...
Updated: June 22, 2012 | 10:21 am
Adjust Text Size
Municipalities face
legal obstacles over
shark fin ban
By Staff
Torstar News Service
Glass containers filled with shark fins are displayed at a store in Chinatown on
August 24, 2011 in San Francisco, California.
Metro/Getty Images
Some think it’s a fishy situation. Do municipalities, like Mississauga, Ont. whose ban on shark fin
products goes into effect at the end of the month, have the right to outlaw a product that Canadian law
allows?
“We do have that right,’’ says Mississauga Councillor Pat Mullin, a driving force behind the ban,
acknowledging a staff report last year suggested the opposite.
1 of 4
7/18/12 12:18 PM
73
Nevertheless, Mississauga council concluded it could ban the possession, sale and consumption of shark
fin products by virtue of the “powers and authorities that are afforded to municipalities’’ under the
Municipal Act, Mullin said.
The Mississauga bylaw imposes fines of not more than $15,000 for a first conviction and up to $30,000
for subsequent ones.
“You can be challenged on anything. It’s very simple. It’s the right thing to do,’’ said Mullin.
Certainly, other municipalities feel the same way about the use of shark fins which are highly prized in
Asian dishes, like shark fin soup.
Brantford was the first Ontario municipality to outlaw shark fin products, in the spring of 2011. Toronto
passed a similar bylaw which takes effect Sept. 1, and Pickering’s shark fin ban begins in November.
London, Oakville and Newmarket have also approved the bans.
But the legality of the bylaws may soon be tested.
A Toronto group called the Fair and Responsible Governance Alliance (http://www.farga.ca/) has
retained a law firm to launch a legal challenge to Toronto’s shark fin bylaw (which would affect other
municipalities).
However, before the action is launched, the group has asked to meet with city councilors, staff and the
mayor, said Ben Leung, co-chair of the non-profit group which includes people from the Chinese
business community as well as members of other ethnic groups and backgrounds.
“We want them to sit with us and talk and investigate,’’ said Leung, who hopes for a meeting before the
bylaw takes effect. No firm meeting has been set up yet, he said.
Canada’s Fisheries Act prohibits fishermen from engaging in finning, cutting the fins from sharks which
are then thrown back into the ocean to die. Canada allows the import of shark fins (except from
endangered species) and although it supports the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s
ban on international finning, there is no way to know how imported shark fins are harvested.
The Fair and Responsible Governance Alliance agrees with the ban against finning. “That’s not
acceptable,’’ said Leung, who hasn’t eaten shark fin soup in a long time. “But there’s no need to have a
bylaw against something legally available in Canada.’’
Stephen Chu, past-president of the Mississauga Chinese Business Association, said his group had asked
the municipality to hold off on enforcing its bylaw in light of the pending legal action.
“But they said they had to go ahead with it,’’ he said.
Chu said he isn’t sure why Mississauga is so concerned about the issue because the majority of shark fin
products are consumed in Richmond Hill, Markham and Toronto. “In Mississauga, it’s less than 1,000
pounds or maybe even a few hundred pounds’’ annually, said Chu, who sat on a committee which
2 of 4
7/18/12 12:18 PM
74
consulted with councillors on the issue. “I told them you are wasting a whole lot of effort and time on
these few hundred pounds.’’
Canada imports about 77,000 kilograms of shark fins annually, said Fin Donnelly, a British Columbia
NDP member of Parliament who has introduced a private member’s bill to ban the import.
“Most of them are illegally caught,’’ he said, although “it’s impossible to verify. We’re losing sharks at an
alarming rate.’’
According to National Geographic (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/), 40 million sharks are killed
annually by finning around the world. The ocean conservation group, Oceana (http://oceana.org
/en/our-work/protect-marine-wildlife/sharks/overview), says 50 of the 307 shark species in the world
are vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered but only three — the white, whale and basking
sharks — are protected internationally.
By Staff
Torstar News Service
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TODAYonline | Print
http://www.todayonline.com/Print/Voices/EDC120622-000016...
The West is also killing sharks
Updated 11:34 PM Jun 22, 2012
From Tan Keng Tat
The 41 scientists' claim that "'The shark fin trade is not sustainable'" (June 11, online) has
no merit. According to Dr Shelley Clarke, whose doctorate is on this topic, no one knows
how many sharks are killed for their fins.
She cautioned that "exaggeration and hyperbole run the risk of undermining conservation
campaigns" and that "selective and slanted use of information devalues and marginalises
researchers who are working hard to impartially present the data".
The scientists' view, that the shark fin trade is "a major driver of global shark fishing
activities", ignores the Food and Agricultural Organization's catch statistics: 242,537
tonnes of sharks were caught for their meat by developed nations in 2008.
Paradoxically, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, France, Portugal,
Japan and the United Kingdom ranked as the top shark fishing nations in the West, with a
total catch of 190,842 tonnes.
Millions of sharks are caught unintentionally and killed in pelagic longlines and purse seine
nets operated by industrial-scale fisheries in the West, which target more valuable
swordfish and giant bluefin tuna.
Last year, the US consumed about 20 million pounds (lbs) of one shark species, the spiny
dogfish.
The European Union consumed another 44 million lbs of the same species, disguised as
rock salmon and sold at ubiquitous fish and chips shops in the UK; as saumonette
d'aiguillat in France; as seeaal and schillerlocken in Germany and as palombo in Italy.
In Australia and NZ, copious amounts of sharks, marketed as flakes, are consumed in fish
and chips dishes. It is not true that the shark fin trade alone is driving sharks to extinction.
The nuance the 41 scientists missed is that even in the unlikely event the world stops
taking shark's fin soup, millions of sharks will continue to be killed by the West. One
wonders why the scientists are not campaigning to regulate fisheries there.
URL http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120622-0000165/The-West-is-also-killing-sharks
Copyright 2012 MediaCorp Pte Ltd | All Rights Reserved
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Venezuela Bans Shark Finning : Discovery News
http://news.discovery.com/earth/venezuela-bans-shark-finning-...
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THE GIST
Venezuela estabilished a 1,440 square miles (3,730 square kilometers) shark sanctuary in the Caribbean Sea
surrounding the Los Roques Archipelago.
The country still permits shark fishing outside the new sanctuary, but the new rules state that all sharks must be
landed with fins attached.
enlarge
A lemon shark Click to enlarge this image.
Federico Cabello
Some much-needed good news for sharks has come from Venezuela this week: The South American country
announced it is banning shark finning in its waters and has established a new shark sanctuary.
The ban makes it illegal for shark fishers to cut off the fins of live sharks and toss the animals back into the ocean to
slowly die.
The country also has created a sanctuary where several important shark species breed, outlawing commercial shark
fishing there. The sanctuary consists of 1,440 square miles (3,730 square kilometers) of the Caribbean Sea surrounding
the Los Roques Archipelago, a popular tourist destination with pristine beaches and coral reefs, according to a
statement from the Pew Environment group.
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Venezuela Bans Shark Finning : Discovery News
http://news.discovery.com/earth/venezuela-bans-shark-finning-...
PHOTOS: World's Best Marine Reserve: Cabo Pulmo
The new set of measures was decreed this week by Venezuela's minister of land and agriculture, according to Pew's
senior adviser on global shark conservation, Max Bello.
