Congress: Strengthen Protections for Sharks

Globally, harvest of sharks has resulted in decimated shark populations and devastating changes throughout the world oceans. Sharks are in trouble and we cannot afford to lose such a vital part of the world's oceans. The United States has an opportunity to be a strong global leader in shark conservation. Please take a minute to ask Congress to support efforts to strengthen protections for sharks.

Sharks have been swimming in the world's oceans for more than 400 million years. Because many sharks are at the top of the food chain, they have no other predators in the marine ecosystem - except one.  While sharks have been able to survive the mass extinctions that killed other animals, shark populations cannot withstand the current hunting pressure from humans.  Humans kill more than 100 million sharks a year.  

Sharks are important to the health of the oceans. As top predators they are responsible for maintaining populations of other species. The loss of shark populations is already having dire impacts on the rest of the ocean. The removal of sharks from the ecosystem affects the species below them on the food chain in unpredictable ways, even altering coral reefs and sea grass beds.   

Action must be taken to preserve the world's sharks. In 2000, the United States enacted the Shark Finning Prohibition Act, a positive step towards protecting sharks. The intent of this law was to stop the practice of finning sharks.  However, additional action is needed.  

Sharks need to be landed whole with the fins still attached to the bodies.  This practice will make it easier to enforce the shark finning ban and allow for better data collection for use in stock assessments and quota monitoring, since it will be easier to identify species.

In addition, the U.S. needs to ban the import of shark fins from countries that do not have shark finning requirements consistent with those in the U.S. 

Sharks are in trouble and we cannot afford to lose such a vital part of the world's oceans.  The United States has an opportunity to be a strong global leader in shark conservation.  We, the undersigned, ask that you support efforts to strengthen protections for sharks.  

Thank you,

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0-25 of 386 signatures

Number	Date	Name	Location
386	August 28, 2008	Sarah VilaCruz	Madison, WI
385	August 27, 2008	Chris Malendoski	Norfolk, VA
384	August 27, 2008	Stefanie Kramer	Redondo Beach, CA
383	August 27, 2008	CRYSTAL FATTIZZI	COCONUT CREEK, FL
382	August 27, 2008	Annette Larson	Tallahassee, FL
381	August 26, 2008	Paige Miller	Brick, NJ
380	August 26, 2008	Cassie Flores	Columbia, SC
379	August 26, 2008	Jupp Baron Kerckerinck	Millbrook, NY
378	August 25, 2008	peg smith	philadelphia, PA
377	August 25, 2008	Marie Keller	Pacific Palisades, CA
376	August 23, 2008	Amy Rose	Lawrenceburg, IN
375	August 22, 2008	Lynne Richesin	Ashaway, RI
374	August 22, 2008	Cherie Baldwin	Deerfield Beach, FL
373	August 20, 2008	Anne-Marie Batchelor-Rivers	San Francisco, CA
372	August 19, 2008	Jacob Mokrycki	Schaumburg, IL
371	August 19, 2008	Anonymous	Bel Air, MD
370	August 17, 2008	STEPHANY LANDAS	cenon, ot
369	August 16, 2008	Sarah Curtis	Depoe Bay, OR
368	August 16, 2008	René IJff	Assendelft, ot
367	August 15, 2008	Marlee Ross	Denton, TX
366	August 15, 2008	Sara Davis	cotati, CA
365	August 14, 2008	Theresa Karasek	Santa Barbara, CA
364	August 13, 2008	Jenna Cash	Sarasota, FL
363	August 13, 2008	sharon kennedy	chalfont, PA
362	August 12, 2008	Steven Pritchard	Los Angeles, CA

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Wavemaker (n) - A person actively engaged, with Oceana, in publicy promoting positive change; specifically for the benefit of our world?s oceans.