The Shark Alliance

Nearly 100,000 concerned divers and shark advocates have already signed their support for Project AWARE’s shark petition. But additional support is needed to ensure the voices of global shark advocates are heard.

“AWARE divers worldwide are anxious to support shark protection,” says Suzanne Pleydell, Project AWARE Director. “And it’s essential that we continue focusing our support on shark protection measures that have teeth and result in measurable change.”

Project AWARE’s petition campaign targets the power of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to help protect threatened sharks with the next meeting to take place in Thailand, March 2013.

While CITES has helped to save a myriad of terrestrial species, the effort to add sharks and marine fish to CITES is still relatively new ground and has resulted in difficult battles. Although the tide is turning, and basking, whale and great white sharks were added in the last decade, there is still often vigorous opposition to the listing of commercially valuable fish under CITES.

Project AWARE is working on using the power of CITES to secure listing for some of the shark species most deserving of CITES protections including: hammerheads, oceanic whitetip, spiny dogfish and porbeagle sharks. We’re also aiming for consideration of sharks’ close relatives such as the heavily traded manta and devil rays.

Time is running out for sharks! Public support for shark conservation is crucial to balance short-term interests and ensure that strong and enforceable shark conservation measures are implemented.

Find out more about the Big Shark Shout Out and Project AWARE’s shark protection campaign at www.projectaware.org.

ENDS


Notes to Editors:

Project AWARE Foundation is a global movement of scuba divers protecting the ocean planet - one dive at a time. Focused on the critical issues of Sharks in Peril and Marine Debris, Project AWARE empowers thousands of divers in more than 180 countries to work together for a clean, healthy and abundant ocean planet. Project AWARE Foundation is a registered non-profit organization.

The Big Shark Shout Out is a Project AWARE initiative in support of Project AWARE’s Sharks in Peril programme.

Each year, Earth Day -- April 22 -- marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.

For further press information, an interview or images, please contact:

Tiffany Leite, Associate Director, Communications & Outreach - Americas
Tel: +1 949 858 7657 Ext. 2448 – Email: tiffany.leite@projectaware.org

Joanne Marston, Associate Director, Diver Engagement - Asia Pacific
Tel: +61 2 9454 2891 – Email: joanne.marston@projectaware.com.au

Domino Albert, PR & Communications Coordinator – Europe, Middle East & Africa
Tel: +44 (0)117 300 7313 - Email: domino.albert@projectaware.org.uk