"It's a very important step to help protect sharks in the area in the near and long term," Bello told OurAmazingPlanet.
(Images of the protected sharks)
Protecting their nurseries is important for conserving sharks, said David
Shiffman, a University of Miami doctoral student who studies sharks.
Sharks spend their first few years of life in these shallow, near-shore
waters, where there's plenty of food and few predators. But it's also the
point in their lives where they are closest to people and most likely to be
caught, Shiffman said.
Sharks are highly susceptible to overfishing because they are long-lived, WATCH VIDEO: What Would Happen
reproduce infrequently and have few offspring. Scientists estimate that up If Sharks Disappeared?
to 73 million are killed annually for their fins, primarily due to increased demand for shark fin soup, particularly in
China and Southeast Asia.
"Scientists and fisheries managers universally agree that shark finning is incredibly wasteful and unsustainable,"
Shiffman told OurAmazingPlanet. "It also makes the job of fisheries managers harder because they don't know what
shark the fins come from."
Shark fins unsafe
Various studies have shown that shark fins are unsafe to eat, containing high levels of mercury and a neurotoxin
implicated in neurodegenerative conditions called BMAA, or Beta-methylamino-L-alanine.
While Venezuela still permits shark fishing outside the sanctuary, the new rules state that sharks must be landed with
fins attached — or, stated another way, any fins brought back must be attached to the rest of the animal.
HSW: How are shark pups born?
Scientists have identified Los Roques, located about 80 miles (128 km) off the Venezuelan coast, as an important
breeding ground and nursery for several species, including the lemon shark and the Caribbean reef shark, according to
Bello. These young sharks grow up to populate the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean, he said, so measures enacted there
can have wide-ranging effects.
More from OurAmazingPlanet:
Gallery: Creatures from the Census of Marine Life
Ten Species Success Stories
Image Gallery: Great White Sharks
Copyright 2012 OurAmazingPlanet, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Tags: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, Animals, Asia, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea
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Venezuela Shark Finning Ban Announced As Country Establish...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/22/shark-finning-ban-v...
June 27, 2012
Venezuela Shark Finning Ban Announced As Country
Establishes Sanctuary
Posted: 06/22/2012 10:01 am
By Douglas Main, OurAmazingPlanet Staff Writer:
Some much-needed good news for sharks has come from Venezuela this week: The South
American country announced it is banning shark finning in its waters and has established a
new shark sanctuary.
The country became the last in the Americas to outlaw the practice of cutting off the fins of live sharks and tossing the animals
back into the ocean to slowly die.
The country also has created a sanctuary where several important shark species breed, outlawing commercial shark fishing there.
The sanctuary consists of 1,440 square miles (3,730 square kilometers) of the Caribbean Sea surrounding the Los Roques
Archipelago, a popular tourist destination with pristine beaches and coral reefs, according to a statement from the Pew
Environment group.
The new set of measures was decreed this week by Venezuela's minister of land and agriculture, according to Pew's senior
adviser on global shark conservation, Max Bello.
"It's a very important step to help protect sharks in the area in the near and long term," Bello told OurAmazingPlanet. [Images of
the protected sharks]
Protecting their nurseries is important for conserving sharks, said David Shiffman, a University of Miami doctoral student who
studies sharks. Sharks spend their first few years of life in these shallow, near-shore waters, where there's plenty of food and few
predators. But it's also the point in their lives where they are closest to people and most likely to be caught, Shiffman said.
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Sharks are highly susceptible to overfishing because they are long-lived, reproduce infrequently and have few offspring. Scientists
estimate that up to 73 million are killed annually for their fins, primarily due to increased demand for shark fin soup, particularly in
China and Southeast Asia.
"Scientists and fisheries managers universally agree that shark finning is incredibly wasteful and unsustainable," Shiffman told
OurAmazingPlanet. "It also makes the job of fisheries managers harder because they don't know what shark the fins come from."
Shark fins unsafe
Various studies have shown that shark fins are unsafe to eat, containing high levels of mercury and a neurotoxin implicated in
neurodegenerative conditions called BMAA, or Beta-methylamino-L-alanine.
While Venezuela still permits shark fishing outside the sanctuary, the new rules state that sharks must be landed with fins
attached — or, stated another way, any fins brought back must be attached to the rest of the animal.
Scientists have identified Los Roques, located about 80 miles (128 km) off the Venezuelan coast, as an important breeding
ground and nursery for several species, including the lemon shark and the Caribbean reef shark, according to Bello. These young
sharks grow up to populate the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean, he said, so measures enacted there can have wide-ranging
effects.
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http://www.nsnews.com/story_print.html?id=6832554&sponsor=
Municipality joins Port Moody in effort to end practice deemed brutal
by activists
BY BRENT RICHTER, NORTH SHORE NEWS
JUNE 24, 2012
THE City of North Vancouver is joining in the growing campaign against the sale of shark fin.
Coun. Craig Keating introduced a motion at Monday's council meeting, asking staff to begin preparing a
bylaw that would ban the possession, sale and distribution of the product within the municipality.
The motion also calls for the city to lobby the provincial and federal governments to ban shark fin
outright.
Activists have been pushing for a ban on the importation of the fish product, most often served as a
Chinese wedding delicacy, because of its cruel harvesting practices and environmental effects.
Fishers typically haul sharks out of the water in nets, hack off their fins and then toss the animals back
in the ocean to bleed out. Because sharks are a top predator, killing them in large numbers upsets
ocean ecosystems, activists argue.
Keating brought the motion forward at the request of a citizen who is a member of the Humane Society
International, one of the groups seeking an end to the practice.
"It would be wrong of me to suggest that it's a growing or burgeoning issue in the City of North
Vancouver, but in this instance . . . the important thing is to deal with a practice that is not only
inhumane and wasteful, but also has serious ecological impacts," Keating said, introducing the motion.
The motion drew sharp criticism from Coun. Pam Bookham, who suggested Keating's motion was
wasting council's time.
"I didn't support the motion that we add six meetings to our schedule this year in order that we might
spend the time debating issues like this.
"I would prefer to spend more time on difficult decisions like Low Level Road, Harbourside, or revising
our (official community plan)," she said.
Bookham challenged Keating to go protest in front of North Vancouver stores or restaurants that sell
shark fin, "if, in fact, there are any."
Bookham agreed that shark fin harvesting is barbaric, but she argued the city has no role in regulating
food consumption.
"Why start at sharks? Why not do the same with beef, chicken, pork, lamb, fish, shellfish, mollusks, wild
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http://www.nsnews.com/story_print.html?id=6832554&sponsor=
game, roadkill?" she asked.
Keating said he made no apologies for bringing food issues from constituents to the council table.
Mayor Darrell Mussatto added that the city has a role to show leadership on environmental issues,
especially for other governments in the Lower Mainland.
Port Moody was the first Metro Vancouver city to ban shark fin in May 2012.
Bookham and Coun. Guy Heywood voted against the motion on the grounds that it was out of council's
jurisdiction.
newsroom@nsnews.com
© Copyright (c) North Shore News
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Port Moody bans shark fins from city, challenges other locales t...
http://www.theprovince.com/technology/Port+Moody+bans+sh...
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Port Moody bans shark fins from city, challenges other
locales to follow suit
By Cheryl Chan, The Province May 24, 2012
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Shark fin is now extinct in Port Moody after council passed a bylaw - B.C.'s first - banning the exotic delicacy.
City council voted unanimously Tuesday to ban the possession, sale, trade and distribution of shark-fin products, whose
demand, activists say, drives a cruel harvesting practice and endangers sharks worldwide.
The move is largely symbolic - Port Moody has three Chinese restaurants, none of which serve shark fin - but Mayor Mike
Clay said it prevents shark fin from coming to town, and paves the way for other municipalities to follow suit. "We are a
small town . . . but we are more than willing to lead the way and test the bylaw and, hopefully, make it easier in the future
for other municipalities who may be facing more of a challenge."
Gabriel Wildgen of Humane Society International/Canada said Port Moody's success in banning shark fin sends a strong
message to other com-munities. "Shark-finning is a cruel, wasteful and ecologically devastating practice and needs to be
stopped," said Wildgen.
Scientists say up to 73 million sharks are killed annually for their fins, which are used in traditional shark-fin soup popular
at Chinese weddings, birth-days and other celebrations.
The practice of shark-finning - where fins are sliced off and the animals tossed back into the ocean to die a slow death - is
banned in Canada. However, Wildgen said it's "almost impossible" to trace the origins of shark fin once it's been dried,
processed and packaged. "We just don't know how those sharks are killed," he said. "The only way to stop it is to ban the
trade on shark fin."
Clay said he also plans to bring the issue up at the Union of B.C. Municipalities in September, as well as push for a
provincial and/or federal ban.
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Port Moody bans shark fins from city, challenges other locales t...
http://www.theprovince.com/technology/Port+Moody+bans+sh...
Fin Donnelly, MP for New Westminster-Coquitlam and Port Moody, introduced a bill last year prohibiting the importing of
shark fin into Canada. Last week, Coquitlam passed a motion calling for an anti-shark-fin bylaw.
In Vancouver, a ban would be "unworkable," said Coun. Kerry Jang. "People would just cross the bridge and go to
Richmond," he said, adding a provincial ban or a regional ban covering Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby would be more
feasible. ?
? chchan@theprovince.com
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18 of 25
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Fiji Times Online
http://www.fijitimes.com/print.aspx?id=204809
Copyright © 2012, Fiji Times Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Print | Back to Story
Tragedy of the Commons
Dr Robin Taylor (Monday, June 25, 2012)
THE debate between opposing parties to the
suggestion that Fiji should have a total ban on the
catch and sale of sharks (or just parts of sharks
such as their fins), took on a different angle
whereby the fishing industry consortium (the
minority but powerful lobby group in the room)
argued that they were not interested in catching
sharks and accepted that sharks needed to be
protected.
In other words the fishing consortium seemed to
be "on side", consultative and reasonable to the
larger group of stakeholders who were arguing for
a total ban on shark fishing and/or the sale of any
shark products.
The fishing lobby's suggestion was for Fiji to set
up sanctuaries particularly around the coastal
areas throughout Fiji waters. Their argument was
that the majority of the species were found around
coasts and coral reefs associated with the coasts,
and that they were not concerned with catching
sharks anyway (which were, according to them,
few) and that they released any live sharks that
they accidentally caught on their long lines.
Shark fins burn in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The fins were
confiscated by the navy during continuing shark sanctuary
enforcement efforts and burned by Honduras President Lobo
Sosa. Picture: JAVIER MARADIAGA
Why did and should the conservation group be so adamantly against this apparently reasonable gesture by the
fishing lobby group? The answer lies in that it creates loopholes and loopholes are always exploited by people to
their own gains.
Is this true however? Psychologists, economists, mathematicians and biologists have answered this question and it
started with an unusual consideration of owners of cattle who wanted to graze their livestock on common land.
Garrett Hardin revived a report that was first written up in 1833 by an amateur mathematician who outlined a
scenario which has subsequently been titled the "Tragedy of the Commons". A Common was a common piece of
ground used for agricultural or pastoral activities. Rather than being owned by someone or a group (such as a
family), the Common was for everyone to use. A Common was still regulated because it was realised that if
everyone wantonly used up the resources of the Common, then it would cease to be of any value.
An agreement between all the cattle owners could prevent this problem if everyone agrees to only have a set
number of cattle (say five each). Of course not every cow is the same so some cows might eat a bit more than
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another cow. For this reason the actual number of cows per grazer should be slightly less than the maximum
permitted to account for this discrepancy - to act as a buffer as it were. If everyone was to have more than this (say
six), the results would be that the buffer would be used up and the Common would be overgrazed - the result would
be overgrazing and everyone loses. Such Commons really do exist and for the many, the system works well.
However, on some Commons people might have a tendency to sneak a sixth cattle on to the Common. If one or two
cattle owners do this, it probably won't affect the Common too much because of the built in buffer. They get free
grazing for an additional head of cattle. However, sharp sighted peers would think "well why should I lose out to
others? I'll sneak a sixth cattle on to the common too!".
Of course what happens in the end is that everyone ends up putting more than their allocated five cattle per owner,
and the result is that the buffer is exceeded, the Common would be overgrazed and then no cattle can use the
Common at all - everyone loses medium to long-term including the "cheats".
This is the tragedy of the situation. The buffer is a loophole that can be exploited.
This has been experimentally researched in a "game" that can be played called the Prisoners Dilemma. The science
behind this is both psychology and mathematics in a discipline called Game Theory. If you've seen the film
Beautiful Mind with Russell Crowe as the mathematical genius John Nash, then this is essentially Game Theory.
Research participants play a theoretical game in pairs. The rules of the game are that: they may gain a short-term
individually large reward if they cheat on their playing partner; they lose if they are cheated on (or they don't gain as
much); or they and their partner gain a small amount but over the medium to long-term this adds up to be far larger
overall; and finally they both lose a far larger amount if both partners try to cheat on each other. These are not
unlike the conditions described in the Tragedy of the Commons.
So what actually happens in this research? It depends on a number of factors, such as the size of a short-term
reward, the apparent loss if others cheat the system (related to the size of the short-term reward), as well as the size
of penalty to both parties if they both try to cheat on each other, and the size of the mutual gain to work
co-operatively as well as the time frame in which the mutually co-operative work is rewarded.
It should be mentioned that many variations to this game have been played including the more realistic versions
where there are more than two players and where the game can be played more than once, i.e. many fishing boats,
or more than one fishing fleet and each time the fishing boat goes out, it is the equivalent of playing a game.
The proposal to have a set of shark sanctuaries in Fiji waters is almost impossible to police (when are you actually
in the shark sanctuary and when are you out?) with today's technologies and limited government resources. The
current system is also open to abuse in terms of defining when a shark is currently dead on the line without qualified
independent observers on board the fishing fleets.
The proposal to set up a set of partial sanctuaries for sharks in Fiji waters, and the allowance of accidental or
by-catch sharks by fishermen outside of these sanctuaries, is a situation that is a classic Prisoners Dilemma game.
1. The pressure to cheat is enormous with the current value of a shark fin being about six times the price per
kilogram of tuna.
2. The penalty of not cheating is relatively large when some fishing fleets are going out to fish and coming back
with a negligible catch. They still have to pay wages, and fleet operating costs. Those costs can be recouped (even
partially) if by-catch sharks (actually their fins) are sold.
3. The penalty for overfishing of sharks because almost everyone "cheats", is the collapse of the eco-system
including the tuna populations resulting in the collapse of any associated tuna industry.
4. The timeframe for such a penalty is counted in years, not days, weeks or even months. If the short term windfall
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from cheating is measured in years, this is enough for individuals (fleet operator owners) to get very rich before the
whole system collapses.
The result will be that fishermen will definitely cheat. Not all, but as time goes on, more and more fisherman will
cheat until the eco-system collapses. The cheating will be something along the lines of a very loose interpretation of
when a fishing boat, or even a fishing line is within the sanctuary waters; and a very liberal interpretation of when a
shark is considered dead on the line.
Indeed, those that don't cheat will go out of business before the whole industry collapses, and it's always hard to
maintain ethics when food is not coming on to the table.
Could this really happen, as surely if we know the science of the dangers of overfishing the whole industry would
not go down this route? Sadly, we have more than enough recent and ongoing examples of fishing industries that
have or continue to be overfished and the industry has is in imminent danger of collapsing.
So the short answer is yes it can definitely still happen. The most spectacular is probably the north west Atlantic cod
by North American fleets and the similar case in the North east Atlantic particularly Scandinavia, Britain and
Iceland. The issue therefore is not that the industry is unaware of the problem.
The issue is that while there is an appreciable gain to be made out of "cheating" before the industry collapses, the
temptation and the psychological pressure will overcome any scientific wisdom or logic. This is what the Prisoners
Dilemma research has demonstrated and results in yet another Tragedy of the Commons.
How can this be reversed? After all there are successful Commons in real life that do not always end in a tragedy.
Again the research is clear on this, the rules of the game must be played with different losses and gains for either
cheating or co-operating.
The potential short term gains might be minimised (unfortunately it is not easy for a country like Fiji to dictate the
market price of shark fins) if:
* the penalty for cheating must be far larger than the short term gain; the penalty for cheating must be almost
immediate (days or weeks, not months or years);
* the conditions under which behaviour is defined as cheating or cooperating must be immediately apparent; and
* the easiest way to make cheating and cooperating apparent is to have a total ban on all shark fishing throughout all
of the Fiji's waters.
A total ban is the only solution that is possible without significant advances in the implementation of reliable and
cheap technology that can instantly and always identify when a boat or associated fishing line is in a mini defined
sanctuary or not within Fiji's waters. Also:
* Accidental by-catch can be minimised by the use of appropriate materials ('shark friendly' hooks) and fishing
behaviour (laying out of fishing lines and nets at times when sharks do not hunt).
* No shark product to be sold even if the shark is actually dead (some by-catch is inevitable) so there is no
temptation to 'liberally' interpret when a shark is dead on the line (or not).
* Transgressions of these measures when detected, are always punished as a penalty for cheating.
* Penalties are so severe that it overrides any short term gains by fishing boats or fishing fleets that think they can
get away with the 'cheat' and associated short term gain.
* Penalties are instantly applied and to everyone, regardless of size, relationship with the government, or nationality.
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Critics of such policies might argue that this would penalise honest fishing fleets that try to fish responsibly as shark
by-catch is inevitable.
The answer is that it would not for the following reasons.
Firstly the penalty is not applied for catching a shark (accidentally) but for keeping shark products (such as the fins)
for sale.
Secondly the stated by-catch of sharks by the long line fishing consortium is small ("we are not interested in
catching sharks as tuna is our main industry") so any loss of income from the sale of accidental by-catch is also
correspondingly small.
Finally, if sharks are not their intended catch, then using fishing equipment and practices that minimises the shark
by-catch actually is better and more effective for the fishing industry.
In summary, whilst the intention of the fishing industry lobby to oppose a total shark sanctuary throughout Fiji's
waters but instead suggest localised sanctuaries, seems reasonable, the well established scientific evidence is that
this will not work.
The research that has demonstrated this is in the study of a game called the Prisoners Dilemma.
Overfishing in other industries around the world show that this research is valid in the real world even when the
science and consequences of overfishing is known by all stakeholders.
The current solution to avoid a Tragedy of the Commons where both the eco-system and consequently the fishing
industry collapses, is a total ban on all fishing of sharks and any sale of shark products regardless of whether they
are accidentally fished or not.
...............................
Further reading
Axelrod, R. (1984) The evolution of cooperation, Basic Books, New York. Hardin, G. (1968) The tragedy of the
commons. Science, 1243-1248. Kollock, P. (1998) Social dilemmas: The anatomy of cooperation. Annual Review
of Sociology, 183-214.
...............................
* Dr Robin Taylor obtained a BSc in zoology from Dundee University and a PhD in psychology from Edinburgh
University. He lives and works in the Fiji Islands with his wife, two daughters, four dogs and two cats.
Copyright © 2012, Fiji Times Limited. All Rights Reserved.
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Mississauga
http://www.mississauga.com/print/1379867
Shark fin ban going into effect
Torstar Network
June 22, 2012
Some think it's a fishy situation.
Does Mississauga, where a ban on shark fin products goes into effect at the end of the month, have the right to
outlaw a product that Canadian law allows?
"We do have that right," says Ward 2 Councillor Pat Mullin, a driving force behind the ban, acknowledging a staff
report last year suggested the opposite.
Nevertheless, city council concluded it could ban the possession, sale and consumption of shark fin products by
virtue of the "powers and authorities that are afforded to municipalities" under the Municipal Act, Mullin said.
The Mississauga bylaw imposes fines of not more than $15,000 for a first conviction and up to $30,000 for
subsequent ones.
"It's the right thing to do," said Mullin.
Certainly, other municipalities feel the same way about the use of shark fins, which are highly prized in Asian
dishes such as shark fin soup.
In the spring of 2011, Brantford became the first Ontario municipality to outlaw shark fin products. Toronto
passed a similar bylaw that takes effect Sept. 1, and Pickering's shark fin ban begins in November. London,
Oakville and Newmarket have also approved the bans.
But the legality of the bylaws may soon be tested. A Toronto group called the Fair and Responsible Governance
Alliance has retained a law firm to launch a legal challenge to Toronto's shark fin bylaw (which would affect
other municipalities).
However, before the action is launched, the group has asked to meet with city councillors, staff and the mayor,
said Ben Leung, co-chair of the non-profit group that includes people from the Chinese business community as
well as members of other ethnic groups.
"We want them to sit with us and talk and investigate," said Leung, who hopes for a meeting before the bylaw
takes effect. No firm meeting has been set up yet, he said.
Canada's Fisheries Act prohibits fishermen from engaging in finning, cutting the fins from sharks which are then
thrown back into the ocean to die. Canada allows the import of shark fins (except from endangered species) and
although it supports the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's ban on international finning, there is
no way to know how imported shark fins are harvested.
The alliance agrees with the ban against finning.
"But there's no need to have a bylaw against something legally available in Canada," said Leung.
This article is for personal use only courtesy of Mississauga.com - a division of Metroland Media Group Ltd.
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Plundering the seas for a bowl of soup - NY Daily News
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Plundering the seas for a bowl of soup
End the shark fin trade
Comments (5)
BY JOHN CALVELLI / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Monday, June 25, 2012, 4:01 AM
Updated: Monday, June 25, 2012, 4:01 AM
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A scene from Steven Spielberg's 1975 film "Jaws."
For those of us who first saw “Jaws” upon its release one June weekend 37 years ago, our feelings about
the ocean fundamentally changed. Even at Orchard Beach in the Bronx, my friends and I entered the water
hoping we would not become a great white shark’s victim.
The hysteria was captured in what became a familiar beach sign: “Beware! Sharks.” Over the decades, with
the help of Shark Week and other cultural staples, we got the message reinforced.
The fact is, such signs would be more accurate in reverse. Sharks have more to fear from people than we
have to fear from them. Some species have, in recent decades, declined in abundance by 80%-90% from
fishing pressure.
1 of 3
6/27/12 3:57 PM
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Plundering the seas for a bowl of soup - NY Daily News
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/plundering-seas-a-bowl-...
EDITORS' PICKS
New Yorkers may be surprised to learn that more than three dozen species of sharks and rays are found off
our coast, including the world’s largest (whale shark), fastest (shortfin mako shark) and the most charismatic
(white shark), maligned (spiny dogfish) and threatened (thorny skate and porbeagle shark) species. Local
anglers recalling the days of world-class fishing for mako, thresher and blue sharks lament that those days
are now long gone.
WATCH: Bikini-clad
Kate Upton jogs,
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Sharks have plied the world’s oceans for some 400 million years. Despite their fierce reputation, these
cartilaginous fish — which include more than 1,100 species of sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras — are
among the world’s most vulnerable wildlife.
Following her cover shoot
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Sharks take many years to reach reproductive maturity and produce relatively few young. As a result of their
slow growth and low productivity, overfishing can quickly deplete shark and ray populations, which may then
take many decades to recover.
Inmate who lost 300
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The most current threat to global shark populations arises from the growing demand for shark fin soup, an
Asian delicacy widely served in New York restaurants.
Michael Isolda is suing the
city, bellyaching that the
cafeteria food at Rikers
Demented chef's
‘human genitals’
dinner probed by
Tokyo cops
The exceptionally high price paid for fins — a single bowl of soup can sell for more than $100 — is the
primary driver behind global shark fisheries, and has led to the cruel, wasteful practice of shark finning,
which involves cutting off the fins and throwing the shark’s carcass back into the sea. Research supported
by the Wildlife Conservation Society suggests that as many as 26 to 73 million sharks are killed each year
for the fin trade.
The delicacy was served to
five dinner guests for $250
apiece.
In the wake of measures recently adopted in Hawaii, California and elsewhere, the New York State
Legislature considered a bill in the just-completed session to ban the trade and sale of shark fins as a way to
raise awareness of shark conservation needs and reduce fishing pressure on dwindling populations.
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He got a job!
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09:12 AM
Jun 26, 2012
Bart6, its even worse than the article describes and you present essentially ZERO 'facts' in rebuttal;
Many of us are horrified at your actions. you are a profiteer of waste and suffering :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_finning www.seashepherd.org/sharks/shark-finning.html
http://www.ecorazzi.com/2012/06/25/venezuela-establishes-shark-sanctuary-and-bans-sharkfinning/ www.stopsharkfinning.net
Report abuse
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Protecting the tiger - Richard's Blog - Virgin.com
http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/blog/protecting-the-tiger
Virgin
Protecting the tiger
By Richard Branson(/author/richard-branson) Jun 25, 2012
Animal conservation has always been an issue close to my heart, and there are few animals that stir the emotions
as much as the beautiful tiger. Last year I visited India with WildAid and Virgin Unite in search of the
tigers(http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/blog/the-tigers-of-india) , to discover more about how we can help
protect them.
Right now in India, WildAid's Rapid Response Unit is doing amazing work reaching tigers in distress and protecting
them from poachers.
Nevertheles, the very survival of wild tigers is in peril due to poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and the loss of more than
90% of their habitat. A century ago there were more than 100,000 tigers in the wild. Today there are as few as
3,200.
For over 50 years, WWF(http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/tigers/index.html) has been the world’s leading
conservation organisation, helping to ensure the survival of wild animals all around the globe. This week, join WWF
in helping to protect the tigers. Let’s make sure that not one more inch of land is lost for the tiger, and not one more
tiger is poached. Will you help protect the tiger(http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/tigers/index.html) ?
By Richard Branson(/author/richard-branson) . Founder of Virgin Group
® 2012 virgin.com All Rights Reserved.
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Richard Branson Wants You to Help Save Tigers | Ecorazzi
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Richard Branson Wants You to Help Save
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BY ALLYSON KOERNER JUNE 25, 2012
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Angela
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TAGS: RICHARD BRANSON.
Amar
Sir Richard Branson may be known
for founding the Virgin Group, but he is
also widely known for his love of
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“Right now in India, WildAid’s Rapid Response Unit is doing amazing work reaching
tigers in distress and protecting them from poachers.”
Branson wants you to do the same and help protect these beautiful creatures. According
to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), more than 90 percent of their habitat has been
destroyed and now there are as few as 3,200 tigers left. More than 100,000 tigers
Twitter Updates
roamed just a century ago.
Make It: #Vegan Goldfish Crackers by
Branson and WWF want your help. All you have to do is text and donate $10 to benefit
@chloecoscarelli http://t.co/j30V4QFu
the world’s tigers. For more information, click here.
07:32:27 pm july 09, 2012
reply
“For over 50 years, WWF has been the world’s leading conservation organization,
helping to ensure the survival of wild animals all around the globe,” Branson continued
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Gwyneth Paltrow is selling a $90 white GOOP
on his blog. “This week, join WWF in helping to protect the tigers. Let’s make sure that
not one more inch of land is lost for the tiger, and not one more tiger is poached. Will you
t-shirt. Because she's ridiculous. http://t.co
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help protect the tiger?”
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BY BROOK BOLEN JUNE 25, 2012
TAGS: VENEZUELA.
This week, Venezuela’s minister of land
and agriculture outlawed shark finning
Walter
Wiena
Deshapriya
Melissa
Archi
Elizabeth
Lindsay
John
Kristin
Donna
and established a shark sanctuary. The
South American country is the last in
the Americas to ban the cruel and
unsustainable practice, whereby live
sharks’ fins are removed and then
returned to sea to die slowly.
The new 1,440 square mile sanctuary
surrounds the Los Roques Archipelago,
a popular tourist destination. According
to scientists, the area is an important breeding ground and nursery for several shark
species, including the Caribbean reef shark and the lemon shark. Because sharks spend
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their first few years in shallow, near-shore waters where they are closest to people and
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most apt to be caught, it is vital to shark conservation to protect their nurseries.
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Therefore these measures could have wide-ranging, positive effects for shark
- 1,148 views
conservation.
Although shark fins are unsafe to eat due to their high levels of mercury and a neurotoxin
implicated in neurodegenerative conditions called BMAA, or Beta-methylamino-
Twitter Updates
L-alanine, scientists estimate that up to 73 million sharks die yearly because of the
demand for shark fin soup, particularly in China and Southeast Asia. Venezuela still
allows shark fishing outside the sanctuary, but in accordance with these new rules, any
Did your fave make our list of the World's Most
and all fins must still be attached to the shark.
Hopefully, these new measures are the first of many which will protect sharks and
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elevate their status to one which does not include food.
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New Shark Fin Poaching Arrests Made by Coast Guard in Costa...
http://news.co.cr/new-shark-fin-poaching-arrests-made-coast-gu...
New Shark Fin Poaching Arrests Made by Coast
Guard in Costa Rica
Posted by Jaime Lopez on June 26, 2012 in Politics
A fishing vessel carrying 120 shark fins was boarded earlier
today by the National Coast Guard Service of Costa Rica in
the Pacific. The incident occurred in the province of
Puntarenas, between Golfito and Punta Burica and not far
from Punta Banco. This is the second such arrest made by
the Coast Guard this month in the same area.
The boarding took place during an observation voyage by
patrol boat B2-4. According to a news report by ADN Radio
90.7 FM, members of the Coast Guard assigned to Station
Golfito boarded the fishing vessel Yamauke, registration
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number P-8969, registered in Costa Rica. “Yama-uke” is a romanized Japanese term that describes a block used
Share
in martial arts.
According to Station Chief Felix Villalobos, the four crew members of the Yamauke appeared to be nervous
during the boarding. The FV Yamauke carried about a ton of legal catch of diverse species in her fish hold, but
once the Coast Guard officers inspected the coolers they understood why the fishermen appeared anxious: One
of the coolers contained 120 shark fins that had been crudely hacked off.
Shark fishing is legal in Costa Rica -within certain limits. The Coast Guard boarding team members, however, did
not find any sharks aboard the FV Yamauke, a prima facie case of shark fin poaching and a violation of our
Fishing Laws. Three adults and one minor were taken into custody, and the FV Yamauke was confiscated along
with her catch. In these cases, the seized catch is immediately auctioned off once it has been recorded and
prosecutors notified.
Illegal Shark Fin Trade Under Scrutiny in the Americas
With regard to shark fin poaching, June has been a busy month -and not just for the Coast Guard. The Costa
Rica Star reported on the arrest of the FV Elizabeth X just two weeks ago; 58 shark fins were confiscated in that
case. A little over a week ago, President Laura Chinchilla met with her Colombian counterpart and pledged
collaboration and increased vigilance against the malicious shark fin trade.
On June 20th, the National Assembly issued a report in which the Environmental Legislative Commission
acknowledged that it had once again reviewed File Number 16890, a Special Investigation into the Shark Fin
Trade in Costa Rica. This file has been floating around since July 2008, but the recent arrest of Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society founder Paul Watson and his pending extradition has brought about a new focus of this
issue.
Earlier this week, the government of Venezuela announced new legislation that prohibits shark finning and
establishes a marine sanctuary for protection of the shark species.
In North America, jurisdictions in the United States and Canada are considering legislative measures to curb the
shark fin trade. The State of Delaware passed a shark protection statute, but the New York Times reported from
Albany that the NY Senate failed to act on a similar bill this year. Municipalities in Canada are considering a ban
on the shark fin trade, but federal law is getting in their way, according to the Toronto Star.
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necessarily represent those of The Costa Rica Star news network. If you have any feedback or questions
pertaining to this article, please use the contact form at the top of the website to get in touch with our editors.
2 of 4
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Delaware to Consider Shark Fin Trade Ban
Posted Wed, Jun 27, 2012 by avorpahl to bill, delaware, east coast, law, shark fin ban, shark fin soup, shark
67,274 people like Oceana.
finning
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With the session
ending in just three
days, Delaware may
become the first East
Coast state to ban the
shark fin trade. HB
324, the bill banning
the sale, trade,
possession and
distribution of shark
fins throughout the
state, has already
passed the Delaware
State Assembly and
it’s now up to the
Senate to finish the
job.
Shark fins are
primarily used for
shark fin soup, a delicacy in many Asian communities. This demand for shark fins, however, drives
the cruel practice of shark finning, slicing a shark’s fins off and throwing the body overboard. This
bill would decrease the demand for fins, and prevent Delaware from becoming a state used to
transport fins to larger markets in other East Coast states, like New York.
The demand for shark fins puts endangered shark species at higher risk ©Oceana/LX
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Some species of sharks have declined by as much as 99 percent, mainly from the demand for shark
fins. As the top predators in the ocean food chain, sharks help keep our oceans in balance.
The importance of passing a shark fin ban bill in Delaware is a small step in a bigger picture. Other
states that have enacted laws banning shark fin sales include California, Oregon, Washington and
Hawaii, and similar legislation is awaiting Governor Pat Quinn’s signature in Illinois.
Oceana commends the Delaware State Assembly on their important action to save sharks, and
calls upon the Delaware Senate to do the same!
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Four arrest in Costa Rica shark fin poaching operation | The Cos...
http://thecostaricanews.com/four-arresedt-in-costa-rica-shark-fi...
Four arrested in Costa Rica shark fin
poaching operation
Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 | Filed under Eco
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Shark Fins
Four Costa Ricans were arrested yesterday morning by the National Coast Guard (NG) on
suspicion of killing sharks at sea for their fins.
Authorities seized 122 fins from about 30 sharks, southeast from Golfito, off Punta Banco,
in waters in the South Pacific.
The four arrested were all residents of Golfito.
Individuals were aboard the fishing vessel Yamauke, a long liner a small 12 meters long
vessel, further the Yamauke fishing license had expired in May.
The police inspected the vessel and found the fins inside freezers.
This is the second case against shark finning in the South Pacific in June alone.
Since August last year there have been eight cases of shark fin poaching in Quepos,
Puntarenas and Golfito.
Shark fin poaching in Costa Rica has been under the microscope of late; since Captain Paul
Watson Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was charged with poach shark fins. Watson is
currently fighting extradtion back to Costa Rica in Germany.
The Costa Rica News
San Jose Costa Rica
1 of 2
7/18/12 11:53 AM
98
24 Hours Vancouver
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/local/2012/06/26/19923296.html
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Burnaby to ban shark fin trade
By TYLER ORTON, 24 HOURS
Burnaby City Council took steps this week to ban
shark fin soup and join a growing number of Metro
Vancouver municipalities eager to stop the sale of
the controversial delicacy.
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A rally was held outside Burnaby City Hall Monday to support a ban on shark fin soup. (PHOTO
SUBMITTED)
Shark fin linked to degenerative brain diseases: Study
Shark fin soup banned in Toronto
Burnaby Coun. Sav Dhaliwal proposed a motion that passed Monday asking city staff for
guidance in pursuing the prohibition of shark fin use, after more than 60 people packed
1 of 2
6/27/12 3:58 PM
99
24 Hours Vancouver
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/local/2012/06/26/19923296.html
council chambers in support of a Vancouver Animal Defense League presentation.
Dhaliwal told 24 hours he supports barring the delicacy, but it’s difficult for a bylaw to be
effective since there’s no way to enforce it.
As part of his motion, he asked city staff to research ways council could engage the federal
and provincial governments on the matter and develop an enforceable ban.
VADL spokesman Anthony Marr said he grew up eating the soup, but never thought about
its impacts.
He said harvesters tear the fins from
sharks’ bodies before releasing them back
into the ocean where they can no longer
swim or hunt. As the apex predators’
numbers dwindle, lower-level predators
will proliferate and reduce the number of
fish.
“The cost in terms of ecology is
enormous.”
Marr said VADL next plans to address city
councils in either Vancouver or Richmond
and convince those municipalities to ban
the sale and distribution of shark fins.
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Port Moody and Coquitlam prohibited the soup in May, while North Vancouver passed a
motion last week asking city staff to develop similar bylaws.
North Vancouver Coun. Craig Keating said he realized the ban would not have a huge
impact on his community, but he’s hoping for a domino effect around the province as more
cities enact bans.
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Paul Watson's Arrest Bringing New Focus to Costa Rica's Anti-...
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Paul Watson's Arrest Bringing New
Focus to Costa Rica's Anti-Shark
Finning Efforts
Mat McDermott
Science / Natural Sciences
June 27, 2012
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was just intercepted by the Costa Rican Coast Guard and the fins and vessel
confiscated, the crew detained—with another ship containing 58 shark fins
stopped two weeks ago.
As for the Sea Shepherd connection, a government special investigation that's
been kicking around since 2008 has been reviewed, with Watson's arrest cited
as bring about "a new focus" on the issue.
Shark fishing itself is legal in Costa Rica, but finning sharks is banned.
However, the Coast Guard found no entire sharks aboard, something which
gave them the authority to stop them as poachers.
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7/19/12 1:21 PM
101
Burnaby NewsLeader - Burnaby to consider shark fin ban
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Burnaby to consider shark fin ban
By Wanda Chow - Burnaby NewsLeader
Updated: June 29, 2012 12:15 PM
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Burnaby council is considering a ban on the sale of
shark fins after a delegation called on the city to do
just that.
Council asked staff to report back on the issue,
particularly the city's jurisdiction and how
enforceable such a ban would be.
Anthony Marr and the Vancouver Animal Defence
League spoke to council recently asking it to join
Coquitlam, Port Moody and the City of North
Vancouver in enacting a ban. Due to their high cost,
Shark fin soup is a symbol of wealth and prosperity in
the Chinese community, and is often served at
wedding banquets.
But they are harvested cruelly, with the fins cut off
and the rest of the shark thrown back into the ocean,
while still alive. Reducing shark populations also
mean the fish they eat will grow in numbers, creating
a domino effect from an imbalance in the ecosystem.
Marr is aiming to have the Metro Vancouver cities
with the largest Chinese populations, Vancouver,
Richmond and Burnaby, to ban the sale and serving
of shark fins.
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He noted that the Canadian Fisheries Act prohibits
shark-finning in Canadian waters.
"If we do not allow shark-finning, why do we allow shark fins from elsewhere?"
He also said a one-bowl-at-a-time campaign of reducing consumption voluntarily will take decades to have any
effect.
"The sharks just don't have the time."
Coun. Sav Dhaliwal said education will be key to reducing demand for shark fins.
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7/2/12 12:22 PM
102
Four fishermen arrested for shark finning off southern coast - Pr...
http://www.ticotimes.net/layout/set/print/Current-Edition/News-...
Four fishermen arrested for shark finning off southern
coast
Posted: Thursday, June 28, 2012 - By Hannah J. Ryan
Another 1,200 kilos of other fish produce was seized.
Coast Guard officials on Tuesday arrested four Costa Rican men and confiscated 122 fins from 30 sharks after
intercepting a Costa Rican fishing vessel off the southern coast near Punta Blanco, at the mouth of Golfo
Dulce, the daily La Nación reported.
The men arrested were identified by the last names Calvo (the captain), 21, Castillo, 28, Brenes, 18, and a
16-year-old. Coast Guard Director Martin Arias told La Nación the men were processed and released. The
boat remains in the custody of the Coast Guard.
When authorities searched the boat they found fins inside freezers, already cut from the animals, which were
likely thrown back into the water. Another 1,200 kilos of other fish produce was seized.
La Nación reported that the boat’s fishing license expired over a month ago, and the boat’s crew wasn’t
registered by the Golfito harbor master. The ship’s captain said other crew members who were registered were
too drunk to work.
This is the second arrest of shark finners in the past 15 days in the southern Pacific. On June 11, the Coast
Guard intercepted another boat transporting 58 fins without the shark’s bodies attached, as the law requires.
Costa Rica’s fishing law calls for six months to two years in prison for landing sharks without the fins attached.
1 of 1
7/19/12 10:35 AM
103
http://www.surreyleader.com/news/160769665.html?print=true
Shark fin ban gains momentum in Metro cities
By Surrey Leader
Updated: June 28, 2012 05:185 PM
A campaign to stamp out the use of shark fins by Chinese restaurants is quickly gaining steam across Metro
Vancouver.
Activists have already persuaded Coquitlam, Port Moody and the CIty of North Vancouver to ban the possession
and use of the fins and Burnaby is expected to follow suit.
Now Vancouver Animal Defence League spokesman Anthony Marr is preparing to go after Vancouver, Richmond
and Surrey – cities home to many of the Metro restaurants that serve shark fin soup.
"They're going down like dominoes," Marr said of the cities signing on. "It's going pretty strong."
Seven cities in Ontario, including Toronto, have agreed to bans, but B.C. is the big prize.
By getting smaller communities on board first, Marr hopes to convince councils of the bigger Metro cities to
simultaneously sign on to a ban and defuse concerns that affected restaurateurs will flee Vancouver for Richmond
or vice-versa.
Marr himself ate shark fin soup as a kid in Hong Kong, but gave it up when he saw how poachers carve the fins off
live sharks, which are then dumped back in the ocean to die.
It's not just a tragedy for the slow-to-reproduce sharks.
"If you wipe out the sharks, the medium-sized
fish they prey on will proliferate and overfeed on
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7/19/12 10:24 AM
104
http://www.surreyleader.com/news/160769665.html?print=true
the smaller fish," Marr said. "They will proliferate
and the fisheries will most likely collapse. So
sharks are very important."
Marr claims plenty of allies in the Chinese
community who agree it's time to end a barbaric
practice, responsible for the slaughter of about 50
million sharks annually.
But he doesn't try to convert restaurateurs, or
their rich clientele who see shark fin as a
prestigious delicacy.
He figures sharks will be extinct by the time they
come around or are replaced by younger, more
enlightened generations of Chinese heritage.
Nor does he apologize for what some fellow
Chinese see as an attack on their culture.
"If you cater to the Chinese culture and let them
carry on with it, you're not really doing the
Chinese reputation any favours," he counters.
Some civic politicians have questioned their
authority to enforce a ban.
Marr is working with others, including NDP MP Fin
Donnelly, for a Canada-wide ban, as well as a
provincial one.
But he contends shark fins should be illegal to
possess already, since Canada is signatory to an
international convention banning trade in
endangered species and many shark species are endangered.
It's difficult to prove what species of shark a fin came from or whether it was removed from a live or dead shark,
he noted.
Some of the local bylaws being imposed simply refuse business licences to businesses that trade or use shark fins,
or impose fines for violations.
Marr has been a force in B.C.'s animal rights movement for years.
In the mid-1990s he helped wage a campaign in Vancouver's Chinatown to end imports of endangered species
products like tiger balm, rhino horn and bear bile.
And he spearheaded a provincial initiative to block bear hunting, a campaign that failed but led to a short-lived
provincial moratorium on grizzly hunting in 2001.
2 of 3
7/19/12 10:24 AM
105
Scott D. Pierce: Eat shark-fin soup? You&ap.. | The Salt Lake T...
http://archive.sltrib.com/printfriendly.php?id=54386954&itype...
Scott D. Pierce: Eat shark-fin soup? You're
killing oceans
BY SCOTT D. PIERCE THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
PUBLISHED JUNE 28, 2012 1:03 PM
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes
and may not be reprinted.
Chris Fischer wants you to stop eating shark-fin soup. And if he has to wrestle gigantic, fearsome great white sharks to persuade you, he's happy to do it.
Fischer, a Park City resident, returns with his latest TV series, "Shark Wranglers," on the History Channel (Sunday, 11 p.m., with repeats throughout the week). Once
again, we see him and his crew hauling great whites out of the ocean, tagging and releasing them.
It makes for great TV, but it's all in the name of science.
"It's enormously different from what we've done before," said Fischer, whose previous shows include "Shark Men" and "Offshore Adventures." "For the first time, I really
feel like our full story is being told, rather than just an old-school documentary about sticking a tag on a shark and seeing where it goes."
"Shark Wranglers" isn't just wrangling sharks — although that provides absolutely incredible footage that's more than a bit frightening to watch. The show is more about
the people on the expedition. And this expedition to the waters off South Africa brought together scientists who previously competed against one another. Fischer's latest
expedition supported 12 research projects by 30 researchers at 18 institutions.
It was "ocean first," he said. "We forced them all to collaborate so we could learn as soon as possible to effect change as soon as possible. It's harder to haul all the people
together, but it's more dangerous to handle the sharks."
The new series revolves around a mission to tag 50 great white sharks in 40 days. "Nothing has ever been done like that," Fischer said. "I don't know that 50 big white
sharks have ever been tagged in total around the world, if you remove the ones we've tagged."
Adding to the drama was bad weather that hammered the ship and the crew. But Fischer was almost desperate to complete the mission for reasons that had nothing to
do with TV.
"We're catching the biggest things in the world in the most difficult environments in the world because we have to push the body of knowledge now. There is no time
left," he said emphatically. "More than 70 million sharks are getting killed a year, much of which is for a bowl of soup."
He's passionate in his call to action. "Sharks will be gone in our lifetimes if we don't do something now. And if we lose the sharks, we lose the oceans."
Learning where the sharks go will allow them to be protected where they're most vulnerable. And viewers at home can help.
"Did you know you can get a bowl of shark-fin soup in Salt Lake City?" Fischer asked. "It's awful. People anywhere can work with the local government to get it banned.
That's a real simple way to help save the oceans."
Scott D. Pierce covers television for The Salt Lake Tribune. Email him at spierce@sltrib.com; follow him on Twitter @ScottDPierce.
© Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All Rights Reserved. This Material May Not Be Published, Broadcast, Rewritten Or Redistributed.
1 of 1
7/19/12 10:27 AM
106
Shark Fins Burned in Honduras | TheRandomFact.com
http://therandomfact.com/shark-fins-burned-in-honduras/2211223/
Shark Fins Burned in Honduras
June 30, 2012 Anna Taylor
In Honduras, President Porfirio Lobo Sosa attended the naval base in the capital of Tegucigalpa to
watch the burning of illegal shark fins, an event held to highlight the country’s commitment to
protecting sharks. The President was joined by law enforcement officials and the local press as more
than 200 fins from 184 nurse sharks, from a seizure made by the navy in April this year, went up in
flames. The seizure was made as part of the country’s ongoing enforcement efforts in their new
sanctuary.
Shark Fin Soup
Shark Sanctuaries
The burning marked the first anniversary of the declaration of the entire exclusive economic zone of
1 of 5
7/18/12 11:22 AM
107
Shark Fins Burned in Honduras | TheRandomFact.com
http://therandomfact.com/shark-fins-burned-in-honduras/2211223/
Honduras (240,000 square kilometres, or 92,665 square miles) to be off limits to shark fishing – shark
finning, whereby the fins of sharks are removed and the rest of the animal is thrown back into the sea,
sometimes while still alive, officially became illegal in Honduras in June 2011. The country is one of
only six countries that have established a shark sanctuary in their waters; the first was Palau in 2009,
followed by the Bahamas, the Marshall Islands, Tokelau and the Maldives. In fact, in 2011 and 2012,
Palau and the Marshall Islands fined Taiwanese and Japanese vessels US$65,000 and US$125,000
respectively for entering their waters. In the USA, many states have also banned the sale, possession
and trade of shark fins. In January this year, the ban took effect in California, joining Hawaii,
Washington and Oregon in closing off the Pacific ports to the shark fin trade.
This trade is extremely lucrative. The fins confiscated in Honduras would have been worth as much as
US$300 per pound. By destroying the fins, the government has demonstrated its commitment to
putting a stop to shark finning in the country. However, they cannot control the number of sharks that
can be killed beyond the boundaries of the sanctuary.
Shark Fin Soup
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as many as one third of all
species of shark face the threat of extinction. In the EU, 30% of shark species as listed as threatened,
and in the UK this figure is 50%. Sharks are killed to satisfy the demand from the Far East for shark
fin soup. With one bowl of soup costing as much as US$300, it is a delicacy, consumed only by those
who can afford it. However, the recent increase in prosperity in countries like China means that the
soup is now being consumed in vast quantities, and demand for shark fins has grown rapidly. The
soup is actually very bland, and must be flavoured with chicken or other stock (the fins are merely
used to add texture), but it is claimed to have health benefits, such as improving kidneys, bones and
lungs. There is no evidence for this and, ironically, the fins have such high levels of mercury that they
are barely fit for human consumption.
As sharks are slow growing animals, taking anything from 7 to over 20 years to reach maturity, and
have few offspring, shark populations take a long time to recover. The demand for fins means that it is
impossible for populations to return to previous levels. Some species have declined by 99% and, as
sharks are top predators, when they are removed the entire ecosystem suffers.
There have been several similar burning events of animal parts confiscated from the wildlife trade in
recent years. In Tsavo National Park in Kenya last year, 335 elephant tusks (5 tonnes of ivory) were
burned in an effort to ensure that these tusks never find their way onto the black market. In Gabon
later this year, their entire stockpile of ivory will be burned as a symbol of the country’s pledge to
tackle the illegal wildlife trade. Similarly, 12.7 tonnes of illegal pangolin scales and carcasses were
burned in Indonesia earlier this month – the keratin scales are in demand by the Chinese traditional
medicine market, and they are also used to make mobile phone covers. The burning of the fins in
Honduras will hopefully raise awareness of the shark fin trade and the plight of sharks, and perhaps
even encourage other countries to create shark sanctuaries of their own.
Honduras, Shark, Shark Fin, Shark Fin Soup Ecology
2 of 5
7/18/12 11:22 AM
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June 2012 Coverage (Reduced)

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